I only own a couple of Pilot Experience Sim airports (Bordeaux and Nice, I think?), and in principle I really like the idea of studios modelling the region they’re actually based in: Aerosoft as the “German” iniBuilds, doing Frankfurt and Munich, which conveniently also happens to be the biggest market and/or the busiest VATSIM airport; MK Studios stepping in with crème de la crème renditions for the countries that sadly don’t have a premium third-party developer of their own (looking at you, Spain). That said, I have to admit the iniBuilds manager, the surrounding ecosystem and the general quality of their texture work all seem obviously and vastly superior to anything PESIM currently manages. (Sidenote, since someone will ask: I’m otherwise firmly in favour of the continued abolition of nation states. Different thread.) Unfortunately, Aerosoft can´t even make sure that all the German speaking hubs like Vienna, Munich, Hamburg and Berlin are rendered by them with the highest quality … (although I am fine enough with at least EDDH and EDDB …)
On timing, I have a feeling iniBuilds may still be a good way out. They’re apparently still asking locals for access to reference material, and in my experience once they’ve reached the proper promotion stage the airport tends to land sooner rather than later — so being at the crowdsourcing stage suggests we’re early. Which makes me suspect PESIM might actually get there first.
So it becomes a question of allegiance: do I support the French underdog with a frankly horrible product activation and installation process (is there any sign they’re going to fix that?), or the meta-super-uber Studio iniBuilds with its likeable, sleek manager and its whole productisation engine — the kind that makes you want things purely because they’re iniBuilds-branded, with the nice imagery and the house music trailers, which I genuinely love.
I have a very soft spot for France and the French language (less so for the airport itself, ha), so I might well end up going PESIM. Realistically it’ll come down to a price battle and to who ships first. I’d bet iniBuilds’ LFPG lands at premium KORD money and PESIM comes in cheaper (at least eventually, like in mid 2027 or 2028).
I’d be especially interested in how the French community sees this. Two LFPG sceneries arriving in the same window should be a nice boost for IVAO (sic !) (and VATSIM alike).
It’s a bit sad having to pick one — of course you could buy both, but who actually does that. Some will say competition is always healthy for the market, and fine, but dear iniBuilds: you could also have given us a proper Madrid Barajas, or a South American mega hub. Though yes, LFPG is clearly the most requested one and it’s sorely needed. I do quietly enjoy that for once the MSFS 2024 default ships with a version of it — even if that one is, let’s say, not universally beloved.
So: anyone already decided? And can anyone here actually help iniBuilds with insider knowledge?
Although once they’d announced a French destination, I did think it would be either LFPO or LFMN. Let’s face it… ini were the natural candidate for LFPG.
