Show us your Airports!

[GMT 389]

Drack: nice big airport, good use of the 3 wide runways. also considerably logical taxiway layout. nice.

 

Krisman: nice airport from what I can tell.

 

art128: as always one nice airport you got there

 

gil_alves: at terminal a, the taxi lines are a tad to close at the stands for comfort. when a 747 comes by there's just a few feet margin between the wingtip and the tailcone (test it). one tile more room between the stands and the taxi lines towards them wouldn't hurt at all imho. terminal b looks a bit better to me.

apart from that a nice layout.

 

Rocherga: nice futuristic design. not that realistic but still nice. I really like the plateau-like concept.

[KonstantinII 1,106]

Hi every one

 

Here are some closer looks of the airport  you can find in my region (pics in region thread )

Wow awesome complex!

[Scaley McSlither 1,714]

 

Terminal 3 Operations at Queen Charlotte International

[Ace3 1,209]

 

 

Terminal 3 Operations at Queen Charlotte International

 

That looks beautiful! If you don't mind me asking, I was wondering where you got the American Airlines in its new livery?

 

I would imagine however that you most likely made it yourself using an FSX to SC4 conversion method, but I still have hope 

[Scaley McSlither 1,714]

I made it using the same method as my last airline pack. Happily, I have permission from the author to share with the community.

[mcjustman26 2]

Heres my Airport 

 

 

Traffic flows counter clockwise in one direction and short term parking is located in the center around the control tower

 

 

A380 Gates

 

 

Smaller Plane Gates

 

 

Long term parking, Terminal employee parking, and runway maintenance

 

 

Cargo area

 

 

Flight Club and Airport Fire Station

 

[Stevphfeniey 35]

So I recently got back into SC4 after a... 4 year involuntary break (my CDs went MIA).

 

 

This here's Vermouth International Airport, the airbourne gateway of the City of Reach. As you can see, it's still a bit rough and incomplete.

[smf_16 1,838]

Great airports y'all!

 

Here's my latest airport. Not completely finished yet, but definitely the best airport I've ever built.

 

 

[Ace3 1,209]

I really like that one SMF! I think perhaps you should use small hotels for it (the taller structures look a bit out of place here), but other than that, everything else is perfect. That runway leading out over the water is pretty cool. 

[Scaley McSlither 1,714]

Behold! The (kind of) awesome Queen Charlotte International Terminal A! Just Ignore the leadouts and patchwork ramps - nothing to scrutinize there.

 

[Dazzyls 576]

I'm really bad in making airports. Is there a tutorial to learn how to make a realistic airport?

 

(mike_oxlong: Great airport by the way)

[smf_16 1,838]

I really like that one SMF! I think perhaps you should use small hotels for it (the taller structures look a bit out of place here), but other than that, everything else is perfect. That runway leading out over the water is pretty cool. 

 

Yeah, maybe you're right about the hotels... I'll probably look out for more suitable buildings.

 

@Ultimate 727: Well, there are some tutorials on youtube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMOkL3piI38) but I experienced it myself: you can't simply "learn" how to build beautiful and realistic airports and cities by watching a tutorial. It takes some time. Just try over and over and over again.

However, in my opinion, there are some basics to keep in mind:

 

- Runways are often more than 3km long, so since a large city tile is about 4x4km, a realistic airport would fill up a large city tile.

- Don't occupy all of your gates, leave some empty gates.

[simcity1999 34]

Nice large airport, smf! And the runway above the water will look even better if the surrounding texture is same as the rest (green) if possible!

 

I really like that one SMF! I think perhaps you should use small hotels for it (the taller structures look a bit out of place here), but other than that, everything else is perfect. That runway leading out over the water is pretty cool. 

 

Yeah, maybe you're right about the hotels... I'll probably look out for more suitable buildings.

 

@Ultimate 727: Well, there are some tutorials on youtube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMOkL3piI38) but I experienced it myself: you can't simply "learn" how to build beautiful and realistic airports and cities by watching a tutorial. It takes some time. Just try over and over and over again.

However, in my opinion, there are some basics to keep in mind:

 

- Runways are often more than 3km long, so since a large city tile is about 4x4km, a realistic airport would fill up a large city tile.

- Don't occupy all of your gates, leave some empty gates.

 

Fortunately, unlike SC2013, SC4's largest tile is 4x4 km. But I have a very short guide for realism and better region play, build airports on a city tile that is not one of the main city's tiles, and unless you have a very good airport city, I recommend you to use cheats for (almost) infinite money, as airports are expensive and $500K won't be enough even for a small airport. And slightly off topic, I never considered one city tile a city. For me, Region = City, City Tile = District.

[simcity1999 34]

By the way, this is my first airport in SC4, (unnamed) International Airport. The airport is not 100% done yet. Although the runways, terminal, aprons, ramps, gates, jetways, parking, and ATC tower is done, not all of the airport area is filled with turf yet. The airport instruments are also not yet built. Also some airport facilities (such as general aviation, freight terminal, is not yet made)

 

This is the overview of the airport (north is right)

 

 

 It has 2 runways; the main, longer runway, which is used for B737's and everything larger than that, and the secondary, shorter runway, which is used for CJR's, turboprop airliner, and general avitation, although B737's occasionally land here (but never takeoff unless it is empty/no passengers and freights). The terminal is 63216 square kilometers (yes, I've counted). There are international and domestic flights serving this airport.

 

Now the close-up view of the terminal and surrounding facilities.

 

 

 

The other side.

 

[monomass 36]

Great airports y'all!

 

Here's my latest airport. Not completely finished yet, but definitely the best airport I've ever built.

 

 

 

I like your airport! I also like your water mod... which one is that?

[smf_16 1,838]

 

Great airports y'all!

 

Here's my latest airport. Not completely finished yet, but definitely the best airport I've ever built.

 

 

 

I like your airport! I also like your water mod... which one is that?

 

 

That should be 

[monomass 36]

Thanks, I'll check it out!

[Karlos87 5]

Hey... I want to start building airports in Sim City, but when I search for it in the STEX there is loads of Airport related stuff and it putts me off!! can anybody tell me what to use, which ones are the best?

 

Thanks

[simcity1999 34]

The RMIP, ACB, and RH AIrports are must have, other are optional, but good to have.

[Durfsurn 539]

Here is an overview of my first try at an airport in years. For full explanation check out my latest CJ update. (If your wondering why T2 is so much smaller it's because 80% of it is underground.

 

[GMT 389]

mcjustman26:
First thing that pops into view are the short runways for the large jets prominent allover the airport. A wild guess is they're somewhere in the 100tiles regime which is way too short for the heavies and also a lot of mediums have trouble here.
While I'm at the runways, I would also recommend using the correct spacing between marks on the runway.
The design is nice, looks like it was planned well and you thought of all major facilities. Maybe the last stand right in the corner of the L-shaped gates isn't really accessible unless ACs are towed here. I would've placed the tower more towards the actual airfield but that's a matter of personal likings.

The Steve:
Runway markings are totally off.
the 2 big white bars (touchdown markers) come 1000ft/300meters tiles behind the threshold, the smaller bar pairs are either showing the touchdown-zone (if small pairs of 1 bar are used) or as touchdown-zone markings + distance markers of a sort (if 3/2/1 bar pairs are used, countdown-wise), each pair spaced 150meters from starting-edge to starting-edge.
now correct spacing in sc4 is hard due to the tile-size of 16meters and the available puzzle-pieces.
An approximately correct approach would be the following pattern using US/FAA standards (I try to use puzzle-piece names as good as possible):
Threshold piece - L/C/R Designator - Numeric/Magnetic Designator - No Skid 2x Section - 3-Stripe DTZ Mark w/ Skid Ending- three Short Sections - Aiming Point - Long Section - 2-Stripe TDZ Mark - Long Section - 2-Stripe TDZ Mark - Long Section - 1-Stripe TDZ Mark - Long Section - 1-Stripe TDZ Mark
this gives you a pattern of 3+2+2+2+4+6 = 19tiles = 304meters until the touchdown markers start which is quite a spot-landing for sc4 purposes. all other bars, as described above work pretty well with the described pattern (bar piece + long runway piece) which gives you an overall length of 2+8 = 10tiles = 160meters which is 10 meters longer than regulations prescribe but as correct as possible.
Alternatively you can use the 1-Stripe TDZ markings for non-US runways, same pattern applies.

Plus it allows you to fit all taxiway connections in between the markins without any hassle.

Other than that, I like the concept you're showing, let's see how the final airport presents itself.

smf_16:
Really good airport you got there. Nice use of rapid exit taxiways, also the runway markings are correct and also almost correctly placed apart with 8+2 tiles (150meters per regulations from beginning to beginning, about 160 with 10 tiles)

The terminal and taxiway right of the highrises might be a tad too close together for comfort tho.
Very well designed "in-field" with all the parking and stuff and the elevated placement of the tower facilitates it's purpose. I like!

simcity 1999:
Very nice first airport so far. Enough room at the gates, good links to the runways and the markings aren't that off either. That solar power plant might be in a problematic location in the approach area towards 36L tho.
you should take care of using the correct puzzle-pieces, especially because of the treadmarks on the runway.

durfsurn: 3 major things:
1) Your taxiways within the gates and the ac gates themselves aren't far enough apart to guarantee safe taxiing for big planes. You don't want to chop off another planes tail while taxing, right?
2) Your runway markings are of non-standard nature, as in wrong. Also, the private landing strips are in a considerably dangerous position relating the the chevron-shaped terminal
3) How do you plan to get the the respective runway ends before takeoff? And how do you plan to get back to the gate after landing? Taxiing on the runway on such a high capacity airport? Most likely not.

Overall you don't lack creativity, but logical structure. While you leave an open wide for nothing but grass, you pack your terminals very dense and don't waste an inch while you'd rather waste a yard.
You really need to connect more taxiways to the runways. This makes the airport look more realistic AND plausible.
Together with more room to taxi to and from the gates safely and correct runway markings you'd get yourself a pretty decent airport.
Another thing I want to suggest is using a higher ATCT to facilitate the work of the controllers who must be able to see every part of the airport, especially the air-side of it, from the tower. Might work with the small one there but better safe than sorry
I hope you fix these issues for your 3rd expansion stage.

[Durfsurn 539]

-Snip-

durfsurn: 3 major things:

1) Your taxiways within the gates and the ac gates themselves aren't far enough apart to guarantee safe taxiing for big planes. You don't want to chop off another planes tail while taxing, right?

2) Your runway markings are of non-standard nature, as in wrong. Also, the private landing strips are in a considerably dangerous position relating the the chevron-shaped terminal

3) How do you plan to get the the respective runway ends before takeoff? And how do you plan to get back to the gate after landing? Taxiing on the runway on such a high capacity airport? Most likely not.

Overall you don't lack creativity, but logical structure. While you leave an open wide for nothing but grass, you pack your terminals very dense and don't waste an inch while you'd rather waste a yard.

You really need to connect more taxiways to the runways. This makes the airport look more realistic AND plausible.

Together with more room to taxi to and from the gates safely and correct runway markings you'd get yourself a pretty decent airport.

Another thing I want to suggest is using a higher ATCT to facilitate the work of the controllers who must be able to see every part of the airport, especially the air-side of it, from the tower. Might work with the small one there but better safe than sorry

I hope you fix these issues for your 3rd expansion stage.

Thanks GMT for your suggestions. I never took much interest into markings before. I seem to remember a list of which runway markings co where. Where could I find this? Also as talked about in my CJ comments I will add more taxiways connecting to the bottom and top of the runways. Also the terminals may have a redevelopment after your comments

 

Thanks again Durfsurn.

[jaredh 195]

 

I really like that one SMF! I think perhaps you should use small hotels for it (the taller structures look a bit out of place here), but other than that, everything else is perfect. That runway leading out over the water is pretty cool. 

 

Yeah, maybe you're right about the hotels... I'll probably look out for more suitable buildings.

High-rise hotels exist at airports in the US.  There is a 13+ story Hilton right in the middle of DFW airport...between the runways along the feeder road....so it isn't unbelievable.

[Ace3 1,209]

High-rise hotels exist at airports in the US.  There is a 13+ story Hilton right in the middle of DFW airport...between the runways along the feeder road....so it isn't unbelievable.

 

 

 

It's not unbelievable, after all it is only a game. However, knowing that those parking garages are 8 levels (probably about 15 stories), that would make the hotels proportionately around 60-70 stories tall.  13 story is possible, 60-70 is dangerous.

 

http://www.visitingdc.com/images/dfw-airport-address.jpg

 

As you can probably see, the Dallas Fort Worth Hilton isn't protruding from the airport scenery, but instead flows with the height of the parking garages and terminals quite well. I definitely wouldn't define it as a "High-rise" hotel either. Most airport safety regulations prohibit towers in the nearby vicinity of the airport from being significantly taller than the ATC-tower. That's why I was advising lower sized buildings, but once again, it's just a game. Heck, if I wanted I could put the Burj Khalifa in the middle of my airport

[Josh6 873]

Looks nice SMF_16

[Drack 616]

Thanks GMT for your suggestions. I never took much interest into markings before. I seem to remember a list of which runway markings co where. Where could I find this? Also as talked about in my CJ comments I will add more taxiways connecting to the bottom and top of the runways. Also the terminals may have a redevelopment after your comments

 

Thanks again Durfsurn.

 

 

typical runway markings I usually find (and use) are : 2 triple stripe markings, an aimpoint mark, 1 double stripe mark and 2 single stripe marks.

[GMT 389]

 

Thanks GMT for your suggestions. I never took much interest into markings before. I seem to remember a list of which runway markings co where. Where could I find this? Also as talked about in my CJ comments I will add more taxiways connecting to the bottom and top of the runways. Also the terminals may have a redevelopment after your comments

 

Thanks again Durfsurn.

 

 

There's, for starters, a nice comprehensive tutorial shipped with the RMIP downloads that sort of explains what's what and also how to use it.

Other than that, it's a matter of which regulations you wan't to apply; there's basically an international framework set which sort of equalizes everything, but yet there's some national twists to it, for example, the 1000ft bars are a uniform pair of 1 big white bar in the US, Canada and many other parts of the world, but in the UK it's usually checkboard-like pattern. Or take the distance markers, in the US they're work with a "counting pattern" (pair of 3 / 2 / 1 bars, often doubled) while in Europe and Canada, they're usually just pairs of a single bar (although more and more apply the afore mentioned counting pattern). If you go to Australia, you usually won't find to many of these, just like 2 sets of single-bar pairs embracing the 1000ft bars.

As a pilot, you have easy access to all this stuff, mostly because you have to familiarize yourself with it during your training (just like you would have to learn traffic signs when you study for your drivers licence) but you can find a lot of this regulatory information in it's official form on the internet nowadays, most easily accessible are the US standards as defined by the FAA in accordance with the ICAO regulations.

AC 150/5340-1K(linkie) for example, on 122 pages, contains the FAA regulations for "Airport Markings" and explains what, when, where and how markings are to be applied - in a very fatiguing way because like I said already, it's an official paper. If you want, follow the link and forward to the document's page 60 (68 or so on a pdf reader), there's a couple of diagrams related to the placement of runway markings (note that dimensions are given in feet with meters in brackets, like 5 [1.5] = 5ft / 1.5m)

 

Other than that, you can always go ahead, open Google Earth and start looking at airports using the ruler tool.

 

And of course, for a quick access, let me quote myself here, I sort of gave a viable way of using runway markings:

An approximately correct approach would be the following pattern using US/FAA standards (I try to use puzzle-piece names as good as possible):

Threshold piece - L/C/R Designator - Numeric/Magnetic Designator - No Skid 2x Section - 3-Stripe DTZ Mark w/ Skid Ending- three Short Sections - Aiming Point - Long Section - 2-Stripe TDZ Mark - Long Section - 2-Stripe TDZ Mark - Long Section - 1-Stripe TDZ Mark - Long Section - 1-Stripe TDZ Mark

this gives you a pattern of 3+2+2+2+4+6 = 19tiles = 304meters until the touchdown markers start which is quite a spot-landing for sc4 purposes. all other bars, as described above work pretty well with the described pattern (bar piece + long runway piece) which gives you an overall length of 2+8 = 10tiles = 160meters which is 10 meters longer than regulations prescribe but as correct as possible.

Alternatively you can use the 1-Stripe TDZ markings for non-US runways, same pattern applies.

might be a little confusing at first because there's no pictures but you'll get a hang of it fast

[Indiana Joe 1,752]

The RMIP comes with some guide pics for runway markings (distances are tiles):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[GMT 389]

only thing to keep in mind is that the PAPI should be located at the approximate location of the Aiming Point for precision approach runways (as it's name suggests: Precision Approach Path indicator). It's only placed at or slightly behind the threshold on non-precision approach runways. Otherwise pilots would get conflicting information as to where to land the aircraft.

Maybe a thing here, the correct name for what we got in the RMIP would be APAPI (Abbreviated Precision Approach Path Indicator), because a PAPI consists of 4 white/red lights which increases the resolution of the information given (way too low, too low, correct, too high, way too high) as compared to the APAPI with just 2 lights (too low, correct, too high), but that's nitpicking.

[Terring 6,476]

Here are a few examples of my airports. Yes I know, it looks more like spaceports than airports. Almost all air terminals, maintenance facilities, service centers, and hotels are constructed underground, while passengers are transported to and from the airport and the aircrafts by underground conveyors. The aircrafts use advance VTOL (Vertical Take-off and Landing) engines, so they don't need runways at all.