Places to fly
FlightGear has accurate and realistic terrain. Here are some interesting places where you can do virtual sight seeing.
If you are starting with FGRun - the FlightGear launcher - you can enter the airport id and select the runway on the appropriate screen in the startup wizard. If you are starting from the command line you can use the options: --airport=ABCD and --runway=12L.
Remember to give a look at the Suggested Airports page, where you can find a comprensive list of high quality airports in FlightGear.
Remove before flight!
Before you start flying into one of the suggested flights, you should add both the terrain and the Objects to you FlightGear installation; This is well explained on the installing scenery page.
p.s. charts are generated using FlightGear data only.
North America
Round Valley Airport
Covalis, CA. The airport is at the West edge of a 7 mile across valley.
The predominant wind is a cross wind. Take-offs to the west (if they use the full runway length) often have to fly between 2 small hills and over another valley while gaining altitude. Most pilots take off to the west.
It is a paved runway and quite long. It was designated as an emergency recovery field during the Cold War and was used twice that I know of by military aircraft that could not take off again from the field.
Airports and coordinates
required scenery tile: ftp://ftp.sunsite.org.uk/sites/ftp.flightgear.org/flightgear-ftp/Scenery/w120n40.tar.gz
Suggested aircraft
I have tried this trip using a p38, quite powerful airplane
FlightGear launching
fgfs --airport=O09 --runway=28 --aircraft=p38
Hell's Canyon
Hell's Canyon, Imnaha, OR. This airport is located just west of "Hell's Canyon National Park" which has the Snake River running through it.
Supposedly it's a 5500 foot drop from the top of the canyon to the river.
The airport is located on the brink of this canyon.
See the remarks on the airport page (click on the airport id) ... DOWNDRAFTS, SHEER DROP IN TERRAIN, LIVESTOCK, etc. Don't go here on your first solo x-country. :-)
Airports and coordinates
required scenery tile: ftp://ftp.sunsite.org.uk/sites/ftp.flightgear.org/flightgear-ftp/Scenery/w120n40.tar.gz
Suggested aircraft
I have tried this trip using a pilatus PC-9M, powerful airplane
FlightGear launching
fgfs --airport=25U --aircraft=PC-9M
Crater Lake National Park Tour
Prospect, OR.
Take off and fly at a heading of about 40 degrees until you cross the first distinct ridge in front of you. (several minutes of flight in the navion ... just climb as fast as you can, it will be a close squeek to get over :-)
Once you clear the ridge and can see beyond it, turn right and fly a heading of about 70 degrees. You should see two shallow peaks off in the distance. Head right between these -- they are the two sides of the crater. As you get closer the shape of the crater will come into view. There's a lake there in real life, hopefully it will be there in flight gear too before long.
Airports and coordinates
required scenery tile: ftp://ftp.sunsite.org.uk/sites/ftp.flightgear.org/flightgear-ftp/Scenery/w130n40.tgz
Suggested aircraft
FlightGear launching
fgfs --airport=64S --runway=02 --aircraft=navion
Grand Canyon Tour
These airports are in the vicinity of the Grand Canyon. From KGCN head north. From 1Z1 head south. From 1G4 head north (I think.) From AZ38 head north.
Airports and coordinates
- KGCN - GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK - chart
- 1Z1 - GRAND CANYON BAR TEN AIRSTRIP - chart
- 1G4 - GRAND CANYON WEST - chart
required scenery tile: ftp://ftp.sunsite.org.uk/sites/ftp.flightgear.org/flightgear-ftp/Scenery/w120n30.tgz
Suggested aircraft
................
FlightGear launching
fgfs --airport=KGCN
Ranger Creek Airport
Greenwater, WA. This airport is wedged into the bottom of a steep canyon. You definitely need to be on your toes to get in and out of here. I'd hate to think about what the wind would do to you in real life.
Airports and coordinates
required scenery tile: ftp://ftp.sunsite.org.uk/sites/ftp.flightgear.org/flightgear-ftp/Scenery/w130n40.tgz
Suggested aircraft
FlightGear launching
fgfs --airport=6WA8 --aircraft=pa18
Mount Rainier Tour
Eatonville, WA. Start out at Swanson Airport in Eatonville, WA. Take off and fly a heading of about 90 degrees. You will need to fly for 5-10 minutes before the mountain comes into view. Be patient if you don't see it right away, it will dwarf everything in it's vicinity.
Airports and coordinates
required scenery tile: ftp://ftp.sunsite.org.uk/sites/ftp.flightgear.org/flightgear-ftp/Scenery/w130n40.tgz
Suggested aircraft
FlightGear launching
fgfs --airport=WA20 --aircraft=mosquito
Death Valley Tour
Furnace Creek, CA. This starts you right in the middle of Death Valley which runs north & south. If you head south about 15 miles you'll hit the lowest point in the USA, 282 feet (86 meters) below sea level.
Airports and coordinates
required scenery tile: ftp://ftp.sunsite.org.uk/sites/ftp.flightgear.org/flightgear-ftp/Scenery/w120n30.tgz
Suggested aircraft
FlightGear launching
fgfs --airport=L06 --aircraft=rallye-MS893
Utah
!!! Work in progress !!!
Escalante Muni Airport, Escalante, UT. This airport is east and a bit north of Bryce Canyon National park. If you head mostly south and a bit east you'll eventually hit the Grand Canyon. It is sandwiched between the Dixie National forest to the north and the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument to the south. There should be interesting stuff to see no matter which direction you head.
Airports and coordinates
required scenery tile: ftp://ftp.sunsite.org.uk/sites/ftp.flightgear.org/flightgear-ftp/Scenery/w120n30.tgz
Suggested aircraft
FlightGear launching
fgfs --airport=1L7 --aircraft=pa18
Lake County Airport (CO)
Lake County Airport, Leadville, CO. This airport is at an elevation of 9927 making it a bit of a challenge to get into and out of with a standard C172.
Make sure you lean out your engine before taking off and read up on density altitude before you try this one in real life.
Airports and coordinates
required scenery tile: ftp://ftp.sunsite.org.uk/sites/ftp.flightgear.org/flightgear-ftp/Scenery/w110n30.tgz
Suggested aircraft
FlightGear launching
fgfs --airport=KLXV --aircraft=c172p
Caribbean - Saint Martin and St. Kitts
Work in progrss!!