Hello

 

I've being flying default fsx for a while at medium graphics with no add ons, (due to technical restraints) and I have realized that a lot of the airports that i fly to have only 1 gate heavy or none in the airport in fsx while real life has like 5-10. I know that it technically possible to change the config file so the gate is heavy but i haven't found much support or tutorials on how to do so. I just saved fsx from a previous issue that occurred and took a long time to fix so I would like to ask on the forums. How to change a gate in default fsx from small or medium to heavy. and how to change a ramp to a gate. Thank you very much and please I am new so please be patient.

You need to edit the airport with a utility such as ADE.

Or

 

Use an AFCAD which adds the parking spaces.

Just search the whole Flight Simulator X - AFCAD Files section in the library. You will also probably find some in the FSX scenery section as well, but those files may contain more than just changes to the parking.

Lots of freeware scenery around that can assit

No i don't want to install add-on scenery and thanks for the first info but can you explain like in more detail. I don't want to change the scenery itself i just want to make a gate medium into heavy so that when i arrive in my 747 there is some space for parking like in the real airport.

I just want to be able to change the name of the gates from medium to heavy and change the specs for the gates so only heavy aircraft can park, preferably without installing any add ons and from the interface itself, Ive heard its possible but I want to check.

The AFCAD file will do that. Aside from creating your own AFCAD files, downloading one is the only option. Downloading and installing is a lot easier than creating them from scratch. When people talk about editing one, they are basically using the same program to edit them that you use to create them from scratch.

 

AFCADS control the properties of the gates, taxiways, aprons and runways. Some do include visual elements, but most don't. Installation is really simple.

ok thanks can you link AFCAD really scared of viruses or "fake sites" that give viruses. had a problem with that on simbrief where a "fake site" that mimicked simbrief got a lovely little virus on my computer. Thanks again and I will install and run the program.

Just search here on the Avsim library. Search for the airport you're looking for and it'll come up.

Parking size designations (such as medium, small, etc) are simply a shorthand for the default size (measured as radius) of a parking spot.  FSX compares the (half) wingspan of the aircraft to the parking radius to determine if the aircraft will "fit".  So to get an aircraft to fit in any parking spot you either need to change the radius of the spot using a scenery mod tool (typically also needs to have the SDK installed), or text edit the aircraft.cfg file to change the wingspan.

 

Note that some aspects of the airport operation (motion of jetways, pushback trucks, fuel trucks) may result in unrealistic behavior if you make radical changes.

 

scott s.

.

I don't want to edit the aircraft wingspan Just the "radius" of the parking spot preferably without add ons again. So is there a way that I can edit the radius of a gate without add ons. Maybe the cfg file for the airport. I know this is a ongoing issue and hopefully fsx steam edition will make more realistic parking at least. don't really care too much about unrealism but if it is possible for not more then "normal" fsx unrealism then that is fine. Thanks for all the suggestions really helpful.

1. Pretty sure there have been suggestions given to you on how to do this. No, is not by modifying a .cfg file.

 

2. No, the gates/parking in the Steam edition of FSX are the same and are never going to change.

I don't want to edit the aircraft wingspan Just the "radius" of the parking spot preferably without add ons again. So is there a way that I can edit the radius of a gate without add ons. Maybe the cfg file for the airport. I know this is a ongoing issue and hopefully fsx steam edition will make more realistic parking at least. don't really care too much about unrealism but if it is possible for not more then "normal" fsx unrealism then that is fine. Thanks for all the suggestions really helpful.

If you're using FSX steam edition, getting ADE (the software you would need to edit the parking spot radius) to run is a bit tricky as there is a file missing from FSX:SE that ADE needs to run. I know you've said you don't want to, but honestly downloading updated AFCADS is your best bet. It's incredibly simple. Just go onto the file library here on avsim (all of the files here go through a screening process when they are uploaded I believe and are virus free. You can trust avsim 100%) and download an AFCAD file for the airport you want. Extract the zip to a folder on your desktop, go into it and follow the readme. Usually they have you drop a file or two into your Addon Scenery/Scenery folder. Once you learn how to do it, it takes two minutes. If you'd like a more detailed explanation just let me know. Out of curiosity, what is the airport you are having this problem at? 

johanesburg and istanbul where despite there being heavy gates fsx thinks there are none. Thank you ill try that today

In default scenery for Johannesburg Intl there are no heavy gates listed.  There is an updated AFCAD

 

here...http://flyawaysimulation.com/downloads/files/11277/afcad-file-for-fajs/

 

Istanbul, Turkey...LTBA-No heavy gates.  LTBW-None.   LTFJ has 5 Heavy Gates.  LTBX- none.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but a simplier, although more costly way to "add" traffic to an airport is with something like MyTraffic 6.  MyTraffic includes a bunch of AFCADs with additional parking added.  

 

There might be some conflicts with add-on airport, but they should work fine with the default FSX airports.

 

Ernie