Townsville (PG City)

The Flight Experience Townsville is the unofficial "Garrison City" of the north, offering a flight experience defined by rugged terrain and military aviation. The city sits in the rain shadow of the Great Dividing Range, meaning it is often drier and sunnier than Cairns to the north, but dominated by the massive pink granite monolith of Castle Hill right in the center of town.

Townsville Airport (YBTL) is a unique joint-user facility. You are landing at a busy civilian terminal that shares the runway with RAAF Base Townsville. In the simulator, this means you can park your Cessna or airliner next to the hangars of the 5th Aviation Regiment (Chinooks) or visiting fighter jets. The approach over Cleveland Bay offers sparkling water views before you touch down on the hot tarmac.

Visual Highlights

• Castle Hill: This isolated pink granite hill stands 286 meters high in the middle of the flat suburbs. It is the absolute pivot point for all VFR traffic. If you are orbiting the hill, you are seeing the entire city.

• Magnetic Island ("Maggie"): Just 8km offshore, this mountainous island is covered in hoop pines and granite boulders. In photogrammetry, the bays (like Horseshoe Bay and Picnic Bay) are distinct, and the ferry terminal makes for a great low-level target.

• Queensland Country Bank Stadium: The city's newest landmark is impossible to miss. Its roof is designed to look like the leaves of a Pandanus tree, creating a complex, jagged white geometry that sits right on the bank of the Ross Creek.

• The Strand: The beachfront promenade is rendered in high detail. You can trace the coastline from the Rock Pool to the Marina, spotting the palm trees and the Tobruk Memorial Baths.

• Ross River: This wide river snakes through the southern suburbs. Following the river upstream takes you to the massive Ross River Dam, another excellent visual waypoint.

Pilot’s Note: Townsville is a helicopter haven. Try the "Black Hawk Departure." Depart YBTL and fly a low-level coastal transition along The Strand at 500ft, heading towards the port. From there, bank hard right to follow the Ross River upstream. It’s a route often flown by Army aviation, and it keeps you clear of the heavy jet final approach path while offering the best sightseeing.