KPLN Pellston MI

[tgycgijoes]

I should have started this here actually, I am so used to being in the FSX forum I didn't remember P2D has its own forum here so I am just posting this thread with the link to Prepar3D V4.5 and V5.+ which it is working very well in. Here is a screenshot of the terminal and a mediafire link to download it.
https://www.mediafire.com/file/wpgrtqrs253zmd3/KPLN_Pellston_P3D_Beta.zip/file

Any comments are welcome.

https://i.imgur.com/aX1RSP6.jpg[/img





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[tgycgijoes]

Continuing with Pellston

I just got a packet of files today from Matthias Rau who originally designed KPLN for FS2004 and has been working with me after giving me permission to use all of his files to update Pellston for FSX and Prepar3D V4.5/5+. The completed beta files have been tested and perform beautifully. Now that we have that out of the way, I am now starting to enhance it first with LM textures for night time and then with a better "multipurpose building" which I called the "geometric building" because of its odd shapes. I was able with a lot of effort today to create the LM textures for the terminal which I think came out rather well compared to real life at KPLN. Here is a screenshot of it. I am still trying to floodlight the parking lot so far unsuccessfulnot for trying and will continue until I am successful before going on to more night textures for the other buildings.

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[tgycgijoes]

Building No. 2 Today

I created the Multipurpose Building for KPLN in Sketchup but when I was talking about getting files to try and light up the terminal he found that he had created a number of buildings including this one that hadn't become part of his original airport because he stopped the work in progress and just released it. Anyway...his multipurpose building is even more detailed than mine so i am using that one in the final release because it includes LM night textures. Here is a screenshot at dusk and at night in real time:

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[gray eagle]

The night time setting looks pretty nice. BTW, I've also seen at some addon airports where the wind socks were also illuminated. Have you considered doing that or not going there.

I created the Multipurpose Building for KPLN in Sketchup but when I was talking about getting files to try and light up the terminal he found that he had created a number of buildings including this one that hadn't become part of his original airport because he stopped the work in progress and just released it. Anyway...his multipurpose building is even more detailed than mine so i am using that one in the final release because it includes LM night textures. Here is a screenshot at dusk and at night in real time:

 

[tgycgijoes]

Illuminated Windsock

The night time setting looks pretty nice. BTW, I've also seen at some addon airports where the wind socks were also illuminated. Have you considered doing that or not going there.

This is a screenshot of the segmented circle windsock at Pellston airport at night just shot in Prepar3D V4.5 Don't they illuminate in your download? Also, they are different colors and patterns depending at which airport which I also research carefully now that I learned that. I have ones like your photo; red like at Pellston and also yellow at some other airports I have created. The five windsocks at Pellston were positioned with SODE from information supplied to me by the airport grounds manager. I didn't know there was more than one until he informed me from our telephone conversation. Only the one closest to the terminal is in a segmented circle.

 

[gray eagle]

It does illuminate. I never was there in night mode so I wasn't sure about that. Your further night enhancements made me wonder about the windsock illumination.

This is a screenshot of the segmented circle windsock at Pellston airport at night just shot in Prepar3D V4.5 Don't they illuminate in your download? Also, they are different colors and patterns depending at which airport which I also research carefully now that I learned that. I have ones like your photo; red like at Pellston and also yellow at some other airports I have created. The five windsocks at Pellston were positioned with SODE from information supplied to me by the airport grounds manager. I didn't know there was more than one until he informed me from our telephone conversation. Only the one closest to the terminal is in a segmented circle.

 

[tgycgijoes]

No Problem

It does illuminate. I never was there in night mode so I wasn't sure about that. Your further night enhancements made me wonder about the windsock illumination.

I was just concerned from your post that your windsocks were NOT illuminated since you originally had SODE issues. Glad all is ok. I am continuing to illuminate other buildings as time permits.

 

[tgycgijoes]

Still Working On Lighting Buildings

Yesterday was kind of chaotic so I didn't get to do much until late and then didn't finish making LM textures for the windows but later today if I get a response to an email I will probably finish lighting up Beaches Up North Bar and Grill across from the airport.

 

[gray eagle]

Sounds good. BTW, how was it that this particular airport was chosen to create for P3D? Just curious.

Yesterday was kind of chaotic so I didn't get to do much until late and then didn't finish making LM textures for the windows but later today if I get a response to an email I will probably finish lighting up Beaches Up North Bar and Grill across from the airport.

 

[tgycgijoes]

Here's How It Happened

Sounds good. BTW, how was it that this particular airport was chosen to create for P3D? Just curious.

Back in 2022 Falcon409 was going to create it but Matthias Rau the original creator of it in FS9 was unavailable to reach for permission to do the conversion to FSX so the project was in limbo. I know this because I did an internet search for KPLN in FSX in Google and found the thread in SOH. I wanted to do it to fly my Digital Aviation CRJ's in Delta by Skywest from a small airport and it came up in their flight schedules. They fly routes to/from KDTW daily as well as a few other Michigan airports. they also fly to Chicago Midway which was my hub for years when I flew for Virtual Southwest Airlines in FS9 accumulating over 500 hours in B737-800 iFly FS9. Being a Chicago native, I have an affinity for KMDW. I also taught navigation to cadets on Lake Michigan and we frequently went across and back to Michigan and to the Merchant Marine Academy in Grand Rapids, on two week training cruises so now you have it. I have done a number of Michigan airports in the past.

I contacted Matthias Rau and he answered me the second try...his email server puts stuff in SPAM intermittently he told me. I have full permission to convert and use all his bgl's and update the airport now 15 years later than when he did it. As seen in Google Earth, a lot has changed. He also sent me some buildings he did and were not used like the Multipurpose building that I called the geometric building. His is more detailed and I converted it to FSX and P3D and will use it in the next release with night textures. He and I got discussing this when I asked him if he had updated the LM textures for the terminal which I was able to do manipulating his composite bmps and then converting them to dds. You've seen the result. The terminal was lit up like it is now sometime in the last 15 years it was not before. So that's it.

 

[SgtT]

Wow great work, thanks for sharing.

 

[tgycgijoes]

The Next Building

Here is the next building. It has night textures too. It's Beaches Up North Bar and Grill

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[tgycgijoes]

This Is Still Alive And Well

I have been working on the Pellston Lodge across from the airport. It is quite complex but the main lodge was completed tonight. Tomorrow I will finish it up with the annex and then will post screenshots of it here and also over at FSX forum. Here is a screenshot I took in Sketchup to send to the copyright holder of this unique Adorondak chair that is out in front of the Beaches Up North Bar And Grill. I got a telephone call followed up by an email giving me permission to use their chair design and share it. I thought it was so cool I just had to do it. I wondered if they took it in for winter or left it out all year but I saw a video posted of the bar by a snow mobiler and it's out in front covered in snow. I am going to use SODE and create two models of it: one with snow all over it visible from November through March and then just like this from April through October. Here is what it looks like without all the snow all over it:

 

[tgycgijoes]

Two Updates

Here are some shots of the latest two buildings I have added. I will check on Google Earth and Google Maps to see if there are any others I want to do but these may be the completion of KPLN. I almost had coniptions this morning. I spent 5 days on the Pellston Lodge and exported the Collada for Model Converter X. Uploaded fine but all kinds of error flags when I tried to export the bgl. My first thought was the parking which had jpg textures from a source I had never used before and sure enough, when I deleted them and compiled it was fine. Went back in; added emmisive textures for night time after replacing parking with just plain asphalt textured rectangles and all was well. I also saw a video of Beaches Up North and out front they have a really cool adorondak chair with the state of Michigan as a backing. Tracked it down as a Winfield Collection chair and they gave me permission to share the design I created of it in Sketchup. Here are the shots:

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[tgycgijoes]

Here Is KPLN Finished

Here is a link to KPLN Pellston Regl/Emmett County Airport for Prepar3D Version 4.5 which will work also in V5's. It contains night textures for buildings which would be occupied after dark. I did not illuminate all the hangers. It also has SODE windsocks that are wind sensitive as is the American flag at Pellston Lodge across from the airport. Fly it and enjoy it. I welcome any input.

https://www.mediafire.com/file/6d84vofwno7w5ax/KPLN+Pellston+P3D+V1.zip/file

 

[gray eagle]

Thanks for the new updates. I like the new buildings and night lighting effects for the buildings. The windsock pole is missing (again) like before. Had to resort to what I was using before.

 

[tgycgijoes]

Can't Figure

Thanks for the new updates. I like the new buildings and night lighting effects for the buildings. The windsock pole is missing (again) like before. Had to resort to what I was using before.

I guess it's just that V5+ doesn't like it since all mine work. Thank you. Enjoy. That is probably an anomaly because I was reading stuff like that between Xplane 11 and Xplane 12. Somes works and somes don't.

 

[gray eagle]

Kinda odd though as 99.9% of those xml files are displayed in V5.4 except for that windsock pole; I can use a different batch of windsock xml files from another scenery that will display that gray windsock pole.
I'm am curious to find out it other V5.4 users are having same issue as I am with that one pole xml file.

I guess it's just that V5+ doesn't like it since all mine work. Thank you. Enjoy. That is probably an anomaly because I was reading stuff like that between Xplane 11 and Xplane 12. Somes works and somes don't.

 

[tgycgijoes]

I Am Checking

Kinda odd though as 99.9% of those xml files are displayed in V5.4 except for that windsock pole; I can use a different batch of windsock xml files from another scenery that will display that gray windsock pole.
I'm am curious to find out it other V5.4 users are having same issue as I am with that one pole xml file.

I am going to check the xml code for the pole in the download and make sure it is correct. That means the same lat/long as the sock is. Also no errors in the coding which I can check online. If both are correct I don't know. I'm not going to scratch my head anymore because I have little enough hair on top already. LOL!

I found the error, my fault. I copied a windsock from another airport and just changed the xml a little never looking at the pole which says a red white pole model and the pole.mdls are for the gray pole. Here is a corrected SODE for the windsock. Replace your files with these and let me know if you see the pole now. I get a pole and you don't is because my SODE has the proper pole files and doesn't need to add them. Just figured that out sorry. These mdl's of the poles are for all you to replace what is in the KPLN Download above. Sorry for the mistake. Thanks gray eagle for pointing this out.

https://www.mediafire.com/file/fhk9suuew0zb3fv/SODE_KPLN_WINDSOCK.zip/file

 

[gray eagle]

You nailed it!

Richard,

Looks like you fixed it! Woo Hoo!

So it is supposed to be a solid gray pole? At any rate, I am glad you found the boo boo.

Now I can just change the SODE windsock files to the corrected ones. Don't need to pull out any more hair.

My Dad use to ask me, you know what stops falling hair? Then he said...the ground.

Thanks.