Why are all the runways on IF on a small plateau?

[StormyAviation]

I have noticed while flying that the airports are all elevated above the surroundings (KSEA has an excuse since it is in real life) but all airports are like this can someone please explain why?
this doesnt go in support because I just want to know why.

[Altaria55]

An issue with the elevation, perhaps?

Also, this would be called a plateau :)

[Tsumia]

Most airports IRL are hilly, which IF does not support. We have to provide a consistent elevation for airports in which one side has a different elevation to the other.

In the meantime, you can vote on this topic which in turn should eliminate the issue:

Uneven/Sloped Runways

Hmmmm…Seems no one has mentioned the fact that all the Runways in IF are Completely flat and perfect. We all know that this is not the case IRL. Now that global flight is confirmed to be coming, I think now will be a great time to start this discussion. This would make IF amazing, and feel so realistic. [image] For Example: Leeds/Bradford Airport

[sqeezelemon]

The thing is, the game takes the airport outline and makes a plateau inside of it at the airport elevation level, after which it places all the rest on top of the plateau

[Ecoops123]

Also becuase Seattle is very very mountainous 😂

Take a look at this chart for example:

Credit: Flightaware
There is almost an 100ft difference in level between either side of the runways.

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For example, 16L/34R, at 16L’s end is 432ft, and at 34R’s end is 347. That’s a crazy 85 feet difference!

[Kamryn]

When they add they airport, they take the elevation of 1 end of the airport, the south side of KSEA was the altitude start which eventually got onto a plateau near the north side because of the altitude difference

[Alec]

It’s normally the higher end of the airport, to make sure you don’t spawn in a hole.

[Chris_S]

Because IF can only make flat airports. Most airports in real life have different elevations that IF cannot accommodate. The result is the plateau effect since it is not smooth with the surrounding terrain.

[Tsumia]

Not really, we go by the elevation defined in charts.

See this definition by the FAA.

The Federal Aviation Administration(FAA) defines the Airport Elevation as the highest point of an airport’s usable runways and is measured in height above mean sea level

[Ecoops123]

@Tsumia

Most airports IRL are hilly, which IF does not support. We have to provide a consistent elevation for airports in which one side has a different elevation to the other.

@sqeezelemon

The thing is, the game takes the airport outline and makes a plateau inside of it at the airport elevation level, after which it places all the rest on top of the plateau.

@Kamryn

When they add they airport, they take the elevation of 1 end of the airport, the south side of KSEA was the altitude start which eventually got onto a plateau near the north side because of the altitude difference

@Chris_S

Because IF can only make flat airports. Most airports in real life have different elevations that IF cannot accommodate. The result is the plateau effect since it is not smooth with the surrounding terrain.

I think it’s fair to say we got the point…

[StormyAviation]

true very true.

[Altaria55]

Just came across a video showing SEA’s elevation change. It seems it’s like this in the real world too!

Video by 702aviation on Instagram

[Kamryn]

bruh, i was legit about to share that 😐

[StormyAviation]

I said at the top that KSEA is elevated on a man made plateau in real life.