OK it's a deliberately cryptic title but it occurred to me whilst looking at developers screenshots for an upcoming scenery package. Over at FTX they're previewing work on the London Airports that will ship with the scenery.

 

They look fine but as I live near Heathrow they got me thinking. The developer has faithfully reproduced the latest layout but I got to thinking about trips with my cousin to "The Queen Elizabeth building" which back in the 50's had a viewing gallery for the public to watch the privileged few who could afford air travel board their flights.

 

We’re talking about the era of the DC6, DC7C, Stratocruiser, DC3, Viking, Viscount, Vanguard and Britannias. Later of course came the Comet’s, Caravelle’s, 707’s and DC8’s and many of these have been modelled already for FSX.

 

However today’s airports with all of their sophisticated bays, boarding gates etc. were still to come. The steps included with aircraft models of the era were the norm. Navigation and approach aids were totally different.

 

So whilst the freeware community and Payware community busily produce ever more sophisticated modern airports these are totally wrong for all the period airliners now available.

 

Coming to FS from train sims where the luxury of a “go anywhere” globe does not exist I’m used to era specific routes and stocks but it strikes me it’s a niche completely overlooked by FS creators?

 

I stand to be corrected, nut none the less a high detailed airport or two for vintage airliners would surely get a following?

 

What do you think guys?

 

Geoff

Why not visit: http://www.calclassic.com/ ?

Why not visit: http://www.calclassic.com/ ?

Well most of their scenery is FS9 or earlier and I was really suggesting higher detailed stuff as has been produced for FSX in the current era. The CalClassics stuff is excellent but they haven't done much FSX specific stuff?

 

Geoff

Hi Geoff,

 

You bring up something I've been wondering about lately- period aerodromes/fields and scenery bits from the 1930's. I imagine there might be a few people looking for add-ons that reflect their favourite times. I'm fairly new to FSX, but also railsim (love UK steam, and the 1960's esp. the Class 55 Deltic) in era's I really enjoy. In FSX I've been pretty much exclusively flying JF's DC-3's, Lockheed Model 10 Electra, and especially fallen in love with G.A.S's Lockheed Model 12 Electra 'Junior' (all in Air Hauler) and would love to see some period scenics.

 

Kind regards,

Dave

G'day Geoff,

 

No, they haven't. But, as you say, it's very much a niche market, and CalClassics is the only site (that I know of) offering regressed airport scenery for FS.

 

Why not have a dual FS installation ... with FS9 being entirely retro?

 

Regards,

Dorian

I've been working on a couple of retro setups for FS9. My primary focus is on 1980s. I am finding most ai repaints fairly to obtain. However, the airport architecture and runway layout at many airports will need to be modified in order to have the most appropriate impact to the experience. My 50s effort will incorporate a lot of the South West airports from CalClasics

Hi guys,

 

Well CalClassics is an excellent site and I already have FS9 but with massive investment in FSX since I "just popped over" from train simming to see how FS was developing ....only to end up spending shameful amounts on add-ons ...hooked ....full blown addict.

 

Nought wrong with FS9 and it's great that there's still stuff being developed but my original thoughts were prompted by the increasing amount of Propliners of varying degrees of sophistication that have been produced for FSX. As "Low n Slow" type with an aversion to glass cockpits and FMC's I figure the only thing missing from some REAL flying (analogue cockpits, ADF's and VOR's, paper charts etc.) was the airports at either end. Purists will howl that there's far more changed than just the airports but even propliners flew too high for that to be so much of an issue? It's the airport infrastructure, runway lengths etc. that have changed.

 

Whilst youngsters listen to arguments over a third runway at Heathrow I wonder how many people realise that the original had 6 ...yes SIX runways, paired in a star shape to cover every possible prevailing wind. Even the default FSX LHR has the last (now closed) 23. Living as close to Heathrow as I do I still remember a rare missed approach to 23 that had a 747 at window rattling full throttle still not cleaned up flying straight over my house!

 

Back in my youth though the whine of the Viscounts and the splutter of the radials that heralded the much gentler arrival and departures of the 60's.

 

IMHO it's a missed opportunity.

 

"If you build it they will come"! A fanciful line from a film? Well when I moved to my current home 30 years ago the local railway ran a 30 min interval service to Waterloo. The trains were old and dirty and seldom ran on time. Few people used the service and it was constantly ear marked for closure.

 

Now we have modern clean, quiet, air conditioned trains and they run on time 90+% of the time and we've a 15min interval service. Guess what! The trains are packed and the service probably the best in my area of London.

 

Geoff