I don’t know how to create addons for flight sims, but I think that this would be a cool idea.
It’s neat how VATSIM reflects real life NOTAMS (runway/taxiway closures, etc). I think it’d be much more immersive if the runways/taxiways closed in NOTAMS were reflected by 3d objects in the sim. Having cones cones/barriers display on taxiways and runways that are closed to show pilots on the ground that said runway or taxiway is out of service.
I imagine running an external tool (similar to Navigraph) that updates the scenery indexes to display a lighted X stand at the beginning of each closed runway, along with cones blocking taxiways to indicate a taxiway closure. To take it another step further, the runway lights could also be disabled; completely for a runway closure, or partially to reflect a PAPI (et al) out of service. This may be a bit too complicated – but it’s food for thought for any developer out there. I’d imagine it would be most useful on class D, C, and B airports.
How would it work?
The user could launch the tool prior to starting the sim and put in their departure/destination/alternate. The tool would then scan the web (NOAA or similar) to extract the date/time the NOTAMS are in effect as well as which runway services, runways, taxiway services, and taxiways are OTS. It could then scan for any previous NOTAMS applied from prior flights and return the sim to OPS normal for those airports affected so the visual cues are not persistent. It could prompt the user with something like “The NOTAM tool is about to apply current runway and taxiway closures for DEP: KSFO, ARR: KLAX, ALT: KLGB. Do you want to continue?” “Yes/No” “Would you like to return KORD, KMIA, KFLL to their original states?” “Yes/No” or something like that.