The Busiest Little Airport: Peachtree-Dekalb
I'm making this scenery enhancement because I live near KPDK, am a vZTL controller, and drive by it often. The stock AI generate scenery pains me to use. Especially the runways that with bumps that will launch you. This is not the Ground Effect we wanted, ASOBO. And these taxiways. The AI taxiway markings make this place impossible to navigate.
Furthermore, the AI generated buildings were based on 2013 aerial imagery, so (1) the entire Atlantic Aviation (NetJets) ramp is outdated; (2) Signature FBO building looks more like a Lego than the protective overhang in the real world.
These fixes and more are in this for Peachtree-Dekalb Airport. Come do some pattern work, visit downtown Atlanta, or fly IFR in and out of the Atlanta A80 Tracon without having to dodge the Big Bois flying into Hartsfield-Jackson. We'd love to see y'all in our satellite airspace!
The differences in taxiway colors and apron colors is part of KPDK's charm
Peachtree-Dekalb was once Camp Gordon, an WW2 training airfield. There's some really old pavement here mixed in with the newer concrete to service the private jets.
WAY better than default, but terrain is stock.
The Atlanta regions is pretty hilly, so KPDK has lots of different gradients and elevations at work. RWY21L and 21R takes off slightly uphill. West Ramp and Clairmont Ramps are about 25 feet above the Northwest Ramps. Only RWY21L has accurate gradients and elevations. I can't do the rest until Asobo somes serious adjustments to the terrain stitching engine. It creates some very clear terrain curbs that I can't smooth out despite having thrown 20 hours at it, trying out rectangles, polygons at varying elevations and drop-off distances.
If you'd like to help out with the terrain, let me know!
Assistance Requested
- If you know how to use Blender, I would love to get some help modeling the Atlantic Avaiation building, and the Epps hangar.
In the current version
RWY 21L/3R
- ILS Frequencies, Glideslope, DME
- Real-World Approach Lighting and Edge Lighting
- Real-World Glide Slope Indicator
- Accurate Elevations and Gradients
- AI usable
RWY 21R/3L
- No Approach Lighting in Real-Life, but Edge Lighting exists
- Real-World Glide Slope Indicator
- PLANNED: Accurate Elevations and Gradients
- AI usable
RWY 16/34
- No Approach Lighting in Real-Life, but Edge Lighting exists
- Real-World Glide Slope Indicator
- Accurate Elevations and Gradients
- AI doesn't use this because it's only used for taxiing and airshows
Helicopter Express Helipads, Aprons, and Hangars
- 4 Helipads placed, works with AI traffic. Unfortunately you spawn with systems on. WHY ASOBO?
- Stock Hangars handplaced to replace AI gen buildings
- static ground vehicles placed because apparently they park lots of vehilces on the old helipads
Taxiways
- UPDATED to match real-world taxiway C, F, and N.
- All taxiway signs placed
- All taxiway Edge Lights placed
- Taxiway intersection pavements placed (B, C, E, F, G, H, J, paving material colors emulated)
Aprons
- Handplaced Apron Lighting
- Just a few parking spots for now with accurate ramp naming (planning >100 handplaced parking spots)
Scenery Additions
- Signature FBO that you can park under. enjoy!
- Handplaced Streetlamps. YES. Streetlamps. There're exactly where they should be on Airport Rd and Corsair Rd
- Handplaced VOR, Beacon
- Handplaced Hangar and Lights, more to come
Quality Assurance
- Drove every taxiway and runway to ensure there are no bumps
- Flew the ILS
- Did some pattern work
Minor Dependencies:
- KATL VOR (MSFS US Scenery)
- EGGP Tower (MSFS European Scenery)
- EDHK Lights & Objects (https://flightsim.to/file/2549/edhk-lights-pack)
In the future
- Basic shell of Atlantic Aviation building, Atlantic Aviation new hangars
- Replacing AI generated buildings with stock buildings
- Placing Aprons on most ramps
- Elevation of Clairmont Ramp
- East Ops area
- AI and nav help usable Taxiways D, J, C, N
- More parking
- More apron lights
CaptainMoonlight
Flyguy75039
duffystavern
mangosprout author
5 months ago
Chaselikebank
fppilot
Why onl one daylight image?
mangosprout author
Because I wanted to show off the lighting work :)
12 months ago
z80cpu
As with your KLZU airport, thanks! I used to take my daughter there in the evenings to watch the planes take-off/land. They used to have a nice little 'park area' where people could sit and watch...been many years, so I do not know if it still exist.
Thanks for this airport and your KLZU (Lawrenceville) one too!
😊
mangosprout author
Yes that playground area is still there, and well maintained. Any given weekend you can see a dozen kids climbing around :)
1 years ago
MrUSA
The metro Atlanta airports are all very significant and historical. KPDK began as a Naval Training station and was used up into the 1960s until Dobbins KMGE was built (birthplace of the C130, C141, C5A, and F22).
KFCC is now the location for the Commemorative Air Force. north on Bravo past Alpha and turn right... you can get rides on the P51 Mustang, Navy TBM, T6, PT-19, or Bird Dog. Or just watch the FG-1D Corsair take off if you are lucky.
This airport is home to numerous Vans RV aircraft owned by pilots from various airlines. Some weekends it looks like a MSFS group flight with a dozen or more RVs taking off information.
ATP flight school has an operation north of Alpha as well as other flight schools with Cessnas and Dimond aircraft.
For Gliders, 5A9 Roosevelt Memeorial is the place for glider training and flights.
If you are into sky diving or Gyro aircraft, 4A4 Polk County.
Want to know about Georgia airports, flight training, or air ops, let me know.
MrUSA
Very nice work. 100 times better than stock. The east ops area is used for helicopter training with circuits to the east landing in the east ops aera. the northern helicopter ops area is very active with PHI, and news helicopters. Childrens Hospital uses the new Atlantic ramp. Helicopter flight School with R22, R44, and R66 helicopters is run off the Signature ramp. This is also where V22s and S76 helicopters come to refuel. There is no "H" painted on the ramp. Tours flights also ran off that ramp.
In front of the new tower there is a miniature airport playground with seating area to watch the planes take off and land... this is a very busy airport with constant corporate and private aircraft all day. Very challenging for new controllers because of the vary diverse aircraft and is used for training.
There is commercial scheduled flights out of Signature to Ohio using the four engine 146 commuter addon.
For static aircraft, Cirrus and Cessna are used for training on the Clarmont ramp along with PC6 aircraft, with EPPS as a distributor. Most of the corporate jets are at Atlantic and Signature.
Great job.
MrUSA
Sorry... PC12s are sold at EPPS... always a few on the ramp. The EPPS hanger has a very popular elevated restaurant for viewing aircraft ops. to the south of the new large Atlantic Hangar is the 57th Fighter WWII themed restaurant. Frequent war bird rides occur here. Waco, T6, Bird Dog, etc... there is pads for parking and loading just off taxiway Alpha.
1 years ago
dkortman
Does this also include the 57th fighter group restaurant for my weekend $100 hamburger needs?
mangosprout author
Hahahaha, well I've cleared some trees around the parking lot but you'll have to use your imagination for that one. :D
1 years ago
Greazer
King of Dev
mangosprout author
Hahaha wut? Have you not seen projects out there with custom models textures? :p
1 years ago
Greazer
Amazing
mangosprout author
more to come! Thanks for your support!
1 years ago
TheArchitect
I used to work across the tracks from here. Just to the west of the 21 flight path. So glad you've smoothed out the taxiways! I have been trying to do something similar with KRYY but MSFS does not make it easy. Thanks for your work!
mangosprout author
What's wrong with RYY? It seems to be one of the better AI generated scenery. Only think I could think of is doing the taxiway signage, taxiway lights, and adding some night lighting.
1 years ago
Jazz44
Thank you so much for making these improvements, great job! Any chance you can also enhance the default KLZU Gwinnet County, Briscoe Field?
Greazer
Yes please.
1 years ago
brad0131
I also live near KPDK and have been waiting years for someone to do a decent version of it. Surprised no one has considering the amount of traffic it gets IRL.
mangosprout author
I was just eating at Food Terminal last night and someone was doing night patterns :)
1 years ago