Northern Chile is not the most frequented corner of the flight simulation world, but it offers some of the most operationally demanding flying you'll find anywhere in South America. The Antofagasta Region sits in the heart of the Atacama Desert - high-altitude terrain, unpredictable winds, and a sparse but commercially active airport network that connects Chile's vital mining industry to the rest of the country. Developer LuchoDev has now released two detailed sceneries covering the region's two main gateways: 🔗 SCCF – El Loa International Airport in Calama and 🔗 SCFA – Andrés Sabella Gálvez International Airport in Antofagasta. Both are built exclusively for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024.
SCCF – El Loa International Airport, Calama
El Loa International (IATA: CJC) sits at 7,631 feet above sea level, just 6 kilometers from the center of Calama, making it one of the highest commercial airports in Chile and one of the more physically demanding in the country's network. With a 2% inclined runway and notoriously unstable wind conditions, it is the kind of airport that asks something extra of any crew - simulated or otherwise.
LuchoDev's release is described as a complete redesign of the airport rather than an incremental update, with fully reworked buildings and structures throughout. The standout addition for MSFS 2024 is a detailed terminal interior. The airport supports operations up to 36-meter wingspan aircraft, covering narrow-body airliners including the Airbus A320 family and Boeing 737 variants, as well as regional and general aviation traffic.
SCFA – Andrés Sabella Gálvez International Airport, Antofagasta
Antofagasta's airport - formerly known as Cerro Moreno - is the larger and more strategically significant of the two releases. SCFA serves as a key node in Chile's domestic network and handles a mix of commercial airline traffic, corporate operations, and general aviation. LuchoDev's approach here is notably more expansive in scope, with the scenery featuring a fully modeled terminal both inside and out.
What sets this release apart is the walkable interior in Avatar Mode. The terminal is fully explorable on foot, complete with functional elevators, automatic doors, and a level of spatial detail that goes well beyond the cockpit-view standard. For those who enjoy experiencing their simulator scenery from ground level - something MSFS 2024's Avatar Mode genuinely enables - this is a significant feature. The developer has also modeled the Antofagasta Flying Club area, giving the scenery a sense of operational breadth beyond the main terminal complex.
On the technical side, the scenery ships with high-resolution PBR textures, custom jetways integrated directly with the terminal geometry, detailed control tower modeling, and a ground service vehicle (GSX) profile for those who use that add-on for enhanced ground operations.
Two Airports, One Region
Taken together, SCFA and SCCF give you a solid foundation for building out northern Chile as a regular operating area. The two airports sit roughly 220 kilometers apart along the Chilean coast and desert interior, and both serve active commercial routes - making them natural bookends for any short-haul routing in the region.