Test machine specs: MSI X670E, AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D, AMD Radeon RX 7900XTX, 48gb RAM
Add-ons: BATC, GSX Pro
These days, I know exactly what to expect from MK’s new releases — they don’t disappoint and take forever to get discounted, so I tend to make them day one purchases. Porto was no exception…
DETAIL
Each time MK release an airport, I really look forward to arriving there for the very first time. I chose the Fenix A320 (TAP livery, of course) to do a real-world, early-morning hop from MK’s own Lisbon. Despite a floaty landing due to a tailwind (wind was variable so can’t blame BATC, really), I managed to bring my aircraft to a stop well before the runway end, but just past the final exit — resulting in my having to make a little backtrack to vacate. As usual, the runway, taxiway and apron textures impressed me on arrival, as did the custom airfield lighting and some of the peripheral modelling outside the perimeter fence (I’ll explain later why I say “some” and not “all”). The perimeter fence, by the way, is all-encompassing and features several custom varieties that presumably match the real airport.
Ground markings look wonderful, being realistically weathered (although I have seen better in 2026) and clearly readable. This scenery uses Nool’s VDGS module and it worked flawlessly on stand 32. Jetway connection was smooth and convincing.
The terminal building is a typical MK masterpiece, inside and out. There really isn’t a lot more to say, except perhaps that the large concrete struts that support the landside section of the roof actually look better in TaiModel’s rendition of LPPR (which I don’t own — I’m basing this judgement purely on that scenery’s promo images/video). Not that MK have done a bad job here, but I was definitely more wowed by how TaiModels had weathered them. It’s a little odd, really, as other areas of the building appear more convincing in MK’s.
The terminal interior is nice but as we know by now, MK don’t go overboard with interiors, preferring to put more emphasis on exterior detail. This approach certainly works for me but again, I’d have to hand TaiModels the win in this department. That said, MK have included static people, both inside and out.
Where I think MK have really put TaiModels to shame is out on the ramp, where we see the typical MK variety of GSE clutter, including a modest selection of beautifully-animated vehicles. There’s also a good smattering of fixed clutter, such as signposts, barriers, fences, lightpoles, gantries, etc. The entire airfield is terraformed and it looks amazing, to be fair. They’ve made the place look and feel like a bustling, working airport.
Moving onto the terminal’s landside areas, I’d say it’s a close call between the two rivals. Both have done well, however I’d chalk up another small victory for TaiModels because they actually put a train (albeit static) in the airport station. The tracks and station are modelled in MK’s… but it’s devoid of a train! Elsewhere, the landside detail is more similar than it is dissimilar but MK’s definitely seems to sit more naturally within the photogrammetry surroundings.
Now, let’s talk about that peripheral modelling I alluded to earlier…
What MK have chosen to model and what they’ve chosen not to bother with is a strange one for me. They’ve included the freight container storage area just to the south of the airport, but it’s a little less expansive than in the TaiModels scenery. There are also some AENA (the Spanish airport authority) trucks here that have ‘Alicante Elche Airport’ emblazoned across their sides, which I’m a bit dubious about. These suspected interlopers are also present at the (admittedly fantastically-modelled) cargo area on the west side. The fire station towards the airport’s northern end is fully modelled but the fire tenders that sit outside are default Asobo, which surprises me. I can only think that MK deemed custom models unnecessary, since this building is a bit more out-of-the-way than your typical airport fire station. Even so, I’d have expected custom models from a dev of MK’s calibre. The final piece of surrounding modelling I have to question is a cluster of default Asobo buildings that sit uncomfortably close to the runway, at the airfield’s northeast edge. A couple of them are very imposing and I’m guessing they’re much more discreet (or possibly don’t even exist) in reality. They really do look awkward and out-of-place, and I think MK would have been better simply doing away with them completely, if they didn’t intend to replace them with something more accurate and less intrusive. On a positive note, many roads in the airport’s vicinity have been modelled, and enhanced with signage, overpasses, parked vehicles and streetlights.
To wrap up, the night-lighting is outstanding, as is usually the case with FS2024-native scenery.
PERFORMANCE
MK’s latest airports have surprised me with their performance-to-detail ratio, in a very positive way. Rome and Düsseldorf are extremely intricate, yet run smoothly. Porto is more of the same; probably even better as it’s smaller and less busy that either Rome or Düsseldorf. Bear in mind however, that the playing field is possibly levelled by the fact that Porto is a PG area in the sim, following a recent City Update.
VERDICT
I’m confident saying MK’s version betters TaiModels’, despite not owning the latter. Sometimes, promo images are more than good enough to offer sufficient insight into a product’s quality, yet I’m happy to concede that the TaiModels scenery is superior in a couple of areas.
MK’s Porto is gorgeous, as I think the vast majority of us expected. But it’s not perfect; and I’d actually say parts of it are surprisingly atypical of Matt and his expert team. However the small list of cons is nowhere near enough to deter anyone from buying this scenery, and in spite of their recent rise to MSFS stardom, MK’s prices remain grounded and competitive.
As MSFS airports go, this is one of the best, particularly the content within the confines of the perimeter fence. It’s not a case of what I’d change (which is nothing, basically), but what I’d add or remove. The biggest disappointment for me is the cluster of default autogen buildings at the airport’s northeast corner, which is a real eyesore for arriving pilots who are unfortunate enough to roll out far enough to cop an eyeful (see last image). They really do need replacing or, at the very least, removing. The other complaints — e.g. the default fire tenders and missing train — are so minor as to not in any way affect immersion.
EDIT
Okay, after several flights, I’m noticing that AI traffic is vacating RWY35 but then disappearing right after receiving taxi to stand instructions (using BATC). In hindsight, I should’ve known this was occurring because the airport felt way too quiet on my first couple of arrivals (both early morning, when you’d expect a 17m pax airport to be at its busiest). When arrivals can’t get to stand and instead vanish, you sooner or later end up with a very quiet or even empty airport, as departures continue unabated. I did initially think the issue might lie with a certain taxiway but I’ve since witnessed cargo traffic doing the same and that vacates the opposite side. I have reported this (and the unsightly autogen close to the runway) on MK’s Discord.
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