What is stored in each of the data files?
The X-Plane airport and navigation data is stored in a set of text files. The file and/or folder names have changed with the release of X-Plane 9.0, but the scope of each file remains unchanged: • Airports (including heliports and seaplane bases) are stored in the apt.dat file. This includes basic airport and boundary information, runways (including runway lighting, approach lighting and VASI/PAPIs), taxiways, taxiway markings and lighting, default start-up locations and some airport ‘furniture’ (windsocks, taxiway signs, etc.). This file does not include ILS data for an airport. • Navigation aids are stored in the earth_nav.dat file (nav.dat prior to X-Plane 9.0). This file includes the location, ID, name frequency and range of global NDBs, VOR/VORTACs, DMEs, ILS components (localizers, glideslopes, marker beacons and associated DMEs). • Fixes (intersections) are stored in the earth_fix.dat file (fix.dat prior to X-Plane 9.0). • Airways are stored in the earth_awy.dat file (awy.dat pr
