FSX and TileProxy: 1.1 m/pixel resolution (Service 1 Textures)
The Florida Keys: Key Largo to Key West
Here
are a series of screenshots of the Florida Keys from Key Largo
to Key West.
For the ProxyUser.ini and FSX settings used for this
flight see the bottom of this page.
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A fantastic starting point for a Florida Keys run is the private airstrip at Key Largo, the "Ocean Reef Club" (07FA). Right next to the Card Sound Golf Club, and 4500 feet in length, Runway 22 will point you directly SSW towards Key West, about 100 nautical miles distant.
Then follow the islands, causeways, and bridges of "The Overseas Highway", U.S. Highway 1, to Key West.
Key Largo at Sexton Cove,
with the broad white strip of Highway 1 leading the way.
A small islet at Plantation
Key.
Snake Creek at the "Venetian
Shores" development on Plantation Key.
Upper Matecumbe Key
Lower Matecumbe Key with
Long Key in the distance.
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Marathon Key with Marathon
Airport (KMTH) below.
The "Seven Mile Bridge"
with Ohio Key in the left foreground. Amazingly, FSX's default
bridges actually align almost perfectly with the aerial textures!
Big Pine Key, with the
homes along Longbeach Drive in the foreground. The shallow waters of
Coupon Bight appear directly behind the aircraft.
The wilds of Lower Sugarloaf
Key. The U.S. Naval Air Station field on Boca Chica Key can be seen in
the distance with the VASI lights of Runway 27 at the Key West International
Airport (KEYW) beyond that.
Boca Chica channel, with
the The U.S. Naval Air Station field on Boca Chica Key, center right.
Banking on approach, Key
West, Florida
Descending to align with
Runway 9 at the Key West International Airport (KEYW). The cruise ship
docks, old Fort Zachary, and Taylor Park and Beach may be seen in the
foreground.
%20Final.jpg)
On final, Runway 9, at
Key West International Airport (KEYW)
Texture Set:
These screenshots were taken using Service Example 1's online textures. They are by far the best set available for the Florida Keys and offer a high resolution, naturally colored, perfectly blended set of textures that stretch unbroken from Key Largo to Key West , a distance of approximately 100 nautical miles.
ProxyUser.ini Settings: The "level_mapping" settings were especially important in getting the lowest "good color level" to extend outward to a reasonable viewing distance. Though I had to pause occasionally for texture "catch-ups" this is due mostly to the reduced TPS I experience with my older single core machine. Faster dual core rigs may not have an issue with these settings.
Also, though a default "blend_distance=500.0" was used, an examination of the Florida Keys from the chosen online map service indicates that a much more realistic and farther offshore "green water" distance could be achieved by extending this value a bit so that the shallows between the keys retained the excellent look of the reefs and shoals that surround the many Florida Keys. In fact most of the many keys and islets in this entire chain are connected by this aqua-green water. I haven't experimented with changing this setting yet.
max_lod=15
preload_min_lod=8
preload_max_lod=15
blend_distance=500.0
source=Service Example 1
[Service Example 1]
min_level=9
max_level=17
map_version=117
level_mapping=9,10,11,12,15,16,16,16,17
color_hack=Yes
color_level=13
bulk_extend=50
FSX Settings:
Visibilty set at 30 miles.