Dominic Smith Posted August 28 Report Share Posted August 28 Scenery Review: EDVK - Kassel Airport XP12 by Aerosoft By Dominic Smith Introduction Kassel Airport, opened in 2013, serves the city of Kassel in the German state of Hesse. Primarily catering to business and general aviation, the airport hosts a variety of training facilities including a flight school, an ultralight flying school, and a parachuting school. The airport comprises of a single runway, designated 09/27, which is 2,500 meters in length and 45 meters in width. Accompanying the runway is a passenger terminal that provides basic amenities such as car rental desks and a small selection of shops. In the absence of jet bridges, passenger boarding is managed through buses and walking. It's a bit different, but it works well. This depiction of Kassel-Calden by Aerosoft promises to offer a detailed and authentic representation of the real airport, boasting a high-resolution, custom-coloured orthophoto at 20cm per pixel and a specially designed mesh by those 'elevation masters' over at Maps2XPlane. The scenery is further enhanced with PBR ground textures, HDR night lighting, and strategically placed vegetation. Installation The installation process for Kassel Airport employs the Aerosoft One launcher, which, from previous experience, is somewhat convoluted and cumbersome. The launcher requires multiple steps, including logging in and entering a serial number, which some users may find tedious. Once installed in your Custom Scenery folder, the scenery occupies just under 3GB. However, the absence of any documentation is rather notable. While this is a relatively affordable scenery as things go, when other developers include manuals at this price point, it’s fair to wonder why Aerosoft hasn’t followed suit. First Impressions As has become customary with my scenery reviews, I like to start from above to assess the overall coverage of the package. The included photographic tile of the German countryside surrounding Kassel Airport is very well done. As described, the "custom coloured orthophoto" is executed nicely and maintains its quality even as you get closer to the ground. The use of custom autogen, including houses, roads, and trees, with the photographic ortho tile works seamlessly and does a great job of bringing the German countryside to life. However, the scenery’s boundaries become apparent a few miles out, where the detailed ortho tile transitions to X-Plane’s less refined default textures. Approaching the runway, the custom mesh by Maps2XPlane becomes noticeable, particularly with the elevated runway banking. It's subtle but works well. Runway Textures The textures for the runway are well implemented, offering plenty of clarity and definition. The use of PBR effects is particularly impressive, especially at certain times of the day when the light interacts with the surface. Whilst some areas of the runway may appear overly clean, the numerous rubber marks from aircraft tires help to mitigate this, keeping the overall appearance balanced. As with the runway, the taxiways feature the same level of detail, though without the aircraft tire marks (after all, whoever lands on taxiways?). Foliage & Signage The areas around the runway feature volumetric grass and scattered wildflowers, with shrubs and bushes lining the service roads. Thanks to the extensive photographic tile, the transition from the airport to the countryside is both smooth and natural. While this vegetation enhances the scenery's appearance, it's worth noting that the volumetric grass areas were the only places where I observed a slight dip in frame rates. The airport signage is, in my view, a step up from the usual default Laminar offerings, featuring high-quality custom 3D signs that include realistic wear and tear. The ground textures also exhibit accurate 2D signage, closely mirroring what is found at the actual airport. This attention to detail extends to both aprons, one situated in front of the passenger terminal and the other near the general aviation facilities. Main Terminal Area The main terminal features above-average modelling and good texturing that effectively portray its real-life counterpart. The developers have utilized PBR on some of the textures, particularly on the main windows, which enhances its overall appeal. The welcoming text on the side of the terminal is a nice touch, as is the small play area off to one side (though it’s a shame I’m too old to enjoy it). Despite these positives, there are a few areas that could be improved. The absence of any 3D people creates a somewhat deserted atmosphere, which detracts from the terminal's appeal, even for a quieter airport. Additionally, the lack of an interior is a bit of a letdown, even at this price point. While I understand that this scenery is priced at the lower end of the scale, many developers have upped their game in recent years by including interiors even at this price. That said, the absence of an interior might have been a deliberate choice by the developers to avoid impacting performance. In front of the terminal are three car parks, two of which are populated with an assortment of 3D vehicles. Overall, these look good and are a significant improvement over the flat 2D representations commonly seen in older photographic sceneries. Behind the terminal, heading towards the runway, is the fire station, which is both well-modelled and nicely textured. However, like the terminal, it suffers from a lack of life and activity. The absence of fire engines and personnel makes it feel somewhat sterile. Including these elements would significantly boost its realism and appeal. Perhaps something for the developers to consider in a future update? Nearby, a small viewing area with a couple of benches, surrounded by custom vegetation, offers a place in which to view incoming and outgoing aircraft. GA & Business Area A significant portion of the airport is allocated to general aviation (GA) and business flying, featuring an array of hangars, maintenance buildings, and a dedicated control tower. The approach roads to this area are lined with trees and bushes, creating a welcoming scene. The buildings are well-modelled, with some nicely executed texturing. The use of PBR on several buildings, particularly the prominent Piper building, is especially effective. However, despite these positives, the absence of people remains a consistent issue, detracting from the overall sense of realism. Numerous static aircraft are strategically placed on the aprons. While these aircraft are, according to the product description, appropriate types for this airport, they are default X-Plane models with US registration numbers, which is a bit of a letdown. Ground Clutter & Vehicles The usual small items of ground clutter you’d normally expect to see, such as cones, bins, ladders, and more, are unfortunately missing. However, you do get a few fuel tanks and skips to brighten your day. The scenery employs a variety of standard airport vehicles to populate the area, which helps to add a sense of activity and life to the airport. That said, the absence of marshallers (unless using SAM), or any other people for that matter, makes these vehicles feel somewhat out of place. Old Airfield Adjacent to the new Kassel Airport lies the now defunct old airfield, which is primarily used for vehicle storage. Although no longer in operation, its original buildings, such as hangars, maintenance facilities, and even the old control tower, still stand. Calden One aspect of the scenery I particularly appreciated, and mentioned earlier, is the inclusion of the nearby town of Calden. The developers could have easily limited the photographic ortho tile to the immediate vicinity of the airport, but instead, they chose to extend it to encompass this small town. They also went the extra mile by including regional autogen, complete with roads and buildings typical of a German town! Night Lighting The night lighting at Kassel Airport includes some excellent highlights, particularly the custom animated approach lights that create an inviting path for landing after dark. The Piper building is also effectively illuminated, making it stand out during the night. However, the lighting at the main terminal leaves room for improvement. The glass areas of the terminal appeared dull, and the streetlamps outside the entrance were noticeably unlit. Given the terminal's prominence in the scenery, the lacklustre lighting feels like a significant oversight and a missed opportunity. The town of Calden, however, fares much better. PBR Effects As I alluded to earlier in the review, the use of PBR truly shines (pun intended) at certain times of the day, particularly with the runway and taxiway textures. X-Plane really has come a long way! Conclusion Kassel Airport by Aerosoft offers an enjoyable and immersive representation of both the airport and its surrounding area, including the nearby town of Calden. The scenery benefits from accurate modelling, effective use of PBR textures in certain areas, and well-executed night lighting, all of which contribute to a convincing and satisfying experience. While there are a few areas that could be improved, such as the absence of 3D people, the somewhat lifeless feel of certain sections, and the lack of documentation, the overall package provides good value for its price. For those who enjoy exploring smaller regional airports without the hustle and bustle of larger hubs, Kassel Airport is a worthy addition to the X-Plane world. ________________________ Kassel Airport XP12 by Aerosoft is now available from the X-Plane.Org Store here: Kassel Airport XP12 by Aerosoft Priced at $14.99 Features Detailed replica of the airport of Kassel-Calden Custom colored orthophoto (20cm/pixel) Custom Mesh by Maps2XPlane incl. Ortho4XP patch PBR ground textures HDR night lighting HD hand placed vegetation Adapted roads and autogen Custom animated approach lights Matching static aircraft Full SAM compatibility (SAM3 plugin required) Requirements X-Plane 12 or X-Plane 11.52 Windows, Mac, or Linux 8 GB+ VRAM Recommended Installation via Aerosoft One necessary Current Version: XP12 1.0 (August 12th 2024) Review System Specifications Intel i5 12400 – 32GB RAM - Nvidia Asus RTX 4070 – Windows 11 Pro 64 Bit __________________________________ Scenery Review by Dominic Smith 29th August 2024 Copyright©2024: X-Plane Reviews (Disclaimer. All images and text in this review are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copying of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions). Kiwiflyer and skytitude 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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