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Airport Recommendations
As a private pilot, I have had the privilege of visiting many airports of different sizes. I've learned quite a lot about the operation of these facilities and I'd like to share some of that knowledge with Second Lifers who want to run their own.

  • Identify a calm-wind runway.
    In the real world, runways are set up according to the prevailing wind. For example, in the Los Angeles basin and Inland Empire, almost all of the runways align east-west because the prevailing wind is out of the west. The majority of the time, aircraft depart to the west. Even if the wind is calm, aircraft still depart to the west because having that convention helps pilots avoid running into each other.

  • Traffic should arrive and depart in the SAME DIRECTION.
    I've seen airports in SL where traffic is supposed to land northbound and take off southbound. See the problem? It sets up a situation where pilots are virtually guaranteed to run into each other on a busy day. If pilots landed to the north and took off to the north, or landed to the south and took off to the south, they would stay out of each others' way as a matter of course! This is ESPECIALLY important in SL, as visibility is limited to 1/2 a kilometer at most. The vast majority of people in SL cannot see objects more than 1/4 of a kilometer away! There are some exceptions. For example, if your runway butts up against a sim border or some terrain or there are banlines nearby, it is reasonable to have traffic arrive and depart in opposite directions. However, this should be a LAST RESORT.

  • Set up a normal traffic pattern. Publish it.
    If you are going to be running an airport, you should really familiarize yourself with traffic patterns. A few things to remember:
    • By default, traffic patterns are left. If there is a banline, sim border, sheer wall of granite, etc. in the way, you'll want to use right traffic instead - otherwise, use the default left traffic pattern.
    • Runways with an obstruction off one end don't really have a traffic pattern - departures are always straight in and out.

  • Minimize obstructions in the flight path.
    If you are buying land for an airport, buy it ON THE SHORE of a large body of water if you can. Buying land with neighbors on all sides makes your flight path vulnerable to ban lines and whatever structures your neighbors see fit to build. Place your runway such that arriving and departing traffic doesn't have to dodge around terrain and objects.

  • Make the runway as LONG, WIDE, and CLEAN as possible. Use the same thinking for taxiways.
    I have seen runways that appear to have been built on the assumption that no aircraft are over 10 meters in width, and that those 10-meter-wide aircraft will always be landed exactly on the runway centerline every single time. Don't put ANYTHING near the runway unless it is absolutely necessary. Most SLers are not capable of landing on a dime and some people fly large business jets and so forth. Keep the low walls, hedges, and other cosmetic features as far from the runway as possible.

  • Subdivide the parcel under the runway and taxiways, and use an autoreturn of not more than 5 minutes.
    If you have ever tried to land somewhere, only to find that some newbie has rezzed an entire mansion on top of the runway and left it behind, you'll know why this is necessary.

  • Leave enough room for airplanes to taxi off the runway.
    I remember visiting one airport where there were buildings, vendors, etc. right up against the runway. There was literally nowhere you could exit the runway! This does not create an inviting atmosphere. An airport where the only thing you can do is land and take off is boring!

  • Set aside a transient parking area.
    At a real airport, you can park your airplane somewhere, get out, stretch your legs, and have a look around. Set aside a transient parking area with a reasonable autoreturn time (like 1/2 to 1 hour.) This creates a more inviting atmosphere. Pilots and passengers can park, get out, visit your shop, take a look at the surrounding area, etc. It also makes your airport a viable location for a fly-in. That's a good thing!

  • Foster a sense of community at your airport.
    If people get the idea that your airport is nothing but a mall with a convenient patch of road they can land on nearby, they won't find it as interesting. This is the point of having accessible runways and taxiways and setting aside a transient parking area. You don't want pilots to get the impression that you just want them to "buy my stuff and leave." Build a pilot's lounge with an observation area (hint: 2nd floor has a better view than 1st.) Furnish it with seating and aviation related posters, or suggestions for sightseeing around the area.

    Some succinct advice on this:

    • Transient parking w/ reasonable autoreturn
    • Attractions at the airport, such as a pilot's lounge or observation deck
    • Directory of local attractions or other airports in the area
    • Be a part of the aviation community in SL
    • Host fly-ins and other events
    • Give people the idea that your airport is more than a mall with an airstrip

  • Publish noise abatement procedures.
    Real airports publish advice for pilots to stay away from noise sensitive areas. It helps airports to be better neighbors. In your case, you are dealing with aircraft that are at most 1/10th as loud as the real thing (yes, really), so it isn't that big a deal. However, banlines and other hazards in the area ARE a big deal. Put signs around the airports detailing any hazards or other things that pilots should stay away from. They'll thank you for it.

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