Fixing Airport Wedging In X-Plane: A Comprehensive Guide

X-Plane is a flight simulator that allows users to customise airports. This can be done using the WorldEditor (WED) tool, which can be launched using the Basic theme by right-clicking on WED.exe and clicking Properties. Before customising an airport, it's important to search the web to ensure that someone else hasn't already created a good scenery package. WED has a function that changes all flows, routes and signs when a runway end is renamed, making it easy to bring an airport up-to-date. Users can also request a fix to any discrepancies observed by filing a bug report in the NAVAIDs tab on the Airport Scenery Gateway Report a Problem page. X-Plane 11.10 can be started with the command-line option –accurate_runways, which will dynamically rewrite the scenery, moving the runway into the correct geo-location and changing the numbers written on the runway if needed.

Correcting runways in WED 1.7 and X-Plane 11.10

X-Plane 11.10 can be started with the command-line option –accurate_runways, which will dynamically rewrite the actual scenery in X-Plane after loading an approach. This will move the runway into the correct geo-location and change the numbers written on the runway if needed. This only works on default scenery with procedurally generated runway textures. It will not change custom scenery that uses draped polygons for photorealistic runway textures.

If a runway has been modelled using an OBJ or some other specific technique that replaces X-Plane’s runway, a transparent surface can be selected from the drop-down menu in the editing pane. This will allow users to get all of the menu items and approach lighting associated with a real runway, while still being able to set the surface physics and graphics themselves (using a draped polygon, with its physics specified in its .pol file).

WED 1.7 has a function that changes all flows, routes and signs for you when you rename a runway end. This makes bringing an airport up-to-date a nearly foolproof operation. Each airport in WED should have one or more flows, ideally more than one. If no flow is provided, X-Plane will generate a basic set of flows aligned to the longest runway and, if necessary, at 90 degrees to it.

Using the 'Airport→Create Airport Flow' menu

To fix an airport WED in X-Plane, you can use the Airport→Create Airport Flow menu. This menu allows you to define and test your own flows to ensure that your airport moves traffic in the intended way. Each airport in WED should have one or more flows, and if no flow is provided, X-Plane will generate a basic set of flows aligned with the longest runway.

To create a flow, select the airport and use the Airport→Create Airport Flow menu. Flows contain two kinds of data: ATC routes and taxi routes. ATC routes are the paths that aircraft will fly when taking off or landing, while taxi routes are the paths that aircraft will follow on the ground.

You can also use WED 1.7 to change all flows, routes, and signs when you rename a runway end. This makes updating an airport a straightforward process, even for those unfamiliar with WED. Additionally, X-Plane 11.10 can be started with the command-line option –accurate_runways, which will dynamically rewrite the scenery to correct the geo-location and numbers written on the runway.

If you encounter any discrepancies in the NAVAID layer, you can request a fix by filing a bug report in the "NAVAIDs" tab on the Airport Scenery Gateway "Report a Problem" page.

Changing the geo-location of the runway

To change the geo-location of the runway, you can start X-Plane 11.10 with the command line option –accurate_runways. This will dynamically rewrite the actual scenery in X-Plane after loading an approach, moving the runway into the correct geo-location and changing the numbers written on the runway if needed. This only works on default scenery with procedurally generated runway textures. It will not change custom scenery that uses draped polygons for photorealistic runway textures.

Moving the runway into the correct location will also disconnect it from any incorrectly placed taxiways. Using this option increases load times for selecting an instrument procedure significantly, since it has to rebuild the airport scenery.

If you have navdata from Aerosoft or Navigraph, and a runway in the X-Plane airport matches a runway coming from the navdata, but the name has changed, X-Plane 11.10 now silently renames the runway at runtime for you. This means that even if a 11L is painted on the runway, the FMC can load the procedure for 12L and get you there.

Each airport in WED should have one or more flows, ideally more than one. If no flow is provided, X-Plane will generate a basic set of flows aligned to the longest runway and, if necessary, at 90 degrees to it. Parallel and near-perpendicular runways are handled, as are separate low-vis flows for ILS-capable only runways if they exist. To make sure that your airport moves traffic the way you intend, you should define and test your own flows. To create a flow in WED, select the airport and use the “Airport→Create Airport Flow” menu.

Selecting an airport

Before you can begin, you'll need to select an airport. Regardless of what airport you are interested in customising, be sure to search the web (and especially the X-Plane.org Downloads page or the Airport Scenery Gateway) to make sure someone else hasn't already created a good scenery package.

Each airport in WED should have one or more flows, ideally more than one. If no flow is provided, X-Plane will generate a basic set of flows aligned to the longest runway and, if necessary, at 90 degrees to it. Parallel and near-perpendicular runways are handled, as are separate low-vis flows for ILS-capable only runways if they exist. To make sure that your airport moves traffic the way you intend, you should define and test your own flows. To create a flow in WED, select the airport and use the “Airport→Create Airport Flow” menu. Flows contain two kinds of data.

WED 1.7 has a function that changes all flows, routes and signs for you when you rename a runway end. This makes bringing an airport up-to-date a nearly foolproof operation even for a WED-dummy. You don’t need to be a scenery wizard to simply fix an airport anymore. If you have navdata from Aerosoft or Navigraph, and a runway in the X-Plane airport matches a runway coming from the navdata, but the name has changed, X-Plane 11.10 now silently renames the runway at runtime for you.

Note this NAVAID layer is read-only – in other words, it cannot be edited in WED. To request a fix to any discrepancies observed, file a bug report in the “NAVAIDs” tab on the Airport Scenery Gateway “Report a Problem” page. If a runway has been modelled using an OBJ or some other specific technique that replaces X-Plane’s runway, a transparent surface can be selected from the drop-down menu in the editing pane. This will allow users to get all of the menu items and approach lighting associated with a real runway, while still being able to set the surface physics and graphics themselves (using a draped polygon, with its physics specified in its .pol file).

Using the Basic theme

To launch WED using the Basic theme, right-click on WED.exe and click Properties from the menu that appears. In that window, go to the Compatibility tab and check the 'Disable desktop composition' box. Click Apply, and in the future, WED will always launch using the Basic theme.

Before you begin, you will need to select an airport. Regardless of what airport you are interested in customising, be sure to search the web (and especially the X-Plane.org Downloads page or the Airport Scenery Gateway) to make sure someone else hasn't already created a good scenery package.

Each airport in WED should have one or more flows, ideally more than one. If no flow is provided, X-Plane will generate a basic set of flows aligned to the longest runway and, if necessary, at 90 degrees to it. Parallel and near-perpendicular runways are handled, as are separate low-vis flows for ILS-capable only runways if they exist. To make sure that your airport moves traffic the way you intend, you should define and test your own flows. To create a flow in WED, select the airport and use the 'Airport→Create Airport Flow' menu. Flows contain two kinds of data.

WED 1.7 has a function that changes all flows, routes and signs for you when you rename a runway end. This makes bringing an airport up-to-date a nearly foolproof operation. You don't need to be a scenery wizard to simply fix an airport anymore. If you have navdata from Aerosoft or Navigraph, and a runway in the X-Plane airport matches a runway coming from the navdata, but the name has changed, X-Plane 11.10 now silently renames the runway at runtime for you.

Note this NAVAID layer is read-only – in other words, it cannot be edited in WED. To request a fix to any discrepancies observed, file a bug report in the 'NAVAIDs' tab on the Airport Scenery Gateway 'Report a Problem' page. If a runway has been modelled using an OBJ or some other specific technique that replaces X-Plane’s runway, a transparent surface can be selected from the drop-down menu in the editing pane. This will allow users to get all of the menu items and approach lighting associated with a real runway, while still being able to set the surface physics and graphics themselves (using a draped polygon, with its physics specified in its .pol file).

Frequently asked questions