For me, Essendon Airport holds a special place in my heart. When travelling to Australia a few years ago, I found myself in the vibrant city of Melbourne and was impressed by the skyline of the city. I was so impressed that I felt the urge to fly around and see the city from a different perspective. It was then when I found that Essendon Airport had plenty of opportunities to do just that. With the private flying lesson booked, I headed to the airport and started my one-hour session around Melbourne. Unknown to me at the time was the fact that Essendon would eventually become the future home of Orbx’s Australian offices and that a detailed version of the airport would be produced. With my memory and plenty of pictures in mind, I couldn’t wait to get stuck in with the new flagship from Orbx.
A little history of the airport is needed first. Essendon Airport was, at one point in time, the main airport for the city of Melbourne. Situated only 8 miles from the city, the airport served a great purpose for allowing visitors across the country to visit Melbourne. However, as time went on, more and more airlines needed more space and so the primary airport for Melbourne was moved. However, all wasn’t lost as Essendon retained its vital use by providing the city with a buzzing hub of general aviation traffic with numerous flight schools, the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia and also the home of Orbx. And being the home of Orbx, there was no doubt that all the stops would be pulled to ensure that Essendon Fields was recreated to the highest degree. This is absolutely the case with the new version released for Microsoft Flight Simulator, as I’ll explain in this review.
