FSX Recommended Helicopter Runway Lengths

[JNDVirtual]

I'm using John Young's UH-60 Blackhawks in FSX and am trying to get them to not use the main runways at airports. I'm working on a National Guard add-on, and I have modeled both Hammond Northshore Regional Airport (KHDC) in Louisiana and Capital City Airport (KFFT) in Kentucky. I updated the AFCADs since both airfields have a new Army Aviation Support Facility. I modeled a 850-foot long, 50-foot wide runway made of grass at Hammond and a 1000-foot long, 50-foot wide runway made of grass at Capital City, both parallel to the main runway. They have no-draw hold shorts and taxiways as well. At each field, though, the Blackhawks always go for the main runway and taxi right by the auxiliary one.

Is there a recommended length needed so that the Blackhawks take off and land on that auxiliary runway instead of the main one? I'll also probably be trying this for the NBAI AH-64s and CH-47s as well, but I like how the JYAI Hawks are modeled for takeoff, so I'm working with those models/AI first.

I know there's a thread on AFCADs for helicopters, but that thread seemed to be tailored for the UTT Mi-8s, so I dunno how much carryover there is from that thread. I'm trying to see if I can do this without having to create helicopter-only AFCADs.

[raclim]

It is standard for every AI in FSX to use the longest runway that is available at an airport. So even when you also have a short runway at that same airport, the aircraft will still be using the longest runway. Short things short, adding a "helicopter runway" isn't possible.

The only option there is, is to create another AFCAD, basically a new airport made especially for use by helicopter and build that on top of the original airport. I have done it mutliple myself for bases like Kadena and Lakenheath, so I can help you out if you want to.

Cheers,

Randy

[JNDVirtual]

Ah drat. Okay, looks like that's what I'll have to do.