Already own ORBX's YMML,YSCB,YBBN, Fall City, and looking to add some more including Cairns before the sale ends. So which other ones would those who have the ORBX sceneries recommend? I generally tend not to fly VFR or low altitudes.

Hi Rick,

I would recommend YBAS. It is extremely high quality, has the new ORBX Natureflow and has a reasonably long runway for airliner ops. I have it and it is absolutely wonderful.

Cairns is an FPS eater, like his other airports, Jandakot and Anacortes. Everyone will have a slightly different list of preferences. From the airports you own in Oz, it seems you might be more of a regional jet flyer. My preferences are for smooth FPS and GA VFR Low and Slow friendly.

 

My favorite AU airports are YPEC, YCDR, YPMQ, YBUD, and YHBA, Those are all top notch airports with wonderful environs. YBAS is also very nice, although there's not a lot of places to fly to from it if you're not in a fast plane. :-)

 

My favorite NA airports are Bowerman (can't beat the price!), Darrington, Concrete, Diamond Point, Orcas, and Walter Sutton's. Cushman is nice, although not real, of course. Starks is nice too. Those are the airports with something special, I think, both in terms of the airports themselves, and the surrounding country.

Thanks for your inputs Frank and Griphos. I would not say that I'm strictly a regional jet flyer even though I do own the full plethora of all the PMDGs,the Level-D,the Simcheck AB300, FT's Embraer 175/195 et al jets, but as I also have the prop planes such as the J4100 and the Warbirdsim Mustang P-51D, the JF DC-3,and ORBX's Lancair, so the smaller airports that you have suggested indeed does give me some food for thought. I have read some good things about the PNW stuff but have no idea what it s all about. Are they smaller airfields like Darrington, etc or are does it also feature some big airfields? I also have the full range of FSDT ,Blueprint,and Flightbeam sceneries.

Well, you have Fall CIty, so I thought you also had the PNW region. Most of the ones I mentioned are smaller airports. Not bush strips, but smaller fields. But you can always get on Skyvector and look at the airports, number and length of runways, etc.

 

For larger airports in PNW, you'd probably want to look at KVBS. Orcas is probably big enough for you as well. Both are nice. But, actually, most of the default airports in PNW that are a bit larger are very well done. I fly out of North Bend, and Newport, and Salem and Eugene and the Portland airports a good bit, and they are all very good, as are quite a few in the Washington and BC area.

 

Of the Aussie airports I mentioned, YBUD and YPEC might be a bit small for you. And for regionals, I really like both Cessnock and Tamworth. You might want to look at those first, along with Hervey Bay. I don't have Moorabbin, Wollongong or Essendon, but those might also fit your profile well.

Thanks folks! Although I didn't initiate this thread, this is exactly the feedback that I was looking for in my 21 April "Selecting Airports" thread! Rusty

Hi,

If you're really not into VFR I'd recommend Ketchikan PAKT in the ORBX PFJ area, which is frequented by airliners as well and it's really spectacular with its sloping taxiways (the apron quite a bit lower than the RWY), or Skagit KBVS just north of Seattle (mainly GA and corporate aircraft).

I would recommend some other sceneries as well, e.g. Walter Sutton's, Israel's Farm, Orcas Island, but they're VFR airfields. I have to admit, though, that I really started to like flying VFR only when I bought my first ORBX products, so maybe you'd like to give them a try?

 

Regards

Flo

Thank you gentlemen. That has to be without a shadow of doubt, one of the most comprehensive replies to a thread started. Much appreciated. Now to check what hit the good ole CC is going to take!

The more I read down this thread, ready to offer some suggestions, the more I realise how hard it is to decide on favourite airports. If you don't fly VFR Rick then what Flo was recommending makes sense. PFJ + PAKT works really nice. TO from Vancouver or Calgary and you cross some stunning mountain scenery. One of my favourite flights in the NGX is to fly from Nelson down to Queenstown in NZ, that makes a superb flight with a very 'interesting' approach! The NZ scenery is a 'must have' in my opinion. Anyway, good luck on making your choices, there are plenty of them!

Indeed.. Good thread.. I picked up my second payware Airport to add with Concrete tonight. Picked up Diamond Point. At first I had 3 in my shopping cart. :LMAO: Then I read too much and really couldn't figure out what I wanted so rolled the dice and out came Diamond Point. I like it a lot because the approach requires you to really be on your feet and accurate and reminds me a lot of my home town municipal airport. Trees and houses at each end and you're sort of diving down to the runway before flaring it out. I'm getting antsy though. I have cash to burn and the sale is ending soon but I also don't want to buy stuff just for the sake of buying it. :Hypnotized:

I went and just got Concrete. The area seemed very nice and fitted my liking! And its near Darrington too, AND it includes Israel's Farm! That's a 2 leg trip :)

I enjoy Concrete a lot but it's a really hard VFR approach. It's nestled in and hidden very well in the surrounding terrain and until you get really familar with the area it doesn't jump out at you from a distance. Even if you set a GPS course to it you'll be only a few miles away and still sometimes wondering "where the heck is the stupid airport?" I'm just now getting used to the layout of the area and my approaches are getting much better but no where near perfect. Great airport though once you get used to the area its in.

@Howard, much appreciate your input here. I reckon where previously I have baulked at VFR flying, with the sheer depth of quality from ORBX, and the endorsements here, I'm very much going to be flying my Britten-Norman and other prop aircraft into/out of these lovely little airfields.

 

@Bill, that is going to be my problem. Which one is going to take the hit on the ole CC, and I'm limited to a budget, which was why I started this thread. I already had experience with the ORBX 'majors', having flown from these airports in R/L, and hence bought those first last year in the sale. And the points you make are exactly what I found with Fall City.......'where the heck is it?'

 

I'm just glad I started this thread a few days in advance before that sale ends, otherwise I'd have been like that proverbial 'headless...........'!!

Ok, gentlemen, I've decided to go for it today but want to avoid duplicating airports/airfields/airstrips, so what is included in PNW seeing it has got top-notch reviews, awards? Does it include some of the smaller airports/airfields you gentlemen have mentioned here, such as Concrete, Darrington, Diamond Point, etc, etc et al? Cannot seem to find this info on ORBX's site.

Ok, gentlemen, I've decided to go for it today but want to avoid duplicating airports/airfields/airstrips, so what is included in PNW seeing it has got top-notch reviews, awards? Does it include some of the smaller airports/airfields you gentlemen have mentioned here, such as Concrete, Darrington, Diamond Point, etc, etc et al? Cannot seem to find this info on ORBX's site.

 

Read over the manual and load up the KMZ in Google Earth.. It will give you a good idea of what to expect. They make both of these available online before purchase. Basically it will have those airports just to a much lesser extent than their payware counterparts but better than FSX default. There is also a big cumulative update on the site that brings PNW up to date.

 

Right on the top right hand side are links to both.

 

http://www.fullterra...uct_nablue.html