X-Plane version 12.2.1 introduces several new scenery library items for GA hangars and other small buildings and most of these new library items are facades; HOWEVER, these new facades are not your regular flat-roof only facades and deserve special discussion here.
We call these new facade types 2-point (axial) facades. You create them the same way you do regular facades, but you only use 2-points to create them, to define the front to back axis of the building. WED will not stop you from using more than 2 points, it is unaware of the particulars of the facade piece designs, but the results will not work visually if you do use more than 2-points.
These new facades were designed as a bit of a work-around to get the quick authoring benefit of using facades, but allow for non-flat roof types and a bit more visual variety. The limitation then, is that you, the author, are responsible for making sure that when you select these facades, that you only use a single 2-point segment to define them. The image below shows the 2-point axial segment and the result in sim.
This facade type does use existing facade infrastructure internally, so one advantage of this is that you can specify segment types and get differing ‘ends’ on the facade (examples below), and the other obvious advantage is that we can make a sloped or any non-flat roof this way.
These facades are variable in length only (longitudinal axis). The width of the object is pre-defined in the facade 3D itself and the desired width facade type/pathname must be selected explicitly. So to reiterate the rules for these types
- These items are designed primarily for single-segment, 2-point use (they cannot handle corners due to huge geometry distortion).
- These items are NOT designed for bezier segments (use simple linear segments only).
Arched and Gabled Hangars
New GA arched and gabled hangars are available as single-placement OBJs in WED, but only available in fixed, basic dimensions – 16×16, 20×20, 24×24, and 30×30 meters, so these OBJ ‘<u>depths</u>’ are fixed.
In addition to the single-placement OBJs; however, 12.2.1 includes these new ‘2-point-facades’ for arched and gabled hangar types, so you can have variable depth hangars if you use these facades. As mentioned previously, the widths for axial types are pre-configured and fixed and for these two hangar types (arched/gabled), there are four widths available for each. Arched and gabled hangar types may be found in the libary path: lib/airport/hangars/arched/uni_xx The image below shows these types in sim.
Note that the facade can have different options (wall type) for the hangar doors:
Standalone hangar doors
If you are not satisfied with the built-in door segment options, then you can utilize standalone sliding hangar door OBJs. These are available as simple, single-placement OBJs in numerous color variants, and with the following widths available: (16, 20, 24, and 30 meters). These stand-along hangar does may be found in the library path: (lib/airport/hangars/door/xxx)
Each door style has four sub-variants – normal (exact size), left, right, and wide (extended size). The image below illustrates this.
Standalone doors are designed to be combined with the universal facade with the "small_door" option.
Side sheds
Another useful 2-point facade profile is a "side shed" facade. These are designed primarily for use with hangars as an ‘attached’ structure like an office, but of course they can be placed as a standalone object if desired, or in any combination with other facades/objects. These styles are available in various colors and have three heights available (4, 5, 6 meters – corresponding to hangar sides). These also have several options for wall types. You can find these types in the library path: (lib/airport/hangars/side_sheds/xxx).
Nested T- hangars
Another common style available as 2-point facades are nested T-hangars. Currently, these are available in three widths (36, 48, and 62 feet) with bifold doors only. Other styles / variations may come in future updates. The default two-sided variant (wall option) has doors on opposite sides shifted by half (as T-hangars are nested). But you can choose a one-sided variant (wall) if needed. You can find these types in the library path: (lib/airport/hangars/long/xxx)
Note: unlike arched or gabled hangars, this facade is "draped". This means it will be aligned with the terrain on both ends. The reason for that is that those hangars are often very long and might look silly even on slightly sloped terrain (if the facade were graded).
Tee hangars
Tee hangars now available as single-placement OBJs. They are available in two sizes:, 42’ and 52’. These OBJs may be found in the library path: (lib/airport/hangars/T/xxx)
Small garages
We now have small garage styles available as 2-point facades. These styles are available in four width variants – 5, 6, 8 meters, and ‘row’. Except for row, all have an option for doors on both ends. These facades may be found in the library path: (lib/airport/buildings/utility/garage/xxx)
Terminal kit sloped roof
New roof facades for the Terminal kit (lib/airport/Modern_Airports/Terminal_kit/roof_sloped/xxx) are available in eight widths (8, 10, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, and 30 meters). Each facade has an option for a gabled or hipped end, and for the slope of 20 or 30 degrees. It is compatible with the terminal kit "Ground" and "Level" elements for five floors.
As it suffers limitations described above, there are special rules for creating complex shapes. You always need to place a separate segment for each roof part. This is very obvious for an H or T-shaped roof, but it is important for an L-shaped roof too. Particularly in that case, both segments need to be placed precisely (one roof part should be slightly sunken into the other one).
If you want to use a roof without a facade underneath (open space, shelter, building entrance, etc.), you'll find that the Terminal kit columns are a bit shorter and can't reach the roof (there's a gap). That's because of the compatibility with another existing kit part – slab. In this case you'll need a new element – a beam (lib/airport/Modern_Airports/Terminal_kit/beams/xxx). The usage is simple – just place a beam between the columns and the roof.
It has a wall option for 60 or 100 cm width.