Italy World Update – Handcrafted Airport AI Check
Today we will have a look at the handcrafted Airports of World Update 9 in MSFS. The airports have been checked against the basic design guidelines required to handle AI Traffic at these airports.
LICJ – Palermo Airport
Taxiway-/Path Network
There seems to a Hold Short issue at Runway 25, causing AI to stop at the hold short line but actual never takeoff. The overall taxiway network represents the real world and allows fluid ground operation. Compared to that the ground vehicle network is very limited and not connected to the parking spots. Vehicles will use the taxiways to get from A to B, causing interfering with the AI airplanes.
Parking
There are quite a few parking spots added to the airport. The maximum size is 22m allowing airplanes like A32X or B737 park there without issues. Bigger airplanes like the A330 that could land on the runway will not be able to park at this airport.
Most of the spots do overlap with the extra 6m radius or even the original radius each other, reducing the amount of simultaneously used spots.
Conclusion
Overall, the Airport is not fully AI ready, the issue with the parking spots is not having a to big impact at the moment (not much traffic there), the major issue at the moment seems to be the Hold Short at Runway 24 causing AI to not takeoff and despawn after some time.
LILO – Sondrio Airport
Taxiway-/Path Network
As a small GA airport there is no need for a big taxiway network, but the small network at this airport has some issues. Starting with the fact that the developer used taxiways to display rural roads around the airport, these roads are actual connect to the aviation taxiway at the airport. Removing them would increase performance. The second issue is that the taxiways are actual drawn on top of the runway from Runway-entry to the U-Turn at both ends, resulting is longer blocked taxiways.
There is no vehicle network at the airport, but for such small airport it is not needed.
Parking
There are some parking spots that do overlap reducing the number of usable spots at the same time.
Conclusion
Since the airport has not much AI traffic the issues should not have a major impact on the immersion when flying there.
LIRJ – Marina di Campo Airport
Taxiway-/Path Network
As a small GA airport there is no need for a big taxiway network, but the small network at this airport has some issues. Starting with the fact that the developer used taxiways to display rural roads around the airport, these roads are actual connect to the aviation taxiway at the airport. Removing them would increase performance.
There is no vehicle network at the airport, but for such small airport it is not needed.
Parking
The Airport comes with a set of parking spots. Smaller once for the usual GA traffic and some larger once for the commercial traffic. The once for the commercial traffic do overlap and are quite large for an airport his size, so not all of them will be used.
Conclusion
Solid airport with a few issues that can easily be fixed for an even better AI experience.
LIPB – Bolzano Airport
Taxiway-/Path Network
There are some unused taxiway points around the airport, looks like they removed the paths for the rural roads (see the 2 airports above), but forgot the taxi points. Since they are not connected to the airport itself, they will have no impact on AI operations.
The taxiway network is up to date and allows fluid AI operations. The vehicle network on the other hand could use a small upgrade, some areas of the airport are not reachable via the dedicated vehicle network. Cars will use the taxiways and interfere with AI traffic.
Parking
There are 3 areas of GA parking spots, but most of the spots do overlap, resulting in a reduced number of usable spots at the same time. Overall, the airport has space for more spots.
Conclusion
Solid Airport, with a few smaller issues.
