Northern Sky Studio has recently released their rendition of Sitka Rocky Gutierrez Airport (PASI) for Microsoft Flight Simulator, serving the city of Sitka in Alaska with a yearly average of 38,000 passengers.
The airport was built in 1942 as a military airfield during World War 2, then turned over to the city of Sitka right after it was over and converted into a civilian airport. Scheduled airline service only started a decade later with Pacific Northern Airlines.
The jet age only arrived at Sitka in March 1967, when an Alaska Airlines Boeing 727-90C Golden Nugget touched its then gravel runway with 70 passengers. Gravel runway operations were still brand new to jet operators, and the 727 required a specific FAA certification before such a feat.
Historical records say the “whole” city came to the airport to watch the landing, including the mayor, governor, and even a high school marching band. One of the employees shot an 8mm film of the landing that the local historical society preserved afterward.
The airport currently has a single terminal with a single jetway, operated mainly by Alaska Airlines, which serves the airport all year long with routes to Juneau and Ketchikan. Delta Connection runs a seasonal leg to Seattle-Tacoma.
The scenery features an accurate rendition of the airport, with a detailed replica of its buildings and vehicles, full PBR materials, texture baking effects on all buildings, high-resolution textures, and custom orthophoto for the airport and surroundings.
It’s available on SimMarket for roughly $15.00, requiring at least 1.47 GB of free hard disk space to install.
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