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Scenery Review : EDDH - Hamburg International XP12 by JustSim Sceneries One of the most prolific scenery developers for X-Plane 11 was JustSim Sceneries. In fact they delivered 21 sceneries in around three years, mostly in Europe. But their high quality to price ratio was one of the best in X-Plane, still now about 45% of sceneries in my personal network are JustSim Sceneries, and along with Aerosoft they covered most of the important destinations in Europe... but since the release of X-Plane 12, then any transition sceneries didn't arrive as the art house concentrated on the newly released MSFS 2020 platform. But here now is their first transition X-Plane 12 release with EDDH - Hamburg. My history with EDDH Hamburg goes way back, with first an early Aerosoft version in X-Plane 10, then it was replaced with the excellent JustSim EDDH in 2017, yes eight years ago, so to upgrade this northern German airport to X-Plane 12 is a very much wanted desire. and yes you can still also get a whopping 40% off this new EDDH XP12 to upgrade from that XP11 version. Hamburg Airport is a major international airport in Hamburg, the second-largest city in Germany. Since November 2016 the airport has been named after the former German chancellor "Helmut Schmidt". It is located 8.5 km (5.3 mi) north of the city centre in the Fuhlsbüttel quarter and serves as a hub for Eurowings and focus city for Condor. It was formerly named Hamburg-Fuhlsbüttel Airport, a name still frequently used. Not to be confused with Hamburg's other airport, Hamburg Finkenwerder Airport where the Airbus factory is located, this airport is not open to commercial traffic. The airport was opened in January 1911 from private funding by the Hamburger Luftschiffhallen GmbH (HLG), making it the oldest international airport in the world to still be in operation and the second oldest airport in the country after Tempelhof Airport. The original site comprised 45 hectares, and during its early days was primarily used for airship flights. In 1913 the site was expanded to 60 hectares, the northern part being used for airship operations while the southeast area was used for fixed-wing aircraft. “Deutsche Luft Hansa A.G.”, often shortened to “Luft Hansa”. It was founded in 1926 through the merger of Deutsche Aero Lloyd (DAL) and Junkers Luftverkehr. When Lufthansa relaunched passenger operations in 1953, Hamburg was used as it's main hub until Frankfurt Airport took over in 1955 due to growth constraints posed by its location in the city. Lufthansa Technik still maintains a large presence at the airport due to the early activities of the airline at the airport. In October 1959 Pan American World Airways was the first airline to start scheduled service with jet aircraft to Hamburg, the routing was New York – London – Hamburg – Copenhagen flown with Boeing 707. At first I thought that the X-Plane 12 upgraded Hamburg was still very similar to the X-Plane 11 version, but in fact it is quite different in detail. Yes most of the original main terminals and Lufthansa Technik infrastructure are still very familiar, but the custom detail has been increased quite significantly. You would be amazed also at the sheer advances in X-Plane since the original JustSim EDDH was released, the surrounding autogen and foliage was very good then as JustSim pioneered the use of autogen to create the areas around the airport, but the detail has now completely increased significantly around the custom scenery from those early days. The Northern-Western approach to EDDH is via RIBSO waypoint (Runway ILS15 - RIBS3D) . The layout of EDDH is like a religious cross but with the central cross at a lower point and two runways going long out of the cross point with RWY15 to the slight northwest. This makes RWY15 an interesting approach but visually RWYs 05/23 are better if you want to see terminals and airport infrastructure and to use RWY05 if you want to approach the airport over Hamburg itself. Both RWY15 and RWY05 are also the best for arrival if you also want a small taxi to the Terminal area as both RWY05 and RWY15 will require a long taxi to each departure point or if using RWY23 or RWY33 for arrival, and certainly for 15/33 as it is very long taxi at 3666m (12, 028ft). Rwy 33 also has no ILS system, but would in most cases only be used for takeoff than landings. Rwy 15 is still the preferred arrival approach, looks now even better in the new scenery installation. The field views are excellent in X-Plane 12, as the new high resolution ground textures and custom runway textures are extremely realistic. Hamburg Airport (Flughafen Hamburg) IATA: HAM - ICAO: EDDH 05/23 - 3,250m (10,663ft) Asphalt 15/33 - 3,666m (12,028ft) Asphalt Elevation AMSL 53 ft / 16 m Hamburg airport underwent a major transformation starting in the late 1990s as Terminal 1 was opened in 2005, followed very quickly by Terminal 2 in 2008. The two new terminals were connected by the central Airport Plaza, which offered modern facilities, better accessibility, and expanded capacity. Then the old Terminal 80/90 on Apron 2 became redundant for passenger services. The huge differences can be seen with the X-Plane 12 effects of shading and occlusion (texture baking) effects on the terminal and the other airport buildings, the realism light years better than the XP11 design, the cladding shines and the glass is my favourite selection in highly reflective images, similar to what FlyTampa used at Copenhagen EKCH... it is highly totally realistic. Ramp detail is excellent, great design and perfectly executed. The Airbridges are still SIXT car-rental branding, but new different (updated) ads from the XP11 branding. The airbridges themselves though are not animated? neither with XP Ground handling or OpenSAM? no excuse here as the XP Ground Handling tool is now built in and easily accessible to the developer. Gate 06 is a type F A380 three bridge installation. There are a lot (not overdone) animated vehicles Airside and Swissaport branded, but mostly the vehicles are Laminar sourced, and the ground clutter is excellent in every area. A nice touch is the Cobus 3000 (Apron Bus) that is signed for renewable (diesel to electric) power. Terminals (1&2) landside are just as well designed and detailed. The main terminal section as noted has three sections (roofs) but it is only two terminals in 1 and 2 that merge into the one large facility called the “Terminal Plaza” central with gates C4 - C16, and D1-5 to the north and the noted extension A/B (27-40) gates going southeast. It's very hard to fault this, simply perfect (okay the ground textures are a little Lo-Res) but it is expertly done, again more clutter detail has been added to the scene. Just love that perfect reflecting glass (still gloating), and the well designed cladded roofs are excellent. Great local signage that has been updated to current advertising (except the Aeroflot), and note the still excellent circular lift towers. Landside is also very well done, the three massive circular carparks "Parkhaus" (P1. P2 & P3) surround the centrally placed BLU Radisson. Aeroflot Moscow route is currently suspended, but you can use Turkish or Air Serbia if you still want to fly the route. Note the animated radar tower by P3. Important to note the change to X-Plane 12 foliage, the trees are now all quality 3d and seasonal. The amalgamation of the airport to civic areas are worth noting here... the XP11 version was very good, but this is eight years and a bit better, so it shows how good you can combine the two (custom and default) into a scenery, there is no line, but a perfect landscape between the two areas. Far north is the airport's own maintenance area, and situated adjacent to the rear of the north pier is the “Terminal Tango” which is an events space and convention centre, plus overflow for charter flights and seasonal flights. Out of the main Terminal (upper) the A/B (27-40) gates that have been stretched further southeast, but when there was only one airbridge sited here in XP11, now there are three airbridges (06 A/B, 07 A/B and 08). Set out behind the extension is the airport's administration and maintenance, but it is now used from the side ramp Südtorwache (South Gate) or Apron South 1 with several large maintenance hangars in F and H. If you look closely there is a great mix of the original Hamburg airport brick buildings that have have been overbuilt by the newer terminal areas. Most are hidden, but still visible if you are willing to explore. Hamburg Airport Cargo Center (HACC) used to be called the “Luftfrachtzentrum” and has around 20,000 square meters of logistics space is well represented. Apron 2 is an interesting area. This area was formally the old original Hamburg Terminal, since long gone. In the XP11 EDDH this area was just a parking stand, but now a multipurpose area with seven remote stands (81 to 87) for low-cost (LCC) or charter flights, stands 91–93 situated along taxiway Y3, and these stands are designated for heavy cargo aircraft. (stands 51–53 which are Located in Zone 3 (Z3) on the the East Apron, and these stands are recommended for inbound cargo traffic). Lower south is General Aviation overflow parking. Lufthansa Technik AG headquarters The western section of EDDH is the Lufthansa Technik AG headquarters Base which is part of the Lufthansa Group. The Lufthansa Technik AG is a leading global provider of aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services, and was founded (1995) and is headquartered here in Hamburg. This is a huge facility that covers aircraft servicing, engine overhauls, aircraft fitouts and the Cabin Innovation Center. And the base can cover all types of aircraft from A320's up to the large B747's and A380's. But to note in that not to get it confused with the Airbus's fitout facility at Finkenwerder Airport to the south. The famous Café Himmelsschreiber which is part "Air Hamburg" is also situated in this northern section of the Technik base, it is a distinctive aviation-themed café located at Hamburg Airport’s General Aviation Terminal (GAT). It offers guests a unique experience with direct views of the runway, making it a favorite spot for aviation enthusiasts. In XP11 Café Himmelsschreiber was only partly represented, now it is more detailed with chairs and umbrellas, but the cardboard cutout chairs are out of place here with the high quality of the rest of the airport scenery. This area is also the General Aviation parking, there are no stands, or refueling facilities, but usable for larger private aircraft and Biz Jets. Lufthansa Technik AG at Hamburg does routine maintenance checks (A,B,C, and D checks), Line maintenance and base maintenance, Overhaul and Modification,Complete airframe overhauls, Cabin modifications and VIP aircraft completions. There are also Engine Services in Engine MRO for models like Rolls-Royce Trent, GE90, CFM56 and more, Engine lease and pool support, Repair, overhaul, and pooling of aircraft components, Component supply chain management, and Digital Solutions like AVIATAR, a digital platform for predictive maintenance and fleet management system. The whole Technical area is very well represented, with the main servicing hangars and an engine test facility, which are all excellent as is the complex external rigging that holds up the open internal space roofs, as the smaller detailing is also very good with circular stairs and huge air-con units. Yes a lot was in the XP11 version, but cleaned up and more detailed here. Control Towers There are two control towers at Hamburg, the main original apron control tower overlooks runway 05/23. It's one of those modular Euro designs of the sixties, but now mostly used for the Lufthansa Technik and southwest apron areas. It's the XP11 version continued, and the detail is pretty basic, in reality it needed remodeling to fit in with the more updated feel of the XP12 version. The radar however works. The Tower View (T) was not set at all on the XP11 version, it is here, but it's a weird view from the tower with no roof or floor? the trick of a Tower View is to position the view slightly above the tower for the best position and view. The current air traffic control tower at Hamburg Airport (Flughafen Hamburg) was inaugurated in 1988 as part of a significant modernization initiative during the 1980s. This more modern tall version is partially hidden across the field. This is better modeled, but the rotating radar is not connected to it's base, sadly it's highly noticeable. Fire Station and Museum To the North-West is the art-deco styled Fire Station and the museum with the original Boeing 707-430 with the registration D-ABOD which was operated by Deutsche Lufthansa which is sited outside. D-ABOD was instrumental in transitioning Lufthansa from propeller-driven aircraft to jetliners, replacing the Lockheed L-1649A Starliner was delivered in April 1960, and retired December 1st 1975. You will get a great view of these buildings and museum on taxiway D with either a RWY15 departure or RWY33 arrival. In the early years it was not aircraft that filled the skies above Fuhlsbüttel (hamburg Airport) but airships. The "Hamburg Airship Hangar Company" (HLG) in association with Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin was created here in 1911 and then some time was spent looking for a suitable site for an airfield, and finally 44.8 hectares of land to the west of Lake Alster and north of the Borstel racecourse were chosen as a suitable site. The airship company however soon had company in the arrival of AEG (Allgemeine Electricitäts-Gesellschaft) which set up a new firm called DLR (Deutsche Luft-Reederei, literally the "German Air Transport Company") and started scheduled flights on the 5th February 1919. KLM also was soon traversing through the airport as well on the route from Amsterdam to Copenhagen and in time the regular service fixed wing operations overtook the original airship operations. Hamburg's Fuhlsbüttel Airport also had a major part in the famous “Berlin Airlift” that started operations on 25th June 1948. And in the early1950’s the airport which was then now known as “Hamburg Airport” was then reverted back from the British into the hands of the German authorities. Ground Textures All the high resolution ground textures and custom runway textures are all brand new, they look it, and are excellent. The runway look and feel with grooves and aged cracks, ribs are simply very all good with great rubber slicks on the landing zones. Different surfaces are also perfect, from asphalt to concrete with excellent worn signage, and there is a lot of signage here... ... a lot of the surfaces reminded me of FlyTampa's EKCH Copenhagen, but here they are X-Plane 12 dynamic with PBR (Physically Based Rendering) and Specular and Reflection Maps with shadow casting, ambient occlusion, and also bump mapping to create depth and realism. In other words very good. Apron grunge is excellent, with great drainage details for realism.... you just can't fault them. Signage is... well interesting? We mentioned the 3d Trees earlier, but the in field grass is all new 3d as well. Before it was those nasty grass strips, but now are lovely spring flowered grass... perfect. The grass to asphalt edges are highly realistic as well, no straight hard lines here. EDDH Hamburg now also has X-Plane 12 seasons... The fauna will change with the seasons, and a White Christmas is now very possible, it looks and is gorgeous by any standards. The changes go from mild, to heavy snow conditions. Notable is the skyline of Hamburg City itself, it is a big part of this JustSim scenery, and very good it is, even with closer inspection it stands up in the standard X-Plane default autogen mode. EDDH Lighting In the X-Plane 11 version, after the impressive daytime views, the lighting was a bit of a big let down, quite awful in fact? Like most here the lighting has been totally overhauled for X-Plane 12, and is simply miles better. All approach lighting is now X-Plane 12, or ICAO standard brightness. A great touch is the approach RAIL lighting on Rwy 33 going right over the Hamburg Airport Cargo Center (HACC)... The Terminal areas are bright... very bright! But I do like it, bright means workable... The Terminal windows are very nice, but debatable as if they are simply too bright, I think so, a slightly darker tone would have been perfect? The biggest XP11 issue was the black hole Arrival Landside, that is not the case anymore as it is now well lit, but in areas you feel more spot lighting is still required, mostly on the entrance roads and around the carparks. BLU Raddison feels it needs a bit more ooof, and the BLU sign is in darkness, but there is some nice advertising signs that are nicely lit. Carparks, Apron 2 and Lufthansa Technik is all well done as is different tone lighting, but any glass is very colourful and bright? There was a problem in XP11 in that the grass covered the navigation signage? but with the different 3d grass here the problem has gone away, so you now have excellent navigation signage all over Hamburg EDDH. _____________ Summary One of the most prolific scenery developers for X-Plane 11 was JustSim Sceneries. In fact they delivered 21 sceneries in around three years, mostly in Europe. But their high quality to price ratio was one of the best in X-Plane. However since the release of X-Plane 12, then the transition sceneries didn't arrive as the art house concentrated on the newly released MSFS 2020 platform. But here now is their first transition X-Plane 12 release with EDDH - Hamburg. At first glance the XP12 EDDH looks the same as the X-Plane 11 release from 2017. But that aspect very quickly changes once you start relating between the two eras. This EDDH XP12 has been redone from the ground up and in almost every area, and features every X-Plane 12 feature and effect you can think of. You have new shading and occlusion (texture baking) effects on the terminals and other airport buildings, custom textured taxiways, runways and apron, PBR effects, new custom lighting, high resolution building textures, excellent reflections, animated vehicles (if Laminar default), animated radars, seasons and also the very well done merging of the high density Hamburg environs with the custom airport installation. New 3d Trees and fauna and better more realistic grass and detail and clutter is significantly increased. Only negative is the non-working airbridges (which worked in XP11). The lighting is far better in XP12's version, which was not hard as the earlier version was quite dire, but the windows are a bit MSFS, and too bright, a bit more care here would have gave this scenery an easily 5 Star rating. It is brilliant to have JustSim back in X-Plane, and if this transition scenery is any guide they are very though in redoing the scenery to the maximum of X-Plane 12's capabilities and created here certainly a quality excellent scenery for X-Plane 12, fingers crossed it is start of more in their large portfolio to be converted to the X-Plane 12 platform. So this EDDH Hamburg is a very high quality scenery at a good below US$20 price, a bonus is that you can get 40% off this X-Plane 12 version if you already have the XP11 installed, that is a no brainer to get the this far more feature set and high quality scenery, yes EDDH Hamburg is a winner all round... and welcome back JustSim! _____________ Yes! EDDH Hamburg International XP12 by JustSim Scenery is now available from the X-Plane.Org Store here : EDDH Hamburg International XP12 Price is US$19.80 Requirements X-Plane 12 (not for XP11) Windows, Mac, Linux 8 GB VRAM Recommended Current version: 1.0 (May 6th 2025) Download Size: 915 MB Version XP12 1.0 (May 6th 2025) Customers who own EDDH - Hamburg International Airport XP11, will get 40% off this new XP12. Discount will automatically be applied at checkout. Download: for EDDH Hamburg Airport is 914Mb. There is only one folder to install; EDDH_JustSim_XPL12_v1.0 Full Installation is 1.72Gb in your Custom Scenery Folder. (only X-Plane 12) Documentation: None ________________________ Review System Specifications: Windows - 12th Gen IS1700 Core i7 12700K 12 Core 3.60 GHz CPU - 64bit -32 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - PNY GeForce RTX 3080 10GB XLR8 - Samsung 970 EVO+ 2TB SSD Software: - Windows 11 Pro - X-Plane 12.2.0 Plugins: JustFlight-Traffic (X-Plane.OrgStore) US$52.99 : Global SFD plugin US$30.00 Scenery or Aircraft - Airbus A319 XP12 by ToLiss (X-Plane.OrgStore) - US$89.99 Scenery Review by Stephen Dutton 10th May 2025 Copyright©2025: X-Plane Reviews (Disclaimer. All images and text in this review are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions) All Rights Reserved.
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Scenery Review : EDDN - Nuremberg XP by Aerosoft The X-Plane 11 release EDDN - Nuremberg XP was over four years ago, in April 2020. This scenery was a 29 Palms development, who are a German art house that has done scenery for both Aerosoft and Orbx, Nuremburg XP was branded under Aerosoft. This was their ninth scenery for X-Plane that covers Bavaria's second largest international airport. At the time EDDN was a very solid scenery, as most certainly are all Aerosoft quality sceneries when set in Germany, you can pick any one including EDDS -Stuttgart or EDLW-Dortmund XP and already know what you are going to receive. But the roll out of the many sceneries still not updated to X-Plane 12 by Aerosoft has also been slow. So if you get one that has had the X-Plane 12 treatment like this EDDN - Nuremburg, it's well worth investing in. Nuremberg Airport is an international airport of the Franconian metropolitan area of Nuremberg and the second-busiest airport in Bavaria after Munich Airport. It is located approximately only 5 km north of Nuremberg's city centre and offers flights within Germany as well as to European metropolitan and leisure destinations, especially along the Mediterranean Sea, on the Canary Islands, in Turkey and in Egypt. The Airport is owned and operated by Flughafen Nürnberg GmbH, in turn owned 50% by the state of Bavaria and 50% by the city of Nuremberg. Nuremberg Airport "Albrecht Dürer" Flughafen Nürnberg IATA: NUE - ICAO: EDDN 10/28 - 2,700m (8,858ft) Concrete/Asphalt Elevation AMSL1,046 ft / 319 m Like with everything with X-Plane 12, the contrast is deeper and the world is more photo realistic than the blander X-Plane 11. Again the elements work for you, but even better now with those more quality X-Plane 12 trees that cover two sides of the Nuremburg perimeter. The German autogen does it's stuff even better as well, creating a more viable city and environments close to the airport. It's a full eyeview of detail... it shows off the advances of a Simulator in only four years. The 28 Approach is in part of the forest, the 10 Approach is a far more open field. All the airport infrastructure is set to the east in it's Germanic arrangement, there is a single passenger terminal, that consists of two departure halls and one arrival hall which are all linked together landside and airside. There are four forward apron zones with M1(Cargo/Hangar A) left, M2 Terminal, M3 Remote Stands and far right M4, rear apron zones (stands) are again left to right with N1, N2, H4, N4. Terminal modeling is the same, but the textures have been given the full updated Physically Based Rendering (PBR) treatment to the better X-Plane 12 standards, and it shows. It was classic before, glass is perfect, a tinted green, but the right opacity. to make it look realistic, but the terminal overall now sort of feels as in being far more realistic and defined here, it's top quality. There are four animated airbidges 10-13. Gate 09 looks like it is missing the airbridge, but the roadway like in the real NUE cuts through, Gate 14 is also only a Walkon/Walkoff walkway. You can't fault it, as it is fabulously well done, top notch in quality detail. It is all very impressive and it is also very well designed under the airbridges and right down on to the lower service road, and the excellent airbridge Sixt Rent-a-car advertising is very authentic. EDDN XP11 was built around the SAM plugin, since abandoned? OpenSAM has stepped into the breach and it works, but only on the very latest version v1.60.b2, so you will need to update the plugin to use it here. The SAM feature to open the FAI gates manually to their apron and hangar facility is still there, but now located under the "Remote Control" selection on the OpenSAM plugin menu. You do have a basic internal terminal detail, and the resolution is quite good as well, making it usable, now certainly better than I remember... but overall the layout is for the external views Original clutter was very good, and the same quality here as well with a lot airport or airline branded. Animated traffic is well done, but a little odd in being trapped by your active aircraft? so it doesn't flow as it should. The static aircraft have also been retained, so there are a few and mostly private Gulfsteam jets and KingAirs sitting around of which are very nice area fillers. There is a huge amount of aircraft servicing and maintenance facilities at EDDN, mostly "Aero-Dienst" and all has been well recreated in the scenery. Cargo There is a cargo facility at NEU, but it's not that big. It is configured out of the original Nuremberg terminal in the north that opened in 1955, the old tower is situated mid-point as well and the Fire Station far north, but you do get six stands 1-6 and a big cargo processing facility set to the rear. Landside I was extremely impressed with the Landside in the XP11 review, it was all very well done and it is the same comprehensive layout here again in X-Plane 12, even with the same reverse advertising signage on some of the buildings? There are a lot of areas to take in from the four massive carparks, Mövenpick Hotel and airport administration buildings... signage detail is however first rate and even 29 Palms have some exposure.. Landside arrivals is excellent, and the animated traffic works over here... and yes the Kalchreuth Bakery is still there, it is interesting on how many food outlets and restaurants there are at NEU, so you won't starve here, even for the fussy food ones. But in looking at the overall landside areas, it all does feel different from the original XP11 version? The change is in the quality X-Plane 12 trees and fauna, and it makes a big if huge difference. There are no cardboard trees anymore, but the high quality default trees and fauna that now changes along with the seasons. Control Tower The Control Tower at Nuremburg is iconic, distinctive... even a piece of architectural art. And stand out on both the approaches it does. It is 36 meters (118 feet) tall and was installed as part of the airports modernization in the 1980's. Control Tower detail is excellent with a basic interior, and the red radar is nicely animated. Tower View (T) is also excellent on both 10/28 Approaches, and set perfectly just above the rotating radar Lighting The lighting on the X-Plane 11 version was not the scenery's greatest feature. Here it has been upgraded to X-Plane 12 lighting elements, and it is far better.... but could it have been even made more better still? The approach lighting is fine with both 10/28 Approaches and runway lighting now to the ICAO standard, and including REILs, Running Rabbits and HDR Lighting. Ramp and apron areas are now two-tone, still that yellowish tone for the commercial ramps, but also now a brighter whiter tone for the cargo ramps A loss of lighting though is on the terminal buildings, the former XP11 window lighting is gone and it has been replaced by a darker view. But it does work better with the graphic windows on the older terminal/cargo buildings. Maintenance and service areas Aero-Dienst and FAI are actually a lot brighter and all the better for it. The lighting Landside in X-Plane 11 didn't work very well? It has been redone here and IT IS better, but again could still be a more better as well, certainly in the busy Arrival zone. Carparks and the storied Carparking lighting is now also done, but overall on this side it is still on the darker side. The runway and taxiway lighting is very good. But the Navigation signage is terrible. All you have here are faint lights on the board, so they are certainly not usable or readable at night? An oversight here. Textures & Seasonal The X-Plane 11 version had good textures. But the X-Plane 12 version is now totally revised to the far better XP12 standard and dynamics. The textures now come with XP12 PBR reflections and normal maps, and totally revised orthophotos, all are color optimized for XP12, including autumn/winter versions and normal maps. It shows in the far better surface detail, as all surfaces are feeling more grittier and realistic. Aerosoft were always good at 3d grass, here it is again being exceptional with duel tone grass with spring flowers, runway and taxi edges are really authentic as well, no straight perfectly clean lines here, just great ragged edges. EDDN uses the X-Plane 12 dynamics to the full, wet or rainy conditions are first rate... ... Seasonal vistas are also excellent. originally 29 Palms used the SAM seasons system, but that is gone here and replaced with the default seasonal tree, ice and snow winter conditions, and all the other seasonal variations, it is mega good. _______________________ Summary 29 Palms branded under the Aerosoft banner, released a great rendition of EDDN - Nuremberg in April 2020. This is the newer X-Plane 12 version, and again it is a very professional scenery presented by this art house. In one aspect it is the same NEU scenery with the same modeling and layouts, which were excellent in the first place, so every area of the EDDN airport is still well covered here, from the excellent designed terminal, to the huge landside detail and signage, with all the private companies associated with the airport. The airport intergrates extremely well with the German autogen, and more realistic X-Plane fauna, so Nuremburg is also a nice part of the scenery. So the modern X-Plane 12 makeover gives the original scenery a really bigger new shine and glow. Textures are now better PBR realistic, glass is clearer and more tinted see through (but still realistic). All ground textures are new with the better built in XP12 dynamics, as are the excellent seasonal effects with the new XP12 trees and realistic fauna. Lighting is all X-Plane 12 now as well to ICAO standards, but the weakness of the landside lighting is still only partly resolved, it is far better, but more individual focused lighting on the arrival area would have been a even better solution, but carparks are now thankfully lit. Clutter is locally branded and again extremely well done, but the animated traffic is not refined enough. The abandoned SAM is also featured, but in using OpenSam as a replacement, you still have the option of opening the FAI gate, and the working animated Airbridges. EDDN - Nuremburg was very good in X-Plane 11, and was a very worthwhile investment, it is now even far better here for the X-Plane 12 version, so well worthwhile upgrading or purchasing, as this version uses the better dynamic and texture effects to the maximum, so the NEU X-Plane 12 scenery is exceptional and it is very well priced for good value.... a keeper! _______________________ Yes! EDDN - Nuremberg XP by Aerosoft is available from the X-Plane.Org Store here : EDDN - Nuremberg XP Price is US$24.00 New in the XP12 version: Standalone, fully customized XP12 version Revised lighting Ground textures now including PBR reflections and normal maps Revised orthophoto, color optimized for XP12, including autumn/winter version and normal map Reworked vegetation placement (new volumetric grass) XP12 3D vegetation for forests, trees and bushes for seamless integration into the environment Weather effects for wet, snow and ice Full support for native XP12 seasons, with no other add-ons or plugins Reworked autogen and street placement Revised static aircrafts Requirements: X-Plane 12 or X-Plane 11 Windows, Mac or Linux 8 GB+ VRAM Recommended Download Size: 4 GB Current Version: 1.0.0 for X-Plane 12 (September 15th 2024) - 1.05 for X-Plane 11 Installation There are provided OPTIONS to use the SimHeaven nav-data (autogen) in the Aerosoft EDDN scenery Notable is that you have to use the "Aerosoft One" application to install (update) Nuremburg XP12 scenery... Installation of either airport for XP12 is done through Aerosoft one installer: Aerosoft One Universal After you have installed Aerosoft One, click on ENTER PRODUCT KEY (under the Library Tab) Then enter the Serial Number provided in this order. This will give you the option to download the airport. Note the different X-Plane 11 and X-Plane 12 installations. The earlier X-Plane 11 version is also included the package, but only v1.05, and without the XP12 effects Total scenery installation is a huge : 6.87gb openSAM: an open source replacement for SAM 1.60 is required for this scenery Documents The earlier X-Plane 11 Aerosoft EDDN documents have been removed, and so are not updated to X-Plane 12. _____________________ Review System Specifications: Windows - 12th Gen IS1700 Core i7 12700K 12 Core 3.60 GHz CPU - 64bit -32 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - PNY GeForce RTX 3080 10GB XLR8 - Samsung 970 EVO+ 2TB SSD Software: - Windows 11 Pro - X-Plane 12.1.2rc2 Plugins: Traffic Global - JustFlight-Traffic (X-Plane.OrgStore) US$52.99 : Global SFD plugin US$30.00 Scenery or Aircraft - none - ___________________________ Scenery Review by Stephen Dutton 26th September 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 copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions) All Rights Reserved
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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).
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Scenery Review: Dortmund XP by Aerosoft By Michael Hayward Introduction Dortmund Airport, a regional hub in the Rhein-Ruhr region of Germany, welcomes over 1.2 million passengers yearly. Flights from Dortmund Airport are operated by a range of seven airlines, including low-cost carriers and regional operators. These airlines connect Dortmund to key destinations across Europe, offering routes to major cities like London, Paris, and Milan, as well as popular holiday destinations in the Mediterranean and beyond. Since its inception in 1925, the airport began with flights to Paris and gradually expanded its routes over the ensuing years. During the tumultuous period of 1939-1945, commonly referred to as the great European disagreement, it was repurposed as a German Air Base, later transitioning to RAF control. While Dortmund Airport may be smaller in size compared to its regional counterparts, Dusseldorf and Cologne Bonn Airports, it plays a significant role in enhancing the city's connectivity. Serving as a vital link, it efficiently bridges Dortmund to the broader European network, offering an array of flight options that cater to both business and leisure travelers. Aerosoft, a household name in the flight simming community, boasts over two decades of experience in developing high-calibre add-ons for X-Plane. Their portfolio, featuring successes like Heathrow, Manchester, and Toulouse, sets high expectations for any new release. In this review, we will explore how their latest creation, Dortmund Airport, available for both X-Plane 11 and 12, and see how it measures up to these lofty standards. Installation & Documentation Upon purchase, you'll receive an installation key for redemption via Aerosoft One. This all-encompassing package, designed for use across various flight simulator platforms, facilitates not only updates but also allows configuration adjustments within the scenery. It serves as a convenient central hub for all your Aerosoft products, representing a significant advancement over the previous Aerosoft Launcher. The installation includes a comprehensive 20-page manual, available in both German and English. It details the airport's facilities and provides a glimpse into the history of Dortmund Airport and the surrounding region. A brief look of this manual is recommended for a deeper understanding of the airport you'll be using. Airport Layout Viewing Dortmund Airport from above reveals a straightforward layout. It features a single runway, 06/24, accompanied by a terminal parking area, a helipad, and business jet facilities, all interconnected by a main taxiway. This simplicity makes it an exceptionally easy airport to navigate. The ground markings are diverse, ranging from standard yellow taxi lines to chequered service roads, and even include distinct lanes for turnback and pushback parking spots. A notable aspect appreciated by many low-cost airlines at smaller airports like Dortmund is the design that allows aircraft to turn around at the gate. This feature not only saves space but also reduces reliance on pushback tugs, enabling planes to dispatch independently without the need for a ground marshal. Subtle weathering effects in the parking areas, such as liquid stains and minor cracks in the concrete, contribute to the airport's lived-in feel, avoiding the sterility of uniformly pristine surfaces. The recently renovated parking area stands out with its lighter grey shade, contrasting with the older sections of the taxiways and runway. Signage & Foliage The taxiway markers at Dortmund Airport stand out for their clarity, both during the day and at night, ensuring easy navigation. Additionally, the airport's abundant foliage is strategically placed, contributing positively to the overall ambiance and visual appeal. Structures & Facilities The main airport terminal is modelled with a reasonable amount of accuracy, presenting an impressive view from both airside and landside. Dortmund may not boast the world's most beautiful airport, but its modern terminal, reconstructed between 1998 and 2000, certainly has a distinctive appearance. Unlike some sceneries that feature fully modelled interiors or window transparency, Aerosoft has chosen photo textures for the terminal's exterior, which achieves a realistic effect, albeit without interior visibility. Whilst it works for the most part, I felt some of the texturing could have been better. It's quite satisfactory overall, but a future update could potentially enhance these aspects. Beyond the terminal, the attention to airside details is impressive. Situated to the south of the terminal are the helipad, business jet, and maintenance facilities, located on a slightly elevated terrain. Aerosoft has skilfully adjusted the ground mesh here, adding to the overall authenticity. The blast chamber, with its 200° of soundproof blast fencing for engine testing, is a particularly noteworthy detail. Surrounding Area Aerosoft has not only focused on Dortmund Airport but has also significantly enhanced the surrounding area, including a detailed recreation of Dortmund city. This is complemented by high-quality orthophotos, rendered at an impressive 50cm per pixel resolution. As you head towards the city centre, a recreation of the railway station and numerous city landmarks and buildings comes into view. Although these may not match the airport's terminal in resolution, the use of photo textures ensures each building is recreated with high fidelity. This attention to detail is particularly striking when flying low or gazing out of an airplane window during approach. In my experience, some sceneries either neglect city details or, on rare occasions, overshadow the airport itself. Here, however, there's a commendable balance between the airport and its surroundings. While it may not totally rival the satellite imagery and photogrammetry of Microsoft Flight Simulator, the hand-modelled towers in many respects offer a more appealing visual experience. Additionally, Aerosoft has modelled the local gliding airfield, DE-0182 Engsen-Opherdicke. Whilst it’s a relatively modest setup with a few hangars, a club room, and some glider equipment, it's a charming addition to the scenery. This airfield is certainly worth exploring, especially for gliding enthusiasts or those looking for a nearby short field for leisurely flights over the city in a Cessna. Night Lighting The night lighting at Dortmund Airport is particularly noteworthy. The taxiways are lined with the standard blue edge and green centre lights, which provide a clear and vivid guidance system. This becomes even more prominent during night approaches, with the runway lights standing out impressively. Each gate area is illuminated by overhead floodlights that effectively brighten the surroundings. These lights make excellent use of X-Plane 12’s advanced lighting engine, creating a realistic and visually appealing environment. Their effectiveness is especially appreciated during preparations for flights after dusk, as they ensure the aircraft parking area is well-lit and visibly distinct. Performance The performance at both Dortmund's main airport and the surrounding city was consistently smooth, even under challenging weather conditions. I was impressed by the absence of any noticeable frame rate drops, which is particularly commendable given the density of objects and details within the scenery. Opinion & Closing Remarks In conclusion, Aerosoft's Dortmund scenery is a commendable effort, especially considering its coverage, though there's room for improvement, particularly in the detailing of the main terminal area. The buildings, while visually appealing, could benefit from additional refinement, perhaps with some enhancements to the interiors, even if not to the extent of full-scale recreations seen in other sceneries. On a positive note, Dortmund excels in its performance impact, proving to be incredibly FPS-friendly. The low-poly design of the buildings ensures minimal effect on frame rates, making it an ideal choice for those with lower-spec systems. The recreation of the city region and the included glider field are welcomed additions, adding significant depth and vibrancy to the package. Priced at $22.99, this scenery offers good value, especially when compared to more expensive, top-end airport sceneries. It represents a cost-effective option without compromising quality. Overall, while there's scope for additional enhancements, Dortmund stands out as a solid mid-tier Aerosoft airport and makes for a worthwhile addition for those looking to enrich their X-Plane 12 experience, particularly with the picturesque city views during approach and departure. ______________________________________ Dortmund XP by Aerosoft is available from the Org store here: Dortmund XP Priced at US$22.99 Features: Both XP12 and XP11 versions included Detailed rendition of the airport and its surroundings, incl. landmark objects Photo realistic ground textures based on aerial images (50cm/px) All airport buildings and facilities True-to-original navigation aids (ILS, VOR/DME, NDB, ATIS) Excellent night effects True-to-original runway and taxiway lighting Detailed 3D city model of Dortmund incl. colour-corrected 60cm/px aerial image covering the entire city area Authentic rendition of the airfield Hengsen-Opherdicke incl. colour-corrected 30cm/px aerial image The aerial images for Hengsen-Opherdicke can be turned off Autogen covering the area of the aerial image, corrected by hand Animated wind objects: wind turbines and windsocks specific to Hengsen-Opherdicke as well as the helipad the Hospital Centre North Ship traffic at the Dortmund-Ems Canal when using the Seatraffic plug-in by Marginal/Jonathan Harris Volumetric grass, toggleable PBR-based reflecting water surfaces Backup library – runs without add-ons Requirements: X-Plane 12 or X-Plane 11 (both versions supported) Windows, Mac, or Linux 8 GB+ VRAM Recommended Download Size: 4 Gb Current version: 1.0 (XP12, November 21st, 2023) Reviewers System: Windows 10 Professional AMD Ryzen 5 3600 Processor 32GB RAM Palit GeForce RTX™ 3080 GamingPro Scenery Review by Michael Hayward 26th January 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)
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Scenery Review : EDDW Bremen by FSDG With the recent addition to the X-Plane world of the A300-ST (Beluga), there is perhaps a renewed interest in real-world routes that this unique aircraft flies to. Since Airbus have a facility in Bremen, it seems only right that this airport gets more attention. From Airbus's website it states: "In Bremen, approximately 2,500 people work at the second-largest Airbus Commercial site in Germany – where they are responsible for the design, manufacture, integration and testing of high-lift systems for the wings of Airbus aircraft. This site is unique for Airbus, as it brings Commercial Aircraft activities together with those of the company’s Defence and Space business, as well as Airbus’ TESTIA company and Premium Aerotech subsidiary". Bremen, in the northwest of Germany, also develops and builds the integrated fuselage assembly for the A400M military transport aircraft, including the cargo loading system. Additionally, Bremen is a centre of competence for space transportation, manned space flight and space robotics. Its highly-skilled employees work on key programmes such as the Ariane 5 launch vehicle and the human-rated Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle – a joint project between the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the European Space Agency (ESA). Bremen is responsible as well for operation of European components on the International Space Station (ISS)." So there is a lot of scope for this airport, which might have been otherwise overlooked. As per usual, here is a "Before and After" series of screenshots so you can see what you are getting. Installation: The download file is a zipped file for either Windows, or Mac, which are named FSDG-BREMEN_V1.0_XP11_WINDOWS.exe - a 1.1 GB file in the case of Windows, and 4.7GB .dmg file in the case of MacOS. FSDG-BREMEN_V1.0_XP11_MAC.zip respectively, for which you need a product key to complete the installation. (the key is supplied in the the "download item" link . Once entered, you specify the location of your X-Plane 11 folder and continue. The Company field is optional and does not need to be filled out, and just click Start to start the installation script. You will then get an notice to say the scenery is installed successfully. In your X-Plane "Custom Scenery" folder, you will then see 3 additional entries. 1) FSDG\docs (Containing the documentation) The documentation is not directly viewable from the download file, but extracted to the X-Plane 11\Custom Scenery\FSDG\docs\Manual_FSDG-Bremen_XP.pdf location. 2) FSDG-Bremen_XP (containing the airport scenery, orthos and navigational files, along with an OPTIONS folder which contains the optional seasonal textures for Spring,Autumn and Winter files. 3) fsdg-bremen-xp (no contents) I tried to follow the instructions for the winter season, but I was getting scenery errors in the log file whenever I switched using the Generic Mod Enabler. After reading the errors, I managed to find out that the documentation was not complete and that the The Winter textures should go in: - folder number 3 "fsdg-bremen-xp" - X-Plane 11\Custom Scenery\fsdg-bremen-xp\(all folders beginning with Winter) - FlyAgi_Vegetation_Seasonal\all folders beginning with Winter) - ground\ - objects\winter - orthos\Winter After I pasted these files from the FSDG-Bremen_XP folder, the scenery loaded correctly with the Winter textures. NB: This option only covers the airport area. If you wish the surrounding area to be covered too, you can use SAM Seasons Plugin, which can be installed from the SAM Suite. There is also a AS_SCENERY-ANIMATION-MANAGER_XPLANE11_WINDOWS-MAC-LINUX.zip file, but if you already have SAM Suite installed, this is not necessary. (available here: https://forums.x-plane.org/index.php?/files/file/59782-scenery-animation-manager-suite/) On loading the scenery, and selecting the Beluga A300-ST, I noticed there was sadly no dedicated parking for the Airbus area, but I did find a way around this. What I did was to load the Beluga at one of the available starting points, and manually taxi to the Airbus section, and save the X-Plane situation where I desired the aircraft to be. You can see the default available selections below, and my created saved situation which I created, which results in the below starting point. You can then select your saved situation from the "File" menu and load up the situation. By default, it names the file in a format which includes the name of the aircraft saved, this is handy for reference. More information on saving and loading situations can be found here. https://x-plane.helpscoutdocs.com/article/45-saving-and-loading-flights#:~:text=To save a flight%2C go,-Plane 11%2FOutput). I did check on the forums to see if there was any plans for an update for this scenery, but none planned at the moment. You can then load your cargo as desired, as per the below example. (this gets called from the Beluga Menu from the EFB). The airport gates are animated and controlled by the SAM Plugin menu. This can be installed as above, or downloaded as part of the SAM Suite available here: https://forums.x-plane.org/index.php?/files/file/59782-scenery-animation-manager-suite/ You will notice that the gate to the left is currently closed, this is controlled by the SAM Plugin menu, this can be reached via the X-Plane Menu, -> Plugins -> SAM Plugins -> Airport Operation System. There are two gate options, one for the GA area, and the other for the Airbus area. You simply click on the button on the right-hand side of the menu to open/close the gates. Along the taxiway, they have a nicely mown grass area with the Werder Bremen Football team, and further along, the German Post Office block, although good at first glance, could improve the texture quality on the signage, but since this is peripheral building, they can be forgiven for that. They did do quite a nice job on the Holiday Inn and industrial buildings though, and the texture resolution is quite good for an area not normally visited for takeoffs or landings. The Hangar areas are quite good too, I half-expected to see animated advertising boards here, but the static is pleasing enough. The snowploughs for the winter season are a nice touch for this scenery, considering that North Germany does get some cold and snowy winters. Regarding the control tower, the view brings me to the building on the right - easily missed if you are not looking for it. It's tucked away behind the office buildings out of sight. The radar tower looks good from every angle, and the building itself looks good with weathering on the roof and sides of the structure - very nicely done indeed. The ground textures,tress and shrubs add realism and ambiance to the airport too. The fire-station has good resolution and detailed brickwork, and the Airbus area has detailed warehouses and storage and plenty of car spaces. I like the surrounding areas details such as the fences and ground details, and the vegetation in particular is pleasing to the eye. There is vegetation throughout the scenery grass areas with flowers and wild shrubs abundantly placed, not sure if this would go down well with the health and safety department regarding birds in the area though. The runways even have a dedicated displaced threshold area for the Beluga (A3ST). No wonder there's a smile on her face. I really love the texturing on the Germania Hangar, the roof, decals and entrance doors are crisp and excellently done, and of high resolution and quality. The Lufthansa Aviation Training Centre in Bremen also uses similar textures (although in real-life, this area is much more transparent, but a limitation of the tools available, but still a good effort. Another nice touch is the vehicles and aircraft used (although a bit odd to see a G- registered aircraft there),but the taxiway markings are really nice, and the dividing fence is really well done and a lot of attention to detail is given here. The terminals and jetways are of good quality resolution and extra items such as baggage trolleys and passenger buses are plentiful, suggesting a busy airport with lots of activity. Even the barriers, traffic cones and cars are detailed enough to pass muster with the most discerning user. The transparencies are a particular favorite of mine, and they are rendered to good effect here. as are the airport markings and signage and even the waste bins are depicted here. Definitely no complaints in this department. The airport at night-time on the terminal side, is rather dark and subdued and is difficult to pick out all the details. I tried several different angles and time of day, to get some decent screenshots of nighttime to give you some idea of the lighting differences. As I remarked earlier, after my initial difficulties with getting the seasons to work, I have a few illustrations to show how nice it looks. I think the snow effects on the roof over the advertising looks very effective, and the wheel tracks along the apron are nicely done,although health and safety might have a few complaints about it. _________________ Summary: I really love this scenery with it's quaint charm and it's not hard on frames. Despite the installation instructions not being 100% accurate, I managed to get the scenery working by reading the error log files and brute-force. I know this should not be the case, as reading the error logs takes practice to know what's really happening. I raised a ticket with them highlighting this issue and requested that they update the documentation to show this. The price is about what you expect to pay for this addon and it's good value for money. This is a nicely rounded airport and you will have lots of destinations to choose from if you fly real-life routes as I tend to do. Bremen caters exclusively for European destinations, but ironically, Ryanair, (Ireland's second airline) doesn't even fly from Dublin to Bremen which you might expect. It also covers some of the Bremen city area, famous for it's Bremen Musicians sculpture near the town-hall. It is a member of the Hanseatic league which extended across Northern Europe in the middle-ages. Scenery files are getting larger and larger (not only with X-Plane,but this shown in the quality of textures and the added features such as the animated gates,and alternative winter textures. It's a versatile airport which caters for passenger, cargo, and the Airbus facilities and the Lufthansa training centre, so no shortage of possibilities exist for this destination. I find it an ideal destination if you are short on time to fly and it's got an enjoyable approach with lovely views of the city. Performance-wise, I get about 36fps with the Zibo 737-800 as a benchmark which is about what I expect from my system. With the Flightfactor A320, I get 30fps. ____________________ Yes! Bremen EDDW by FSDG is NOW available from the X-Plane.Org Store... You can find Bremen here: FSDG - Bremen XP Price is $26.99 Features: Fully accurate rendition of Bremen Hans Koschnick Airport and surroundings (EDDW) Outstanding level of detail with fully customized airport vehicles and facilities High resolution aerial imagery and ground textures Optimized for great performance and visual quality Working jetways (SAM plugin needed) Realistic CAT II/III lighting Dynamic apron objects Various animations (SAM plugin required) including animated Tram, approach lights, jetways, marshaller XP11 technology with PBR ground materials and enhanced lighting AI traffic routes and flows Winter version (optional) TerraMAXX seasonal textures (optional) Compatible with Ortho4XP Manual included NOTE: In order to use the airport you need to install the free SAM-Plugin. Requirements X-Plane 11 Windows or Mac ( not compatible with Linux) 4GB VRAM Minimum - 8GB+ VRAM Recommended Current version: 1.0 (Sep 23rd 2019) Review System Specifications: Computer System: Windows - Intel Core i9-9900K CPU 5.00GHz / 64bit - 32 Gb DDR4 4300 RAM - EVGA GeForce GTX 2070 8Gb - Samsung Evo 1Tb SSD Software: - Windows 10 - X-Plane 11.53 Addons: Saitek Throttle and Yoke : Sound -Soundblaster Audigy Fx Plugins: : BetterPushBack - Free LiveTraffic - Weather ActiveSkyXP https://hifisimtech.com/asxp/ ________________________ Scenery Review by Jude Bradley 22nd April 2021 Copyright©2021 : X-Plane Reviews (Disclaimer. All images and text in this review are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions) - All Rights Reserved Release Date:2019 Version:V1.0 Platform:X-Plane 11.30+ Operating System:Windows XP,Windows VISTA,Windows 7/8/10 (64-Bit Recommended),Mac OSX GPU Requirements:3D Graphics Card With Min. 1GB Memory CPU Requirements: 3,0 GHz Processor (Dual Core Processor Recommended)
