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!!
Pilots of the Caribbeans is an informal FlightGear community of users who fly around the small Caribbean islands, many of which have custom scenery and improved landclass data. (For details see Pilots of the Caribbean)
Princess Juliana International Airport (TNCM) at the isle of Saint Martin, is one of the most popular airports in FlightGear. In large part due to the custom objects and land cover. However, St. Marten is only one of several detailed airports in the region - and, while the approach for TNCM is one of the most memorable in the whole world, the land cover for St. Kitts and Nevis makes it a lovely place to fly.
British Airways, US Airways and American Airlines, among others, all fly into St. Kitts' Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport (TKPK) in real life.
Take off from TKPK in a Piper Cub and make a northward, clockwise circle of the island. Start your descent on the east side of the island, and focus on the small hill which separates the north from the south. Start hugging the coast near the beach and look to the west - as soon as the railroad heads to the southwest, you're about ready to turn for final. Make your right hand turn for final and taxi to the terminal.
If you want to fully explore this whole country, take off in a Beaver, which has a little more speed, and fly a figure eight. Take off from TKPK and circle the airport to the north like in the Cub. Then instead of landing, perform a touch-and-go and turn left over the boat terminal and make for the west coast of Nevis. Enjoy the beauty of the south coast of St. Kitts before circling Nevis. Over Nevis, you have several options - cut your flight short and land at TKPN on the island of Nevis, complete the "figure eight" by heading back to TKPK, or check your fuel and head east across the Caribbean to Antigua (which does not have custom land cover).
Airports and coordinates
- TNCM - Princess Juliana International Airport - chart
- TKPK - Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport - chart
- TKPN - Vance Winkworth Amory Intl - chart
others interesting airports in the area:
- TFFF - Le Lamentin - chart
- MDPP - Gregorio Luperon Intl - chart
- TJSJ - Luis Munoz Marin Intl - chart
- FMEE - St Denis Gillot - chart
- TFFG - Grand Case - chart
required scenery tile:
- ftp://ftp.sunsite.org.uk/sites/ftp.flightgear.org/flightgear-ftp/Scenery/w070n10.tgz
- ftp://ftp.sunsite.org.uk/sites/ftp.flightgear.org/flightgear-ftp/Scenery/w080n10.tgz
- ftp://ftp.sunsite.org.uk/sites/ftp.flightgear.org/flightgear-ftp/Scenery/w080n20.tgz
- ftp://ftp.sunsite.org.uk/sites/ftp.flightgear.org/flightgear-ftp/Scenery/w090n20.tgz
Suggested aircraft
FlightGear launching
fgfs --airport=TKPK --aircraft=fk9mk2
Friedman Memorial Airport (Idaho)
Friedman Memorial Airport, Hailey, Idaho. This airport is nestled in a valley surrounded by significant terrain. It's one that shows up quite often in accident investigations.
Airports and coordinates
required scenery tile: ftp://ftp.sunsite.org.uk/sites/ftp.flightgear.org/flightgear-ftp/Scenery/w120n40.tgz
Suggested aircraft
FlightGear launching
fgfs --airport=KSUN --aircraft=fk9mk2
South America
Southern Tip of Chile
Gary Carvell: Here is a suggestion for the FlightGear Places to Fly page. I don't have any particular routes, just fly around and enjoy the gorgeous scenery.
These three airports are in the same region of the very southern tip of Argentina. This area is a scenic wonderland - a maze of islands, mountains, and ocean channels. Hours of entertainment.
SCGZ - Puerto Williams Guardiamarina Zanartu Airport, Chile Located on the north coast of Isla Navarino facing the Beagle Channel. At 55 deg S. longitude, Puerto Williams is considered the southernmost town in the world.
SAWH - Ushuaia Islas Malvinas Airport
SAWO - Ushuaia Est Aeronaval Airport
Ushuaia, on the south coast of Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego, on the the Beagle Channel.
Airports and coordinates
- SCGZ - Guardiamarina Zanartu - chart
- SAWH - Ushuaia Malvinas Argentinas - chart
- SAWO - Ushuaia Est Aeronaval - chart
Suggested aircraft
I personally like to fly this area in the Catalina, it's a great sightseeing plane with the advantage that you can take off and land just about anywhere.
FlightGear launching
fgfs --airport=SCGZ --aircraft=Catalina
Middle East
Israel to Jordan over the Dead Sea
Dead Sea is the lowest water elevation on the Earth. Take off from the Beer-Sheva Teyman airport and head East-North-East. About half way there, after the southern Hebron mountains ridge, there'll be a sharp drop-off down to the Dead Sea --- the lowest exposed point on the Earth.
It's really fun to descend and explore the beautiful coastline. In the real life, you wouldn't like to fly low over this water there of your own will --- while you don't need a life vest in the Dead Sea, the water is pretty caustic there for one's eyes. Once you're done marvelling the sights, continue on to the Queen Alia airport.
Airports and coordinates
required scenery tile: ftp://ftp.sunsite.org.uk/sites/ftp.flightgear.org/flightgear-ftp/Scenery/e030n30.tar.gz
Suggested aircraft
FlightGear launching
fgfs --airport=LLBS --aircraft=Albatross