Freeware continues to be one of the strongest parts of the Microsoft Flight Simulator community, especially in scenery where small creators recreate everything from a local airfield to a regional hub.
We’ve covered many of these creations in the past, and today we’re sharing a video from Bryan (Practically Geek) on YouTube who highlights five airports that show how far volunteer creators are taking things in MSFS 2024. The video tours locations across the United States, Europe, and Oceania, all available to download from flightsim.to.
Amboy AM66: LittleBit
We start in the San Bernardino desert at Amboy Airfield, a location sitting along the historic Route 66. The creator has recreated the abandoned airfield and its surroundings with impressive accuracy, including Roy’s Motel and Café, nearby structures, and various small “creepy” touches inside the buildings.
With MSFS 2024’s walking mode, you can wander through the motel, gas station, and hangars. Night lighting, moving curtains, and custom signage are all shown in the video. Bryan notes that the level of detail is unusually high for freeware. Download here!
Bonn-Hangelar EDKB: Hangar8
From the California desert, the video jumps to Germany for a tour of Bonhanger Airport. Hangar 8 has recreated the facility with a surprising amount of detail, including the main 800-meter runway and two parallel grass runways commonly used by gliders.
The video points out modeled hangars, fencing, security gates, a nearby police building, a children’s playground, and various static aircraft. Bryan highlights the distinctive painted hangar near the helicopter apron and notes that lighting around the buildings appears very close to the real thing. Download here!
Kärdla Airport EEKA: JustOxy
Bryan then heads to Estonia to cover Kärdla Airport on the island of Hiiumaa. This freeware package stands out for including terminal interiors, which are not commonly found in free airports. The creator also provides a GSX profile and animated terminal doors that open during boarding.
The scenery covers the terminal surroundings, perimeter fencing, nearby restaurants, access roads, and the control tower. The official airport signage also receives attention for its nighttime appearance. Download here!
Napier NZNR: NZA Simulations
NZA Simulations is known for its commercial releases, but the studio produced several freeware airports during its early MSFS work. Napier Airport, in New Zealand, is one of those projects, and Bryan notes that it already shows many of the traits that later appeared in the Proline series.
The freeware includes more than 1,800 placed objects, custom buildings, the ATC tower, the Hawke’s Bay Air Ambulance Centre, and the Jet Centre. Portions of Napier Port and the Marine Parade waterfront are also included. The creator sculpted the riverbed alongside the runways and added vegetation and fencing. Download here! You also need to install the NZA Libraries package for the scenery to display correctly.
Duxford EGSU: ChicoMick
The final stop is Duxford, one of the most recognizable aviation heritage sites in the UK. ChicoMick’s freeware scenery is a personal favorite and covers the runways, aprons, museum area, and surrounding roads. Bryan shows rows of static aircraft, detailed World War-era hangars, and extensive signage across the site.
Landside areas, including the A505 road, footpaths, and entrances, have also been modeled with notable care. Community comments on flightsim.to frequently compare the project to payware, but the creator chose to keep the scenery free. Download here!
