Okay, Microsoft and Asobo get some karma points for this one.
Along with several other neat updates such as a study-level Airbus A310 and other historic aircraft, Flight Simulator has now, albeit virtually, corrected an ancient wrong. KCGX — the storied Meigs Field of old — has been added to the sim.
For those of us ancient enough to have known the very earliest versions of MSFS, runway 36 at Meigs was the default starting point. The airport, blocks from downtown Chicago yet easy enough for novice pilots to fly into, was a great, iconic introduction to flying.
The real airport was just as inspiring. I was fortunate enough to be able to visit it before its runway was bulldozed in the middle of the night by then-mayor Daley. I wish I was kidding.
The tower and service buildings don’t seem to resemble the two-story, mid-20th-century building with the glass façade that I remember. So I’ll think of it as Meigs reborn, the way it could be.
Next, I think I’ll try the famous “Checkerboard Hill” approach into Hong Kong’s Kai Tak airport. They brought that one back, too — but for safety’s sake, let’s leave that one in VR.
