This feature would allow to search for airports within "X" distance of km from Airport "Y", filtered either as all airports, a certain region, or a certain country.
This feature is available in various forms in all other airline simulation games and would be a useful feature here.
e.g. Search "VARIABLE" airports within "800" km distance of "JFK"
this could even be expanded to include search "VARIABLE" airports with "5 bars or more" within "800" km distance of "JFK"
Right now, for me to search for airports, I have to log into airline-empires.com which has a really good airport search tool.
We already know the airports distance (e.g. used within aircraft performance tool) so it should not be that difficult to implement a search feature for finding airports-within-a-distance.
We considered this option a while ago, but we are the opinion that finding new airports/markets should be not to easy to have a click-and-win game. Geographical knowledge and a bit of research is essential for the strategic decissions to be done if you operate an airline.
I agree with sk. Than, it is quite easy to find distance between two airports: pick up whatever plane from the manufacturer list, go to performance check tool and just choose the pair of airports. On the next page we will find the distance on the technical limits table: flight distance. Of course, it will be easier for all of us, but... we need to do some research, isn't it? :) :P
We considered this option a while ago, but we are the opinion that finding new airports/markets should be not to easy to have a click-and-win game. Geographical knowledge and a bit of research is essential for the strategic decissions to be done if you operate an airline.
I can accept this rationale.
I agree with sk. Than, it is quite easy to find distance between two airports: pick up whatever plane from the manufacturer list, go to performance check tool and just choose the pair of airports. On the next page we will find the distance on the technical limits table: flight distance. Of course, it will be easier for all of us, but... we need to do some research, isn't it? :) :P
Not having a search tool actually makes it important to get to know your local area. I see this as a very fun aspect of the game, and I would hate to see a search tool.
I have learned a lot of valuable/interesting information about various regions and corners of the world by using Airlinesim, and being forced to research airports/pairing. It is one of the great and inadvertent benefits of this game. I could imagine implementing AS in a classroom setting as a tool to introduce students to geography and business in a interesting way.
...one of the great and inadvertent benefits of this game...
Personally, I think they do this kind of thing on purpose. AS forces you to learn about many aspects of air travel, and I don't think it's by accident. :)