I am confused. Why would someone pay up to $50.00 to buy an airport? Its just the airport right? You take off, land, fly over etc. You cant walk around it or drive around it or am i missing something? I understand the appeal of flying out of your home airport and i have seen lots of good airports people have created but they are free. But the spend money on an airport where if you want to spend money to enhance your simming experiance, wouldnt it be better spent on scenery or even a new aircraft?

I used to be the same way mate. I refused to pay for airports and mostly still do. That said, I do own all of the major Aussie airports from Orbx but don't currently have them installed. Primarily due to the fact that the Orbx ones are FPS killers and poorly optimized.

I've gotten to the point where flying in and out of the default FSX hubs like EDDF, EGKK, KDFW, EHAM etc etc just don't do it for me anymore. I need that detail.

However, there are payware quality freeware airports out there like GCLP from Sim Giants and KPHL from SunSkyJet that are simply stunning.

I think it comes down to what's in it for you personally. I have several Caribbean sceneries because I've been to those airports and the default FSX ones simply don't do it for me. I think we all want that "as real as it gets" and "you are there" feel to help suspend our beliefs. Seeing familiar airports like Luis Munoz, King, Beef Island, and Princess Juliana in all their glory puts a smile on my face because they "feel" right.

Prior to owning the sceneries operating in and out of those airports lacked something. I honestly couldn't get past thinking "that doesn't look right" at the end of each flight.

As for aircraft, I'm finding that the prices for ac are making a lot of the planes I would like to experience inaccessible. I would love the PMDG 737, and 777, but I have to wait for a sale or hope the prices drop. I understand the cost of developing complex ac and scenery, but I cringe when I think of how much money I've spent on scenery and aircraft. I could have owned a Warthog by now.

In the end it becomes a balancing act of scenery vs an ac I really want.

--T

I'm happy to be a bush flyer, flying in and out of small airstrips or medium airports is not expensive, they are usually enhanced enough by freeware. Not talking about water runways around British Columbia and Alaska!
I also go "glups!" when I see the price of airports (each is twice the price of FSX Gold) But as long as they find people willing to give the money, there's nothing wrong with it ...

Actually, you can walk and/or drive around. FTX has "Bob", a first person view that allows you to mosey around. And I understand there are drive-able ground vehicles available for download.

I live in the Orbx PNW area and I've bought a good number of the airports which I've visited in real life and fly into regularly in FSX...

To me the quality and realism and detail of a good payware airport is well worth it... the same reason I pay for quality add-on aircraft, scenery, weather engines, textures, really airports are no different, better quality equals better immersion for my simulated flying.

Overall I think if you are happy with default and freeware airports then awesome, no need to buy any, but for me personally FSX is my alternative to GA flight training due to limited time and money, and the cost of a quality highly detailed airport, aircraft or scenery or weather engine is a small price to pay for the much increased level of immersion.

Thankfully not everyone has to buy it thanks to great freeware available as well in many cases, so different strokes for different folks, I won't judge your happiness if you don't judge mine :-)

The high quality airports and scenery in FSX is one reason I fly it much more often than X-Plane 10 which I also own.

BTW I don't buy any $50 airports, more like $20...

I really wish Orbx would do KPLU....

g.

Yeah KPAE too, I fly out of there alot, the ORBX PNW enhanced airports are better than the default for both, but would be really nice to have the extra detail and realism.

Someday when I get some spare time I might have to figure out how to create the scenery and give it a try myself.