Great thread topic. Interesting. My favorite test sites are KEDW and AR51.

Over KSEA it is: I have a couple of test flights setup and saved: the LIC Eagle, 2500 feet, stbd wing 45 degs down, heading about 340, halfway between KSEA and KBFI. This gives me a great mix of scenery for testing smoothness when setting up or playing/tuning road/airline traffic, GEX/UT_USA/ASA - almost any scenery addon you want.

I use the NASA shuttle landing facility (KTTS). It is 15,000+ feet and right on the coast, so I don't have to worry about fuel and payload or setting up my navigation. I can just takeoff, check out the aircraft and follow the coast right back. Worked great when I tried out the MD-11 last night.

Hello all. I was just curious to see what airports folks are using when testing out that newest payware, or downloaded aircraft. For a long time now I have used Roswell International Air Center "KROW" as my goto test field, the runways are large enough for a fully loaded PMDG 747 and the scenery doesn't kill the frame rates. My usual routine is to load up at KROW and fly down to Carlsbad or El Paso depending on the aircraft, then fly back for an ILS approach then do a few touch and go's. Recently, I've been thinking of picking up shop and moving to a new airport. Lake Moses in Washington State looks interesting, however, I was just curious to see what airfields others are using for testing. Well, gotta run, I see there is a new MD-11 on the ramp ready for a test circut down to El Paso and back. Thanks all.

Honolulu PHNL - for all of the reasons stated: Scenic, long runways, good NAVAIDS, etc.....Cheers,

Great replies all, some interesting suggestions here. Just out of curiosity, it would be interesting to hear what kind of testing routine everyone uses, do you keep to a strict plan or just freeform it. Thanks again all.John B

for small planes i often just fly the traffic pattern, or depending how much i like them, i mite just take off pull a sharp 180 and land back on the same runway. for planes i really like that are smaller and want to go longer ill go from CYYZ to toronto city centre airport (a small island airport right next to the city)for larger planes if i have the time i like to fly from toronto to ny using international airports.

LOL...mark another one down for Boundary Bay

Errr... NAS Pensacola. With NAS Pensacola, Saufley Field, Whiting Field, and Outlying Field 8A, in the same general vicinity, there's plenty of things to do. With NAS Jacksonville reasonably close, you can do point-to point seaplane/amphibious testing and add in NAS Meridian for a decent cross-country triangle.Jim

Hello all. I was just curious to see what airports folks are using when testing out that newest payware, or downloaded aircraft. For a long time now I have used Roswell International Air Center "KROW" as my goto test field, the runways are large enough for a fully loaded PMDG 747 and the scenery doesn't kill the frame rates. My usual routine is to load up at KROW and fly down to Carlsbad or El Paso depending on the aircraft, then fly back for an ILS approach then do a few touch and go's. Recently, I've been thinking of picking up shop and moving to a new airport. Lake Moses in Washington State looks interesting, however, I was just curious to see what airfields others are using for testing. Well, gotta run, I see there is a new MD-11 on the ramp ready for a test circut down to El Paso and back. Thanks all.

Schiphol with a lot of 757 testing hehehe :(

If I'm testing or checking out a new add-on aircraft, freeware or payware, I fly a couple of flights out of Calgary (CYYC). It's somewhere inbetween harsh and easy on FPS or other sim performance demands. One of these first flights will include following a saved flight plan on autopilot and includes an ILS approach -- typically taking off from runway 16 and flying the route to eventually approach and land on runway 28.If I'm testing out the impact of adjustments in the FSX environment itself, I fly my standard test route which presents a variety of performance demands on the sim. This involves taking off from KPAE runway 16R, proceeding toward Seattle on a heading of 166 or so, intercepting the ILS for KSEA runway 16C or 16R, and landing or just exiting once over Seattle.Rick

I use EIDW (where I come from) and LFBO (where I live/work) in fs9, then I use YBCS in FSX (only place I fly in FSX is Oz). But at the drop of a hat I could get hooked on any airport in the world provided the scenery is accurate enough.john

Interesting topic!I fly our of Brown Flied (San Diego) and take a short hop Montgomery for a touch and go and then on to the small airport in Ramona, CA. This is for small aircraft. For military, Edwards and for tubeliners, Moses Lake in Washington with that LONG 15,000 ft runway.Bob

I do all my aircraft testing at Honolulu Intl, runway 8R, the one that is built out into the water. I use Chicago O'Hare as my main hub when I am actually flying routes.