In another surprising announcement today, BMWorld and AMSim have unveiled their newest airport for Microsoft Flight Simulator, and it’s none other than San Francisco International Airport (KSFO)!
It’s the first notable payware rendition of KSFO, which is also famously known to be in development by Flightbeam Studios as well.
San Francisco International Airport, located in San Mateo County, California, serves as the primary international gateway for the San Francisco Bay Area. It is the largest airport in the region and the second busiest in California, following Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).
With a bustling passenger count, SFO ranked as the fourteenth busiest airport in the United States and the 30th globally in 2023. The airport is a critical hub for United Airlines, functioning as its main transpacific gateway and a major maintenance hub. It also serves as a hub for Alaska Airlines.
The newly released KSFO airport by BMWorld and AMSim looks quite impressive, in line with their previous work. Here are the key highlights:
- High-resolution custom ground textures
- Custom ground markings
- Detailed Terminal area
- Animated Jetway
- Animated BAT mover over terminal buildings
- Airlines codes assigned to each parking
- Accurately modeled realistic night lighting
- Up-to-date airport layout
The flight simulation community is no stranger to the competitive nature of scenery development. Developers often face the challenge of ensuring their products stand out in a crowded marketplace. The release of KSFO by BMWorld and AMSim underscores a growing trend where developers maintain secrecy about their projects to avoid being preempted by others. This approach can lead to surprise releases that capture the community’s attention and drive immediate interest.
However, we can imagine how the team at Flightbeam Studios may be feeling right now, knowing that another developer – very likely aware of Flightbeam’s work on their version of SFO – has decided to overtake them and release a competing product.
Obviously, every developer is entitled to do whatever they want, and it’s up to the community to decide which version of a given airport they prefer. There are often key differences reflected in various price points, features, system requirements, and so on.
While some might speculate that this new release could ruffle feathers, it’s very likely that Flightbeam will continue with their project, offering an alternative vision that may appeal to different segments of the market. Given their reputation, Flightbeam’s rendition of KSFO will undoubtedly continue to be highly anticipated, offering features and details that might differentiate it from the BMWorld and AMSim version.
The release of San Francisco International Airport by BMWorld and AMSim is, without a doubt, a significant addition to the Microsoft Flight Simulator ecosystem. And with that imminent release of the PMDG 777, a major hub like this becomes even more enticing!
If you’ve been waiting for a detailed rendition of KSFO, it doesn’t get any better than this at this point – at least until Flightbeam Studios releases their own version.
