Raligard is an active scenery artist living in Blue Bell, PA (Near Philadelphia), whose outstanding Gateway airport submissions include John F. Kennedy International (KJFK), Vancouver International (CYVR), and Punta Gorda (KPGD).
Q: Why did you choose X-Plane as your flight simulator?
A: It was the next logical step up from FSX, and the demo proved this point well.
What motivates you to develop X-Plane scenery?
I enjoy seeing up-to-date scenery, and I enjoy providing my time and ability to a community that will appreciate and enjoy it.
Do you have a favorite airport that you have submitted to the Gateway?
I do. CYVR, Vancouver International Airport, is where I took my first flights as a child, and it is located in such a beautiful area of the world. I learned a plane-load about using the tools WED and the assets the Laminar library provides us by tackling this iconic airport. It isn’t the most complex airport I’ve submitted, but it is my favorite thus far.
Do you have any advice for newbie Gateway artists?
I recommend a few things, to avoid the simple mistakes I made early on in my own gateway scenery development:
- Read the manual! The WED manual is a valuable resource. I recommend reading it in its entirety before beginning to work on any airport, and then keeping it conveniently at hand while working as a reference guide.
- Join X-Plane.org and head into the forums! There you will find a forum for scenery development, and more specifically Gateway development. I recommend at least browsing through all of the pinned posts in this forum to learn a little more about the ins and outs of Gateway scenery design. This will help to acquaint new Gateway artists in the finery of facades and other features.
- Don’t be afraid to ask questions in the afore-mentioned forum! I know, Triplemon bites, but his advice is always good, and there are plethora of other frequent forum users, both moderators and members, who will be happy to read your questions and answer them as best we can. What kind of WED addict would I be if I didn’t share my addiction with new-comers?
- Don’t start on a big airport! Learn the ropes on some smaller GA airports, maybe ones near you or that have been an influence on you in your life.
- Take your time and do it right! The community would rather see one amazing project completed by your hand than a dozen mediocre ones. Gateway scenery design isn’t a competition!
- Have fun, and don’t burn yourself out! Take a break from scenery design when it seems to become arduous; Do something else until you feel the desire to get back into your projects.
