Aurora International Airport
Aurora International Airport (AIX) is an airport serving the Aurora Region. After nearly 4 years since its first proposal by CaptainObi, the final construction began in late May 2024, with RadiantRanger26 as its Project Manager.
After five years, the airport opened on December 21, 2024, as part of the December 2024 GSM.
Click here for Gate Information
History
The idea of an airport of Aurora dates back almost to the creation of Aurora itself. Back in May 2019, CaptainObi sent an email to other key Aurora members about the airport, and later, a private server was set up for building the airport, called G A T E S. The AIX project was initially led by Johngi.
The project was first submitted for approval at the January 2021 GSM, but it was denied due to spacing and integration between the towns involved, with some voicing concerns that the towns are simply too far apart for a shared airport. Also in the discussion about this airport, Frumple suggested treating AIX as a "special community project". The team responsible for the project wrote up a detailed document to be considered in further staff meetings, until the project was approved at February 2021 ISM, after Augusta and the A84’s extension to Kaloro City were built to better integrate Aurora.
In March 2021, a form was sent out asking about the demand and ratio of gates for the airport, with those who filled out getting priority for AIX gate requests. According to Needn_NL, by summer of 2021, many of the facilities, such as Terminals 1 and 3, the roads and a people mover were complete. Despite this, sesese9 said that AIX still needed to get a size check before the airport could be pasted in due to many staff members having concerns over the airport's size.
However, due to CaptainObi leaving the server following the aftermath of November 4, as well as "Modgate and interpersonal conflicts with people outside of Aurora" according to Needn_NL, the project would die out as a result.
RadiantRanger26 was unbanned in April of 2021 and started building his town of Sky Atlantis, which would become one of the central towns in the Aurora Region. In October, Radiant discovered the AIX project and decided to join since his town was within range of the airport. After the aftermath of Modgate, Radiant made it one of his many goals on the server to complete AIX before the supposed shutdown of the server. He and Needn worked tirelessly, planning out the region's rail transit and road system throughout 2022.
Radiant's unexpected leave of absence in early 2023 resulted in the AIX project losing all of the momentum it had regained over the past year. However, during his leave, the old AIX server world was recovered by Johngi, and Needn began to prepare Kaloro City South for the final pasting of the airport. Around a year later, Radiant would return and submit the third and final proposal for AIX on May 18, 2024.
After the proposal for AIX was approved on May 20, Radiant began downloading the old airport world, schematic by schematic. With the help of Needn_NL, DDaniii_, LondonThameslink, eurye, and NetworkSoutheast, among many others, the airport was finally pasted onto the server after nearly 3 years of anticipation. Currently, Foote_Chicken is developing the airport's Warp Rail station, NobodyBestFriend is integrating the airport with TrainCarts with a working security and baggage system, amber10_ is working on the airport’s main hotel, and __7d is heading up the design and planning of airport signage. Requests for airplane gates, as well as bus stations and warp rail platforms, were opened on May 23.
On May 27, 2024, Radiant made an announcement that the airport will have its grand opening at the July 2024 GSM, but it was later delayed to the December 2024 GSM. In December 1, 2024, gate assignments were announced.
Old Layout
Unlike most other airports on the MRT Server, AIX was built with realistic standards. Because of this, it received praise for its realism. The master plan made for this airport features 3 terminals and far fewer gates compared to other airports around its size. Additionally, Carnoustie International Airport was slated to be demolished, and its gates would be moved to AIX. However, as plans have changed, Carnoustie Int'l will remain intact as a tribute to CaptainObi.
Originally, the airport had 2 diagonal runways, 1 running roughly east/west, at 08/26 and 1 running roughly northeast/southeast, at 03/21. All 3 terminals were connected by taxiways from the 2 runways, as well APM and road connections.
Terminal 1, located in the northwest, would have some medium and large gates and many rotated small gates, which are rotated in such a way to allow the planes to remain straight, and would be allocated to a new airline that would become Astrella and members of Stanley Air Alliance. The terminal building itself has 3 floors, with the bottom-most floor being used for airport services, and it has a green roof with skylights. There are bands running around the terminal between the floors, which are meant to be colored like an aurora. Near the terminal, there is a big parking lot and a big entrance building hosting the arrivals/departures zones, with bridges connecting it to the terminal itself. There are many mall spots in the terminal building, including a big mall at one end of the terminal, called the "Circle Mall".
Terminal 2, located in the southwest, would have lots of small gates and would be intended for other airlines, including gates from Carnoustie International Airport. The terminal building itself would have 2 floors, and is mostly covered in glass with iron bands running along the circumference.
Terminal 3 was never built as part of the original plan, but its development will begin if the other 2 terminals reach their capacity.
New Layout
After much internal discussion amongst Aurora members, as well as the expansion of the area between 2021 and the present, RadiantRanger26 and Needn_NL decided to preserve most of the original airport design, largely due to of all the hard work already done on it. However, they did change a few things. The north-south runway will be mainly used for air cargo, and is meant to be a secondary runway to the east-west one. Other changes include the addition of a nearby dedicated rail transit station, a revamped bus station, possible seaplane gates, a people mover, and functioning baggage transport systems within the airport.
The Circle Mall
View the Circle Mall Directory here: Circle Mall Directory
To claim franchise space, simply claim an available spot and tell RadiantRanger26 about it so he can add your franchise to the directory.
Gates
View the Gates Directory here: AIX Gates Directory
Gates were finalized and sent out on November 30, 2024. AIX is a hub for Astrella.
Gallery
Terminal 1
Terminal 2
