About This File
FS2004 Scenery--Ketchikan PAKT In Southern Alaska This is Ketchikan PAKT in southern Alaska (AK), USA, 45 miles north of the Canadian border and 220 miles south of Juneau. It is the closest major Alaskan airport to the lower 48 and most flights from or to Seattle pass through Ketchikan en route. The airport is on the southern side of the stretch of water known as The Narrows and the town is on the northern side, with ferries connecting the two. The town is heavily reliant on tourism (from cruise liners) and salmon fishing. The town side was somewhat modified as part of the three Misty Fjords sceneries with marinas and docked cruise liners, and this scenery carries that onward. Ketchikan Airport had been made in 2006, and modified in 2007; I say "made" though there is in fact no way to accurately make PAKT within the limitations of FS9 as there is a 50 or 60 feet difference in elevation between runway and apron, and the taxiways are actually ramps up from the apron to the ends of the runway. This has a knock-on effect on the floatplane and ferry docks on the water below the airport, as when making the glassed-in bridges that make the link it is difficult to achieve anything that appears realistic, with a 120 feet difference in level instead of 30 feet; this remains pending. This scenery retains the original buildings from the Alan Wright scenery and the modification made by John Hinson. There are now apron lights, new vehicles on the apron (fuel etc), new apron markings and some parking modifications to enable AI with Boeing 737, DC6, Beechcraft 1900, GA etc. plus runway and taxiway signage, windsocks, some car parking, freight items, etc. The far side of the water has been modeled to include another floatplane dock along with waterfront buildings, including the ship repair facility with it's dry dock (actually a floating dock that lifts ships out of the water) and the Alaskan Ferry Terminal wharf etc. The ferry forms a part of the AI, generously permitted by FSAddon and originally a part of the payware Tongass Fjords package, as are some of the AI aircraft also included here. By Roger Wensley.