3-D Models

X-Plane uses the Plane Maker-created .acf file for an aircraft's flight model. These files, though, may be used with 3-D meshes (created in, say AC3D) to create a prettier visual model.

You can attach up to 25 meshes to the .acf file. These meshes must be in the X-Plane .obj format (which is different from the Alias Wavefront .obj). Up to 24 of these meshes may be specified as "attached" objects, along with one or two more to be used for the 3-D cockpit. Since each object can have only one texture, this means that each aircraft can use up to twenty-four 2048 x 2048 pixel textures.

For the cockpit, you can have two objects: one to be seen in the interior, and one to be seen in exterior views. Otherwise, you can use one object for both views.

The "cockpit object" does not have to contain the entire 3-D cockpit; all 26 objects can contain any part of the airplane--interior, exterior, etc. The "cockpit" object is special because it is the only object that can use some special features for the virtual cockpit, like:
 * manipulation (the ability to click the cockpit),
 * hard walls (the ability to stop the camera from going through things), and
 * panel texture (a special second texture made from the 2-d panel).

Typically the cockpit object is dedicated only to these tasks, and the rest of the virtual interior--chairs, door to the cabin, windows, etc.) are in the other 24 objects.

Animations can be created for these 3-D meshes, using a program with the capability to export X-Plane OBJs such as Blender or AC3D.