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Grid

scruffyduck

scruffyduck

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I have a question - how useful is the grid that is usually placed on the design surface? Do you use it and if so what for? is it useful to have it spaced in co-ordinate terms or maybe in dimensions such as meters or feet?

ADE has a grid now but I have never found them that helpful in practice given that there is a co-ordinate display showing the mouse position and also a cross showing the aircraft in the display (nope not implemented yet :) )
 
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I prefer lat/long, here is one I created earlier with Afcad2:



George
 
I find myself not using the grid much in AFCAD.

Having said that, I do think an option for a lat/long based grid or an option for a feet/meters grid is ok. Lat long is better.

I think a "measure" or "ruler" type function is much more useful...such as in AFCAD when you select the pink line function. Sometimes it is useful to determine the distance between objects, for comparison with real world distances.
 
I use the grid all the time in AFCAD.

When adding a new runway or taxiway that is not in FS9 or FSX i use a Jepp Airport plate that shows the grid values. I then place and tweak the runway based on the grid and not what the published lat/lon is because they always do not agree.

The taxiways are also important for the proper spacing from the runway (when parallel) and when they have curves, turns and intersections. Again Jepp Airport plates and the Grid work well together in the alignment of these areas without guessing.

Another area the grid comes in handy is zoom out. This should show the entire world grid as a flat curve coming to a point N and S. Lat/Lon at that point is not important but when dragging and dropping a cluster of 10x10 runways spaced on a 7.9 degree value halfway around the world is a must to know. This allows me to know if I need to place all my crosswind 10x10 runways for EHAM at the south pole or in the Pacific Ocean then the grid shows me where the south pole is located or close enough.

just some examples of how it is used when designers develope advance type airports.

The option could be if you don't use it turn it off.
 
Grid versus distance

Hi, Jon

Many of us are well acquainted with AFCAD's co-ordinates grid. It's the first thing I look when opening or designing a new airport.

I dont know which would be the reference to a grid distance (the 0,0 point on the screen), but it should be useful if one could alternate to and select a proper scale, depending on airport's dimensions.

Of course, an horizontal x vertical grid scaled in metres could not be useful if the airport's elements could not be turned to left/right to become aligned with the grid's distance.

Regards,

José
 
Hi Jon, its very useful
I agree with Jose and Jim and George,
I also use the grid a lot, first thing that comes to mind, placing my tower viewpoint
Jim's idea of turning on/off may be the way to go........
Ray
 
For my purposes it must scale to the lowest value that AFCAD scales down to. I am on my laptop in Virginia so can't give you the specifics that AFCAD uses for the smallest scale.
 
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