MSFS is from Microsoft, so it’s using data from Bing Maps which is also from Microsoft. So whatever is there or not on Google Maps is irrelevant, since MSFS will not use the data from there anyway.
The developers don’t manually make all the thousands of airports by hand. They use Blackshark AI to scour through the sattelite imagery that Bing Maps provide then the AI draws and place those airports into the MSFS airport database.
Only a handful of airports gets the special treatment of manual adjustment and improvements.
See here in Bing Maps on the zoom level that the AI uses to create the airports. See how empty the Istanbul Airport is. This satellite image was taken before the airport was even begin the construction. So if the AI can’t detect there’s an airport in that image, it doesn’t create it. It’s just a matter of bad luck on the timing of the development and the availability of the satellite image that they work with.
This is a repost again, but if you want to fly into LTFM now, you need to download this addon. So you don’t need to hold your breath waiting for something that may take a while. Because even if Bing Maps updates the satellite image, the development team will have to fire up the BlackShark AI again to do another scan and rebuild the airport. So it’s not like an automatic thing.
It’s probably easier to just manually handcraft the airport. But like I said, we already have one mod that already adds it with decent quality anyway. So I don’t really see the urgency here. And I bet, neither will they.
If Bing belongs to MS, then maybe they ask for a favor. I don’t now. This is not a 200 meter airstrip in a remote island, just saying.
“Asking for a favor” doesn’t exist in the vocabulary of multi-million dollar enterprise. You don’t ask for favors. Every activity that you do as part of that company, every time spent in a project needs to have value and there’s a cost to them.
They’re also limited in terms of teams members, resources and priority. I’ve worked in a company doing multiple medium to large-scale project. So I know that time and resources are always a factor and you have to constantly decide on the importance of doing one activity over another. And most of the times, you have to cut the losses and leave some minor features alone over a bigger more important function.
So I can say comfortably that adding LTFM to the sim by manually creating the airport is a huge effort that has very little priority simply because of a few factors:
- There are still bugs in the sim to investigate and resolve and also prevent. CTDs, High Temperature Bug, Live Weather, Traffic, etc.
- The roadmap for Sim Update and World Updates have been laid out and approved.
- Resources have been allocated to tacke bugs, as well as developing Sim Updates, and World Updates.
- SDK needs to be updated with more features and capabilities because third-party addon developers ability to create complex and feature-rich addons are dependant on the maturity of the SDK. So there’s a team that needs to be delegated to do them.
- There’s already an addon that I linked above that already adds the airport to the sim. And it’s free. So there’s really no urgency of having to redelegate all those resources dedicated to the 4 points above, to add an airport that’s already been solved by the community anyway. It’s like reinventing the wheel.
1 Like
If lefting out a giant airport is in their vocabulary, then why not for asking a favor.
anyway, as I told I am not a fan of giant airports. so even kjfk had been missed out, it wouldn’t be a problem for me. Multi million dollar flight sims should cover these kind of things and can iron bugs at the same time.
We can argue hours and days about “what should” or “what shouldn’t” in a company that we completely have no control over. The reality is, LTFM is not in the default base content. It is what it is. We don’t know when will that be included even if that will be included in the future. But as of right now, it’s not there. That’s it. That’s the reality. So let’s make do with the best that what we have, than be constantly be disappointed with what we don’t have.
So if anyone want to fly to and from there. Just install the free addon, enjoy it and move on. Otherwise, there’s no point in wasting energy towards getting upset with an airport that’s already been solved by the community. Especially when it’s an airport that you’re not a fan of and have no problem with it being missing.
1 Like
Does this free add on scenery have all the waypoints and ILS capabilities?
I guess as long as you are navigraph subscriber, it should be there.
I meant in the sim! When flightplanning in the sim, before starting the simulator
Navigraph actually updates the navdata waypoints and ILS frequency into the sim so you can do flightplanning on the world map before starting the flight like usual.
But in case you don’t have navigraph subscription, you need to install this free addon as well so you can have the navdata waypoints and ILS frequency as well.
1 Like
Thank you so much for this. Exactly what I needed to download this scenery
I still don’t understand why LTFM Airport doesn’t exist. After all, it is Turkey’s main airport? What is the position of Asobo and Microsoft on this?
Now, before anyone posts third party addons or mods here, I want to make it clear that I already know it. But an implementation of the LTFM as default would improve the whole thing considerably. Also the AI and Live Traffics etc.
3 Likes
See post 54 as to why it doesn’t exist.
While I agree with you, I’m not sure why you would think a default would improve the whole thing considerably seeing as you already know that we have a third party addons for this. A third party addon that’s already have a highly detailed model and working taxiway, parking spots, runways, with AI and Live traffic working on it anyway.
It just makes less sense to waste time working on something that people would just replace it with a free addon anyway.
But, What you are considering that is free addon is not compatible with the sim as it have a lot of issues and the most prominent issue is the navigation of the airport as well as I downloaded it and it was not working properly and ultimately I deleted it. It’s better if Asobo do this airport or any of developers as Aerosoft.
1 Like
I really hope that we soon get a World Update for Turkey and the Middle East since some of the scenery is several years out of date! A handcrafted LTFM, SAW and AYT should form part of this!
1 Like
I hope we get this update
1 Like
We won’t unless there is a WU published covering Turkey. Even that does not guarantee that it’ll be there I suppose @Neo4316 could know better, since the aerial images are way too old for LTFM area, it does not even exist in the bing maps. At least it was like that when I last checked it.
1 Like
If we do get a Turkey WU, LTFM have to be handcrafted. can’t be auto-gen due to the outdated satellite imagery.
1 Like
Turkey have many great Airports and landscapes. Also one of the biggest airports is missing LTFM ISTANBUL AIRPORT.
3 Likes
It might not be on the satellite, but it’s definitely on Bing Maps now …
4 Likes
I hope this airport will come in the next update as it now available on bing maps.
