Favourite scenery/locations and airports?

1st Official Post

    Although always keen to extend my experience of flying in different areas of the globe I frequently find myself drawn back to certain locations, airports and even runways.

    Ideally, and inevitably like most I suspect, it would be perfect to be able to arrive/depart from our local airport. To view and explore an area we are relatively familiar with from a new perspective is very appealing.

    If and until that scenario becomes reality, do you have a favourite scenery pack, area, airport and/or runway that you find yourself regularly drawn back to?

    For me, I find myself frequently using Mc Carran, since I'm from Scotland it's hardly local! I suppose it's for no particular reason beyond I like the Las Vegas scenery... I know, I really need to expand my horizons!

    I find myself frequently drawn back to the beautiful KCGX (Meigs Field) by ORBX for AFS2. I'm really enjoying all of their releases for this magnificent flight simulator! However, Meigs holds a special place in my heart and I am sooo glad they decided to do it. Meigs was the default airport of MSFS when I got my first computer as a teenager back in the mid 80's. I spent hours learning about the fundamentals of aviation and doing traffic patterns there with the help of the virtual flight instructor (Rod Machado did the voice lessons I believe). Several years later, I was fortunate to start taking flight lessons and get my PPL at Teterboro Airport in NJ (KTEB).

    I owe it all to MSFS and Meigs Field! :)

    Redtail

    KFRG, KTEB, KEWR, KLGA

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    • Official Post

    For me its Geneva (easy approach from the north east but yet mountainous from the south west, scary in IMC),

    Zurich (always some runway lined up after I turn around to practice engine outs),

    Innsbruck (orbx, circling approach is fun, a lot of energy management before the turn, during the turn),

    Alpnach (difficult approach on both side, especially in an A320)

    Arcata (nice sloping runway),

    -and in USA-

    Reno/Tahoe Intl. (difficult approach, mountains nearby),

    Sacramento Intl. (is always at the right distance it seems),

    San Francisco Intl.,

    Edwards Airforce Base,

    Monterey Regional (orbx, looks great, sloped runway, great pattern work area),

    Santa Barbara (has good detail and nice surroundings),

    San Diego (pattern is fun),

    Monument Valley (pattern is really hard), Aspen Pitkin (sloped runway and difficult approach from the mountain side),

    Here is a challenge for you: F18 in Monument Valley, approach from the mountain side, try to land it as short as possible. You may either do a low level, low speed turn or you can fly over top the terrain, then dive down and try to make it. Both are really hard but its doable and really challenging. You have to predict the motion and inertia for this one.

    Recently I've been flying at Meadows Field, it has an offset threshold and I almost always approach too low, its hard because it looks like I'm way too high but actually I'm not.

    And a few other places I particularly like for their scenic approachs: Sion, Locarno, Lugano, Samedan, St. Stephan, Alpnach

    Regards,

    Jan

    My three favourite area are North California (great airport as Lake Tahoe or Trinity center and beautiful point of interest as Mt Shasta), Central West Colorado (wonderful Telluride, Aspen, Orbx Eagle and lovely mountains) and the beautiful UTAH National Park (Zion, Grand Canyon, Monument Valley). Great places for VFR flight.

    And special mention for Orbx Monterey, Santa Catalina and Buochs/Samedan airport (and area)

    It's encouraging to see so many suggestions and it's inspired me to explore more of what's currently available via both IPACS and Orbx Scenery.

    Inevitably, the usual grumble persists - I would like my own location/country and airports recreated/mapped in photo realistic HD scenery. Ideally, Scotland (a small country) but of course, I'd be content to settle for a lower definition covering the entire UK. FSX have several options available but I'm not interested in switching from AFS 2. No sense in downgrading the simulator.


    I'll stick with what we have and accumulate more flying hours!

    As far as AFS2 goes, LOWI by Orbx is the one I keep going back to. I love mountains, and I love Orbx scenery. The sharp snow-capped peaks are a beauty to see and detail of the airport is stunning. Flying around that scenery in VR is something real special. I look forward to more of this kind of scenery with PNW.

    - Ashley

    P3D v4 / AFS2 / XP11 | Intel i7-4790K oc'ed @ 4.6GHz | 16GB RAM | 8GB Nvidia GTX1070 | Windows 10 64-bit | Oculus Rift

    Thanks to all who replied as it's thrown up a lot of interesting places/airports I have not been too.

    For me Innsbruck LOWI and finding all the small airfields/airports there are, and the challenges they throw up.

    Jim.

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