Aircraft carrier in default scenery
Also see my guide to aircraft carriers in Flight Simulator.
FSX
There is at least three kind of carriers in the default scenery of FSX. I can't say for sure if they exist if you use other than the Professional version with the Acceleration pack of FSX.
USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63)
The one from FS2004 (see below) is also present in FSX at the same location. The carrier is low-detailed, static, with no support for launch and recovery.
Static carriers
In FSX a new high-detailed static carrier has been placed at 5 US harbours. The carriers have no support for launch and recovery. You can distinguish these from the AI carriers by the aircrafts on the deck of the static carriers. They can be found at these locations:
- Naval Air Station North Island (KNZY), California, USA
- Naval Station Norfolk (KNGU), Virginia, USA
- Apra Harbor (SW of PGUM), Guam
- Puget Sound Naval Shipyard (NE of KPWT), Washington, USA
- Naval Station Everett (NE of KPAE), Washington, USA
AI carriers
The AI carriers are moving and follow defined schedules just like the AI aircrafts. The carriers have working Fresnel lens and lighted landing deck. Moreover they support launch and recovery if you use the aircrafts from the Acceleration pack.
There is four carrier routes in FSX, each having an ordinary and reverse schedule. You can see the schedules below and download the routes as FSX flightplans.
| Route | Departure | Arrival | Flightplan | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US east coast | Naval Station Norfolk | Tue 07:35z | Naval Station Norfolk | Wed 05:24z | Download |
| Naval Station Norfolk | Fri 19:35z | Naval Station Norfolk | Sat 17:24 | ||
| Hawaiian islands | Pearl Harbor | Tue 14:40z | Pearl Harbor | Fri 02:56z | Download |
| Pearl Harbor | Mon 02:40z | Pearl Harbor | Mon 14:56z | ||
| US west coast | San Francisco Bay | Sun 00:38z | Naval Air Station North Island | Sun 18:18z | Download |
| Naval Air Station North Island | Wed 12:38z | San Francisco Bay | Thu 06:18z | ||
| US west coast | San Francisco Bay | Tue 02:11z | Naval Station Everett | Wed 13:07z | Download |
| Naval Station Everett | Fri 14:11z | San Francisco Bay | Sat 01:07z | ||
Remember to set a high traffic desity of ships.
Remember that times are GMT and that weekdays in FS is selected in local time. E.g. on Monday 02:40 GMT at Hawaii it's still Sunday local, so Sunday is selected in FS.
FS2004
There is a single aircraft carrier in the default scenery of FS2004, namely the USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63). The carrier has no navigational aids and no functionality of catapult and arrestor cables.
To reach the carrier takeoff from San Francisco Airport (KSFO) and head west. After reaching the ocean you'll be able to locate the carrier. Alternatively from KSFO fly VOR 115.80 outbound for 13.5 nm on radial 288.
The angled runway of the deck is at heading 064 while the carrier movement is at heading 074.