Orbx has recently released their newest scenery pack for Microsoft Flight Simulator, including three challenging airstrips in Idaho and a bonus makeshift helicopter area with a STOL landing zone.

The “Deadly 3” are three famous - and challenging - strips in Idaho, known for requiring a lot of technique to get the landings right. Dewey Moore, Simonds, and Vines Airstrip are as barebones as a landing strip can get, with no basic infrastructure, making it ideal for hardcore camping.

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Dewey Moore, the first of the airstrips, is located on the north side of Big Creek, 19 miles west of the junction of Big Creek and the Middle Fork of the Salmon River, with a 700 ft long gravel runway at 4,494 feet above sea level. It’s recommended for highly experienced mountain pilots only (in real life).

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Simonds is a very difficult airstrip located on Monumental Creek, close to where it joins up with Big Creek. It’s often used for guided hunting trips and has no infrastructure, meaning pilots should bring tie-downs and camping equipment. It has a 900 ft long gravel runway, and pilots are instructed to watch for traffic from the nearby Monumental Ranch private airstrip.

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Vines Airstrip is located on the south side of Big Creek Canyon, two miles west of Cabin Creek Airstrip, close to where Big Creek joins into the Middle Fork of the Salmon River. It’s a 1,100 ft gravel strip at 4,110 feet above sea level, and pilots are instructed to land on runway 27 and take off from runway 9. Real-life recommendations include instructions on short field operations, and pilots are generally advised to follow Big Creek to avoid trees on final approach and watch their airspeed very carefully as a 10 percent increase in approach speed means a 21% increase in landing distance. 

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The three strips are a short flight away from 85U Soldier Bar and McCall Municipal Airport (KMYL), both developed by Milo Taylor, the author of Idaho’s Deadly 3. His new creation features substantial terraforming work, custom animations, custom vegetation, and much more. The complete feature list for the package follows below:

• Dewey Moore - 700ft uphill slope. Approach from the E.
• Simonds - 900ft uphill slope. approach from the SE.
• Vines - 1000 ft. Approach from the E.
• Rush Point Creek Fire Lookout - Seep uphill ridge landing possible from the north. Extremely dangerous.
• Makeshift helipad - at the Fire lookout for emergency purposes.
• Rangers have reported a high number of aerial predators at most locations. Beware of approach. Consider going around if possible.
• Recreational pilots are known for flying drones for aerial footage. Keep an eye out!
• Try not to disturb the wildlife. Fishing spots are available. The word is the salmon is really jumping this time of year.
• A couple of backcountry pilots about. Some have maps at camp if you are unsure of the area.
• Extensive vegetation overhaul for a complete immersion experience.
• Substantial terraforming to recreate real-world terrain.
• Airstrip ICAOs have been universalized due to all not having one -IDDM, IDSM, and IDVN.
• Many custom animations to bring the scenery alive - Ducks, salmon, drones, and eagles.

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It’s available on OrbxDirect for roughly $12.91, requiring at least 697.99 MB of free hard disk space to install.

Stay tuned to Threshold for more flight simulation news!

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