As someone who primarily likes to fly small aircraft out of uncontrolled airports, I’m pretty lost when it comes to how to choose a gate when I’m in the odd mood to fly an airliner.
I don’t know why I haven’t asked this before, but it’s way past time I did: What is up with the gate “sizes” at major airports in the sim?
What I mean is how do you know what you are meant to choose?
Is a 737 “Small”, or is a small for a regional turboprop aircraft like the ATR or is it for an even smaller aircraft?
What is a “medium” aircraft?
What’s the difference between a “large” and “heavy”?
If I want to fly an A330, what is it? Medium, Large, Heavy? How would I know this?
What is weird is why doesn’t the sim dim or hide nodes that would be inappropriate for an aircraft type? I can choose Small if I fly the 747, for example. Why not dim or hide small and medium for that aircraft type? It is my understanding that the size of the parking/gates are known to the sim, and they also know the size of the aircraft you’re flying. Why not have more synergy here?
Anyhow, can someone who really understands what is going on enlighten me?
Small gates are for 737/320 types. Medium for A300 and similar. Heavy for biggest birds like 380, 747 or 777. Of course you can use medium or heavy gate for small planes. As long as it fits it’s ok.
You can use this website to find what gate is suitable for your plane. IFATC Info - Airport Gates
They are the same in terms of size, but Heavy term is used for gates (parking spot in front or very close to terminal) and Large term is used for ramps (parking spot away from terminal).
Below is an example from Heathrow. Both parking spots are the same size but are called differently in MSFS. Not sure how they call them IRL, Jeppesen charts don’t specify what size is a parking spot.
From my experience, the way the sim defines gates is not always useful, for lack of a more precise term. They are not always defined completely or correctly. I have used small gates before for a medium airliner, and medium gates for heavies, when the appropriate gate was not available in the sim. IMO just one of those things that are more of an approximation at many of the airports whereas some airports seem to be better defined. For example, Flightbeam’s DEN. The differentiation is meaningful there. YMMV
