Orbx has recently released their rendition of Gold Coast Airport (YBCG) for Microsoft Flight Simulator, serving Gold Coast and Tweed Heads, Australia, with a yearly average of 6.4 million passengers, making it the 7th busiest airport in the country.

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It was built in 1936, consisting of three grass strips whose sole intent was to provide an emergency landing spot for aircraft flying between Brisbane and Sydney, with passenger service only beginning three years later. Regular service was only to begin after WW2, with Queensland Airlines and Butler Air Transport, followed by Ansett in 1950 and Trans Australia Airlines in 1954.

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Taxiways and runways were fully paved by 1958, allowing for the operation of larger, heavier aircraft such as the DC-9 and L-188 Electra.

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The current passenger terminal was opened in 1981 by Acting Prime Minister Douglas Anthony. The following year saw the main runway extended to 2,042 meters, allowing for the operation of wide-body jet aircraft. It was later extended to 2,500 meters sometime in 2007.

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The passenger terminal was upgraded in 2010, with an expansion that doubled its total size, accommodating a decade's worth of growth in passenger volume. It was then expanded again in 2016, 2019, and 2022, with a 30,000-square-meter expansion and overall infrastructure modernization.

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It's a hub for Bonza. AirAsia X, Air New Zealand, Eastern Air Services, Jetstar, Qantas, QantasLink, Rex Airlines, Seair Pacific, and Virgin Australia serve it regularly.

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Developed by Matteo Veneziani, the scenery features an accurate rendition of the airport, with an up-to-date ground layout, 4K textures, an interior on the main terminal, unique GSE vehicles, dynamic airport lighting, custom ground textures, custom animated jetways, performance-friendly optimization, and more.

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It's available on OrbxDirect for roughly $16.20, requiring at least 4.70 GB of free hard disk space to install.

Stay tuned to Threshold for more flight simulation news!

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