Tutorial
About "overlay" AFCAD files in FS2002
About "overlay" AFCAD files in FS2002
Content
- Introduction
- How to implement third-party overlay AFCAD files
- How to ceate your own "overlay" AFCAD files
1.
Introduction
With "overlay" AFCAD files one can split the the traffic of an airport in different parts. In this way one is for instance able to divide an airport in a part for domestic traffic and a part for international traffic, or in a part for cargo and one for passenger traffic.
2. How to implement a third-party "overlay" AFCAD file
Put the two (or more) AFCAD txt-files in the AFCAD folder.
Open Lee Swordy's AFCAD program and import the first file. Save it and answer "yes" on the question if you want to replace the airport or if you want to create the new airport. Do so for the other file(s).
Further, open with the text editor Wordpad (or Notepad in Windows XP) the flightplans.txt file in the folder where you have put Lee Swordy's TTools programs. In all the flights that you want to see on the first airport part, replace the airport code with the appropriate one (tthe new code can be found in the line ICAO_ID( XXXX) of the corresponding AFCD file ). Repeat that for the other parts of the airport. Usually at least one part will have the same code as that of the original airport, so, that does not need to be replaced in the flightplans.
Open with the text editor Wordpad (or Notepad in Windows XP) the airports.txt file. Create 1 (or more) new line(s) with (all) the new airport code(s) using the data of the original airport. Compile with TTtools.
3. How to create your own "overlay" AFCAD file
You open the AFCAD file in Lee Swordy's AFCAD progam for the airport where you like to create an overlay, say EXYZ. Export this file (EXYZ1.TXT) in order to keep it as backup.
Suppose you want to devide the airport in
i) a part with international flights, for which you keep the ID as EXYZ, and
ii) a part for domestic flights for which you take the ID as EXY1.
Now you delete on the drawing all the taxiways and parkings that are NOT belonging to the "International" part. (If this part doesn't use a certain runway, delete also this runway.)
Go to the list menu and delete all the taxi designators (they are indicated with "0"). Important now: drag the reference point (pink cross) to the closest runway of this part, or anyhow in the area of your "international" part of the airport.
DON'T SAVE, but export the airport as EXYZ_Intl. Close the airport.
Now open the same airport or import the backup.
Similarly, delete now all the complementary parkings, taxiways (and the runway in the case it is never used for domestic flights).
Go to the list menu and delete the unnecessary taxiways like before. Again drag the reference point somewhere in the new area.
DON'T SAVE, but export the airport as something like EXYZ_Dom.
In a text editor you open now the latter file. In line 10 you change ICAO_ID( EXYZ ) by ICAO_ID( EXY1 ) and at the end you change the airport name (NameEntry) in the "Cityname" Dom or "Cityname" Ntl, whatever you like.
In the AFCAD program you import now EXYZ_Intl and save it. After this you import EXY1 and save it. It will ask if you want to create this new airport and you answer just "yes".
In the flightplans of TTools you need to change EXYZ in EXY1 for all domestic flights and leave EXYZ for the inernational flights.
In the airport file you need to add the new airport by copying the line of EXYZ and replacing EXYZ by EXY1.
Compile and you will have separated traffic at the airport.
ATC will see only one airport, unless you change the frequencies for instance for the tower and ground the in the appropriate AFCAD.txt file.
This was an example for dividing an airport in Intl/Domestic, but one can also do that for passenger/cargo or airlines/touristic, etc...
With "overlay" AFCAD files one can split the the traffic of an airport in different parts. In this way one is for instance able to divide an airport in a part for domestic traffic and a part for international traffic, or in a part for cargo and one for passenger traffic.
2. How to implement a third-party "overlay" AFCAD file
Put the two (or more) AFCAD txt-files in the AFCAD folder.
Open Lee Swordy's AFCAD program and import the first file. Save it and answer "yes" on the question if you want to replace the airport or if you want to create the new airport. Do so for the other file(s).
Further, open with the text editor Wordpad (or Notepad in Windows XP) the flightplans.txt file in the folder where you have put Lee Swordy's TTools programs. In all the flights that you want to see on the first airport part, replace the airport code with the appropriate one (tthe new code can be found in the line ICAO_ID( XXXX) of the corresponding AFCD file ). Repeat that for the other parts of the airport. Usually at least one part will have the same code as that of the original airport, so, that does not need to be replaced in the flightplans.
Open with the text editor Wordpad (or Notepad in Windows XP) the airports.txt file. Create 1 (or more) new line(s) with (all) the new airport code(s) using the data of the original airport. Compile with TTtools.
3. How to create your own "overlay" AFCAD file
You open the AFCAD file in Lee Swordy's AFCAD progam for the airport where you like to create an overlay, say EXYZ. Export this file (EXYZ1.TXT) in order to keep it as backup.
Suppose you want to devide the airport in
i) a part with international flights, for which you keep the ID as EXYZ, and
ii) a part for domestic flights for which you take the ID as EXY1.
Now you delete on the drawing all the taxiways and parkings that are NOT belonging to the "International" part. (If this part doesn't use a certain runway, delete also this runway.)
Go to the list menu and delete all the taxi designators (they are indicated with "0"). Important now: drag the reference point (pink cross) to the closest runway of this part, or anyhow in the area of your "international" part of the airport.
DON'T SAVE, but export the airport as EXYZ_Intl. Close the airport.
Now open the same airport or import the backup.
Similarly, delete now all the complementary parkings, taxiways (and the runway in the case it is never used for domestic flights).
Go to the list menu and delete the unnecessary taxiways like before. Again drag the reference point somewhere in the new area.
DON'T SAVE, but export the airport as something like EXYZ_Dom.
In a text editor you open now the latter file. In line 10 you change ICAO_ID( EXYZ ) by ICAO_ID( EXY1 ) and at the end you change the airport name (NameEntry) in the "Cityname" Dom or "Cityname" Ntl, whatever you like.
In the AFCAD program you import now EXYZ_Intl and save it. After this you import EXY1 and save it. It will ask if you want to create this new airport and you answer just "yes".
In the flightplans of TTools you need to change EXYZ in EXY1 for all domestic flights and leave EXYZ for the inernational flights.
In the airport file you need to add the new airport by copying the line of EXYZ and replacing EXYZ by EXY1.
Compile and you will have separated traffic at the airport.
ATC will see only one airport, unless you change the frequencies for instance for the tower and ground the in the appropriate AFCAD.txt file.
This was an example for dividing an airport in Intl/Domestic, but one can also do that for passenger/cargo or airlines/touristic, etc...