Airport Design Editor for FSX, Steam Edition and P3D: set up the SDK, edit and compile BGL airports, fix common errors, and check MSFS 2024 support.
Airport Design Editor (ADE) is a Windows AFCAD tool for editing and compiling airports for FS2004, FSX, FSX: Steam Edition and Prepar3D v1-v5. ADE 1.79 is ScruffyDuck Software freeware, with donations accepted and an optional US$9.99 ProKey; configure the matching SDK, edit the airport, validate it and compile BGL files. It does not target MSFS 2024.
The official publisher and source is ScruffyDuck Software. We also carry the developer package on our Airport Design Editor download page. The free edition covers the normal FSX and P3D airport workflow; the ProKey unlocks additional editing and productivity functions but is not required to compile a basic airport.
“AFCAD” remains common shorthand for an airport facility BGL. ADE extends that older workflow by combining airport records, AI routing, scenery-object placement, exclusions and selected terrain functions in one project.
Airport Design Editor and MSFS 2024
No: ADE 1.79 cannot create, compile or install native Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 airports. It uses the legacy FSX and Prepar3D compiler toolchain, not the MSFS 2024 package system.
ADE 2020 is a separate experimental branch designed around Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 projects. It relies on that simulator's SDK and package tools and should not be treated as an MSFS 2024 edition of legacy ADE. It does not make ADE 1.79 projects directly compatible with MSFS 2024.
For an MSFS 2024 airport, use the simulator's Windows PC Developer Mode, Project Editor, Scenery Editor and matching MSFS 2024 SDK/package compiler. A legacy FSX or P3D airport BGL cannot simply be placed in the MSFS 2024 Community folder and expected to work. Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 and PS5 Pro can run the simulator, but they cannot run the desktop SDK or ADE for local airport authoring.
Airport Design Editor features for FSX and P3D
ADE edits the airport data and scenery instructions used by FSX, FSX: Steam Edition and supported Prepar3D generations.
- Airport data: runways, thresholds, starts, helipads, taxiway nodes and links, parking stands, aprons, signs, communications frequencies, windsocks and fuel locations.
- AI and ATC routing: runway paths, taxi routes, hold-short nodes, vehicle links, parking types and parking radii. For AI airport design workflows, every stand must connect to a continuous route; painted taxi lines and apron markings alone do not route aircraft.
- Object placement: stock or installed library objects can be positioned, rotated and assigned display properties. ADE stores references to their library identifiers rather than embedding the actual models.
- Exclusions: exclusion rectangles can suppress specified classes of default or lower-priority scenery. They do not reliably solve two complete third-party airport packages being active at once.
- Approaches: airport approach and related navigation records can be edited with care. A runway renumbering may require changes to starts, signs, ILS data and approach legs.
- Terrain and elevation: ADE supports selected terrain polygons, flattens and airport-elevation correction workflows. It is not a general mesh editor; more extensive ground corrections may require the methods covered in our SBuilderX terrain and ground-adjustment tutorial.
- Validation: fault checking identifies disconnected links, invalid runway starts, orphaned parking, malformed paths and other structural problems. It cannot confirm that a layout matches real-world imagery or that every external object library is installed.
- Compilation: ADE passes airport XML and supported scenery components to the target simulator's compiler, producing one or more runtime BGL files.
ADE is not a 3D modelling, texture-painting or custom ground-material application. A bespoke terminal or hangar must be modelled and textured separately, converted into a compatible scenery library, then referenced from ADE. Any required library BGLs and textures must also be installed with permission from their author.
ADE does not update an aircraft's FMS, GPS or third-party AIRAC navigation database. Changing an airport's runway identifier in scenery can therefore leave aircraft navigation data showing the old identifier until that separate database is updated.
Which ADE target and SDK compiler do I need?
Choose the ADE profile and compiler generation that match the simulator receiving the airport.
| Target | Required ADE and compiler setup | BGL compatibility limit |
|---|---|---|
| FS2004 | FS2004 target and its BGL compiler | FS2004 output is not a substitute for an FSX or P3D compile. |
| Boxed FSX | FSX target with BglComp.exe and, for terrain components, Shp2Vec.exe from the compatible FSX SDK | Use an SDK level matching the installed FSX service pack or Acceleration setup. Boxed FSX Standard does not provide the full SDK supplied with Deluxe, Gold or Acceleration. |
| FSX: Steam Edition | FSX/Steam profile with the FSX-compatible compiler toolset installed for Steam Edition | Its FSX-format BGLs often work in boxed FSX when they use common stock assets, but both installations still need testing. |
| Prepar3D v1-v3 | The corresponding P3D target and SDK from the same major generation | Do not assume an FSX compile supports P3D-specific records or library objects. |
| Prepar3D v4-v5 | The corresponding 64-bit P3D generation and matching SDK, preferably matching the installed point release | A P3D-compiled BGL is not guaranteed to work in earlier P3D versions or FSX. |
| Prepar3D v6 | Not an advertised ADE 1.79 target | Do not select a v5 profile and assume the result is a supported v6 build. |
| MSFS 2024 | Not supported by ADE 1.79; use the MSFS 2024 SDK | Legacy BGLComp output is not a native MSFS 2024 airport package. |
The simulator executable path and compiler path are different settings. ADE needs the simulator installation so it can read stock airports and libraries, while compilation requires the actual SDK executables. Prepar3D's client installation does not replace its separately installed matching SDK. Our guide to choosing airport scenery tools and compilers explains when ADE, an SDK and supporting utilities are required.
Airport Design Editor tutorial: FSX, Steam Edition and P3D
The reliable workflow is to configure one target, load the original airport, save an editable project, make and validate the changes, then compile into a separate staging folder.
- Install ADE and create the correct simulator profile. Select boxed FSX, FSX: Steam Edition or the intended Prepar3D generation. Do not point a boxed FSX profile at a separate Steam installation merely because both use FSX-format scenery.
- Configure the SDK compilers. Point the airport compiler setting to the target's
BglComp.exe. If the project uses terrain polygons, flattens or elevation-related components, configure the matchingShp2Vec.exeas well. Compile to a writable staging folder rather than directly into a protected simulator directory. - Load the airport by ICAO code. Start with the simulator's stock airport unless you have the original ADE project from a scenery author. Check that ADE loaded the airport from the intended simulator profile, especially where boxed FSX and Steam Edition coexist.
- Save an editable master project. The native ADE project contains the information needed for later changes. A compiled BGL is runtime output and is not an adequate replacement for the source project.
- Edit the functional layout. Connect parking links to the taxiway network, keep runway paths continuous and place hold-short nodes on the correct side of runway entries. Set parking radius and type for the AI aircraft expected to use each stand.
- Add and calibrate reference imagery if required. Align the image against several known coordinates before tracing a runway or apron. The image is a design reference and is not automatically included in the scenery; our ADE background-image alignment tutorial covers this process.
- Place objects and exclusions carefully. Prefer stock objects when portability matters. If a selected object comes from an external library, record that dependency and make sure its model library and textures are available in the target simulator.
- Run ADE's fault checker. Resolve disconnected nodes, orphaned parking links, runway-path faults, invalid starts and approach errors. A project that compiles despite warnings may still produce broken AI or ATC behaviour.
- Compile for the selected target. Read the compile report and confirm that every expected airport, object and terrain component succeeded. A successful airport BGL does not prove that a failed terrain or object component was also created.
- Install every generated component. Keep the compiled files together unless ADE's elevation workflow explicitly assigns one to a different scenery level. Never overwrite a default airport BGL in the simulator's core scenery folders.
- Restart and verify in the simulator. Confirm the scenery area is active, load the airport by ICAO, start from each changed runway and parking position, and inspect ATC names, AI pushback, taxi routing, hold-short behaviour, objects and ground elevation.
What files does ADE compile, and where do they go?
ADE can produce separate airport, object-placement and terrain or elevation BGLs, depending on the project.
- Airport facility BGL: runways, taxi routes, parking, aprons, communications and approach-related records.
- Object-placement BGL: positions references to scenery-library objects but does not contain their models or textures.
- Terrain or elevation BGL: contains supported polygons, flattens or an airport-altitude correction generated for the selected target.
For boxed FSX or FSX: Steam Edition, a conventional location is Addon Scenery\My Airport\scenery. Add My Airport, not its inner scenery folder, to the FSX Scenery Library and place any authorised textures in a sibling texture folder. An external folder is also valid if it is registered and active.
For Prepar3D, either register a dedicated scenery folder in its Scenery Library or use an add-on package under Documents\Prepar3D vN Add-ons\My Airport. With the package method, place BGLs in the scenery component named by its add-on.xml; simply dropping files beside that XML does not register them.
An FSX airport-elevation correction may include a small companion BGL that ADE instructs you to place in Scenery\World\scenery. Keep a record of that exception. Stale altitude files in this folder are a common cause of raised or sunken airports after the main add-on has been removed.
Why do ADE changes not appear in FSX or Prepar3D?
Changes usually disappear because the scenery layer is inactive, the BGL was compiled for the wrong target, or another file for the same ICAO is taking precedence.
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| The stock airport still appears | Inactive scenery area, BGL in the add-on's root rather than its scenery folder, wrong simulator profile or failed compilation | Check the active Scenery Library or add-on registration, inspect the compile report and restart the simulator. |
| Two terminals, runways or sets of parking appear | Two airport or object BGL sets for the same ICAO are active | Search all enabled scenery areas and add-on packages for older versions. Disable the competing airport rather than trying to hide a complete duplicate with exclusions. |
| Placed buildings are missing | Missing object-library BGL, absent textures, inactive library area or scenery complexity set below the object's display level | Install and activate the required authorised library and textures, or replace the object with a stock asset. |
| AI ignore new parking | The stand is not connected, its radius is too small, its type is unsuitable or the taxi route is broken | Inspect the parking link and node connection, then check radius, type, path direction and the complete route to a runway. |
| AI stop, turn around or cross grass | Disconnected links, incorrect path types, broken runway paths or misplaced hold-short nodes | Run fault checking and inspect the route node by node rather than judging it from painted surfaces. |
| The airport is raised, sunken or surrounded by a plateau | Stale elevation correction, mismatched reference altitude, competing flatten or terrain mesh | Remove obsolete altitude files for that ICAO, regenerate the target-specific correction and check other active terrain scenery. |
| Only some changes appear | The airport BGL compiled but the object or terrain component failed or was not copied | Compare the staging-folder output with the installed files and read each section of the compile log. |
| Compilation fails immediately | Missing compiler, incorrect SDK generation, unwritable output folder or invalid project data | Recheck the selected target and paths to BglComp.exe and Shp2Vec.exe, compile to a writable folder and resolve ADE faults. |
A mistake we see constantly is leaving several add-on BGLs active for the same airport. Scenery priority may replace part of an airport while lower layers continue contributing objects, flattens or elevation corrections, producing a fault that cannot be repaired inside the newest ADE project.
Can the same ADE airport be used in FSX and P3D?
The editable ADE project can often be used as a starting point for both simulators, but each target needs its own validation, object check and compilation.
- Keep a clean master project, then create separate FSX and Prepar3D branches before adding target-specific objects or terrain.
- FSX boxed and Steam Edition generally share the same airport BGL format, but stock-library availability and installation paths can differ.
- Replace object-library references that do not exist in the destination simulator.
- Recheck exclusions, approaches, terrain polygons and elevation corrections after changing the target profile.
- Never assume a BGL compiled with a Prepar3D SDK is backward-compatible with FSX or an earlier P3D generation.
Should I edit a third-party airport BGL?
Use the author's original ADE project whenever possible, because importing a finished BGL may not reconstruct every source setting, custom object, exclusion or terrain component. Obtain permission before redistributing changes to somebody else's scenery.
For a private parking or taxiway correction, an imported airport can be a practical starting point. Save it as a new project, compile to a separate add-on area and leave the original file untouched so the change can be disabled if exclusions, approaches or elevation data were not recovered correctly.