FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

Downloading Scenery

Can I download the entire world scenery, rather than paying for the CDs and waiting for them to arrive?

In principle, yes. However, you will have to share our servers' limited bandwidth with other users - who are doing exactly the same thing. Since the worldwide scenery is very large (over 2GB), you will be waiting about as long for the download as for the CDs. Furthermore, you will have to click on about 500 links in the process, which will be very tiring and frustrating.

I've already paid Laminar Research for two batches of scenery. I want my free updates!

That's part of what this site is here for. You can download as much as you like for free - the CD updates are there for if you get fed up with downloading.

Can I download a section of the world for evaluation, and come back later for more?

Yes. We encourage you to download scenery as you plan to use it.

What happens if I fly over an area which I haven't downloaded scenery for?

You will see only water, airports and navigation aids. The airports will be at the correct altitude, on weird columns of water.

What version of X-Plane do I need to use this scenery?

You need X-Plane v6.51 or later, and the latest available version is always recommended. A demo (with yoke-time and area limitations) is available from Laminar Research. The demo also acts as a full updater for holders of X-Plane 6.xx CDs.

Does downloading this scenery unlock my X-Plane demo?

No. To use X-Plane 6.xx in unlimited mode, you need the paid-for v6.xx CD inserted in your computer.

I heard rumours about a utility that can download scenery as I fly over it. Where is it?

It's not ready yet, but we're working on it.

How do I unpack the archives I just downloaded?

The archives are ZIP files. For Windows, use WinZIP. For the Mac, StuffIt Expander should be sufficient. On Linux, use the "unzip" program from a shell prompt, or one of the many graphical archive front-ends now available.

Where do I put all the files?

Each ZIP archive should contain a hierarchy of folders, beginning with "Resources". This matches the Resources folder inside the "X-System 6.xx" folder. Simply move the files into their respective positions after unpacking. Some ZIP utilities (including WinZIP) can also write the files directly into the correct tree - point the utility at the main X-System folder if you're confident this will work.

Submitting Scenery Updates

What happened to this facility?

There wasn't really much interest in it, certainly not enough to justify the development and administrative overhead. Instead, we're working on improving the automatic generation system, and improving the underlying scenery model.

How can I help?

If you have ideas on how to improve the scenery generator (programming experience may be needed), talk to Ben Supnik. If you have access to better data that you think we can use, talk to us as well. If you would like to provide server space, preferably outside of Europe (we already have three mirrors there, but none elsewhere), we're also interested.

Redistribution and Copyright Issues

Who owns the scenery?

The scenery data was originally generated from free-of-charge databases maintained by the United States Global Survey (USGS). With that in mind, there is only a very weak ownership claim on the data. For most purposes, the scenery data can be thought of as belonging to the "X-Plane Community", which encompasses everyone who uses, or was involved in the making of, the scenery.

What can I do with the scenery data?

• You are, of course, allowed to download and use the scenery data, for any purpose, in conjunction with the X-Plane flight simulator.
• You may also modify the scenery, either to correct inaccuracies, or merely as a basis for a wholly custom scenery area.
• We encourage you to send corrections and additions back to us, for inclusion in the main database, as described elsewhere on this website.
• Alternatively, you may redistribute your modifications independently, or just keep them to yourself as you wish.
• You can also give away or sell copies of the scenery as you please.

Who owns the repository servers?

Members of the Project have donated their own facilities to allow for greater download capacity. All server contributors are listed on the Download page. One server is located in Sweden, and the other two are in England.