Remove static ground equipment from FSX airport scenery safely by disabling the correct BGL, keeping backups and handling embedded objects.
In FSX and FSX: Steam Edition, first use the airport scenery add-on’s configurator if it offers a “static vehicles” or “ground equipment” option. Otherwise, close FSX and disable the separate BGL that places those objects by renaming its .bgl extension to .bgl.bak. Keep a backup: some scenery combines equipment with essential airport data.
The folder location may differ between editions, but their usual BGL and Scenery Library handling is the same. Our explanation of how FSX add-ons carry across to Steam Edition covers the broader compatibility differences.
Is it static scenery or moving airport traffic?
Objects that remain parked in exactly the same places are usually scenery objects, while vehicles that move or appear on demand may come from FSX traffic or another ground-service add-on.
| What you see | Likely source | Correct control |
|---|---|---|
| Parked tugs, stairs, buses or baggage carts that never move | Scenery object-placement BGL | Add-on configurator or optional BGL |
| Vehicles driving around the apron and service roads | FSX airport vehicle traffic | Airport vehicle density setting |
| Equipment appearing only after a service command | A separate ground-service add-on | That add-on’s own settings |
| Equipment forming part of a terminal or apron model | Combined custom model | Author-supplied alternative model, if available |
Lowering Airport Vehicle Density will not normally remove equipment compiled into an airport scenery package. It also changes vehicle traffic globally, so it is the wrong fix for static objects at one airport.
Which BGL should I disable?
Disable the object-placement BGL, not the shared model library or airport-facilities BGL.
Optional files may contain terms such as static, GSE, vehicles, clutter or objects, but names are only clues. Read the package documentation first; the file notes for this UK airfields scenery package demonstrate the reversible individual-BGL method.
- Check the configurator and documentation. Use a supplied “no static equipment” option instead of changing files manually. Some packages include alternative BGLs that must not be active together.
- Confirm which scenery area supplies the objects. Temporarily untick the airport’s entire entry in the FSX Scenery Library. If the equipment disappears, reactivate the area and work inside that add-on’s folder. Do not alter stock FSX scenery.
- Locate the active scenery folder. It may be under
Addon Sceneryor in a separate folder referenced by the Scenery Library andscenery.cfg. The BGL files are normally inside itsscenerysubfolder. - Close FSX and make a backup. Copy the add-on folder or at least the candidate BGLs before changing anything.
- Show file-name extensions in Windows. Rename one candidate from
name.bgltoname.bgl.bak. Verify that.bakis the final extension; hidden extensions can otherwise leave the file active. - Restart FSX and test the same parking position. FSX reads scenery BGLs when loading. If the equipment remains, restore that file and test the next plausible placement BGL.
- Check for collateral damage. Restore the file immediately if terminals, runway details, lights, parking positions or other required objects disappear with the equipment.
A shared object-library BGL defines models that may be used throughout a package, whereas a placement BGL tells FSX where to display them. Removing the placement file is usually safer. Disabling an airport-facilities or AFCAD-style BGL can remove parking, taxi links, frequencies or runway data, even if that file also contains object placements.
For installations containing many scenery packages, an FSX add-on manager that preserves reversible file changes can make it easier to identify and disable the relevant scenery components.
What if the equipment is embedded in the airport BGL?
If the static equipment shares a BGL with airport data, simple file renaming cannot remove only those objects.
- Look for a supplied alternative first. A no-static or performance variant preserves the designer’s intended airport layout and is the least risky choice.
- Create a higher-priority exclusion layer. An FSX-compatible scenery editor can compile small exclusion rectangles for library objects. The new layer must sit above the airport scenery. Keep each rectangle tight: exclusions can remove nearby buildings or lights, and the object’s reference point—not necessarily its visible footprint—must fall inside the rectangle.
- Edit and recompile a copy only as a last resort. An FSX scenery editor may be able to import the BGL, delete selected placements and compile a replacement. Preserve the original and check the add-on’s licence; importing compiled scenery may not reconstruct every airport element perfectly.
- Accept the model limitation where necessary. If the equipment and terminal or apron are one combined custom model, an exclusion removes the whole model. Selective removal requires an alternative model or the original editable source.
Why is the ground equipment still visible?
If the objects remain after a full FSX restart, the wrong file or wrong object source is usually being changed.
- The renamed file may still end in
.bglbecause Windows hid the original extension. - A second copy of the airport may be active at a higher Scenery Library priority.
- The placement file may be in another active scenery area or a shared folder rather than the airport’s main folder.
- The vehicles may be generated by Airport Vehicle Density or a ground-service add-on instead of the scenery BGL.
- An installer repair or scenery update may have restored the original BGL. Keep a record of manual changes and check for duplicate active copies after reinstalling.