EGGW Luton Airport Runway Designator Changes

[Michael Borland]

Have just noticed that EGGW Luton Airport Runway designators will change effective 21 May 2020 - Runway 26 will change to 25 and 08 will change to 07.

Just wondering how these type of things are managed in VATSIM bearing in mind the scenery in simulators will refer to the old runway layouts (until they are updated). As there be a divergence between real world and "simulator" world, will real world always take precedent and match the latest AIRAC cycle data?

Mikee

PS. New member here so apologies if this has already been answered, couldn't see any previous related posts

[Trevor Hannant]

The UK Sector File team will have this added to the next sector file release:

https://github.com/VATSIM-UK/UK-Sector-File/issues/2523

When each AIRAC is issued, someone goes through the list of changes to see what will be needed in the upcoming release.  The UK has a strong team of users who maintain the UK Sector file on an ongoing basis so this change will be available to all controllers on the release of the appropriate AIRAC.

[Michael Borland]

Ah ok, good to know thanks.

I wonder if Xplane (Laminar), Orbx etc have the same level of dedication to updating their scenery! 

[Andreas Fuchs]

X-Plane's gateway sceneries (=freeware, come with X-Plane) are maintained by the community, I expect an update in the near future: https://gateway.x-plane.com/scenery/page/EGGW

[Michael Borland]

1 minute ago, Andreas Fuchs said:

X-Plane's gateway sceneries (=freeware, come with X-Plane) are maintained by the community, I expect an update in the near future: https://gateway.x-plane.com/scenery/page/EGGW

I didn't realise this was a user-driven activity and then incorporated into later X-plane releases....great work by the community. Will see if I can also contribute.

[Andreas Fuchs]

1 hour ago, Michael Borland said:

I didn't realise this was a user-driven activity and then incorporated into later X-plane releases....great work by the community. Will see if I can also contribute.

Yes, that's why I really enjoy using X-Plane. It's a bit like in the good old days of FS9 or earlier, when we had lots of motivated people designing aircraft, sceneries and tools for everyone. Eventually quite a few of them entered the payware-world (I do NOT blame them for doing this), because shareware and donations will often not generate enough money that is needed to purchase documentation and access to insider information for the products they make. And don't forget the licencing that is seems to be "normal" these days.

[Trevor Hannant]

For FSX/P3D users, the UK2000 scenery will be updated to reflect this:

http://www.uk2000scenery.org/forum/index.php?topic=10007.0

[Robert Shearman Jr]

Generally speaking, controllers that work a particular airport often are (or become) aware of discrepancies between different scenery renditions of that airport -- including not only runway number updates, but taxiway layouts, terminal buildings added / extended / demolished, runways added / extended / demolished, etcetera.  Operating at an airport where you don't have the most updated scenery is then often just a matter of communication. 

[Tom Szczypinski]

Adding to the above, if you know of anything that Rob mentioned, like maintenance or closures and want to simulate them, you can always let the controller know via PM if they're not aware. Mostly you can find these things in NOTAMs, or supplements! Of course sometimes for the sake of simplicity and if it is busy the controller might opt not to simulate temporary closures.