I got a mailshot re the FSimstudios CYYC and, in my usual considered way, snapped up a copy. I did a quick flight there with the default scenery before buying, in case the default was good, but it's pretty much non-existent, so I went for the FSS one.

When I installed it and went for a visit I was a bit disappointed. First off there was some really ugly PG up at one end of the field, in what I assumed was part of the addon. I also wondered if it was just the usual UK weekend evening effect, as I've often found the servers deliver really cr*p PG quite often around then. So I left it a couple of days and went back again and it was still cr*p. In the meantime, @ikbenik had posted a set of pictures of the Simaddons version of CYYC. This was not a developer I'd come across before and it looked quite interesting, and as it was relatively cheap (a fair bit cheaper than the FSS version had been) I bit the bullet and got it as well.

As part of my testing out and comparing, I realised that the rubbish PG I'd assumed was part of the FSimStudios addon was actually outside the area supplied by the addon, and part of the basic sim.

Long story short - I now have two different versions of the airport, and I find they both have their strengths and weaknesses. And unfortunately they're both boundaried by melty PG! So I took a few comparison shots in case anyone else is interested. My personal preference is probably the Simaddons version because it has more toys - moving rail system, reasonable interiors with moving passengers etc. I have seen comments elsewhere here that the FSS version is more accurate in terms of gates and suchlike, but that sort of thing doesn't bother or interest me personally.

Anyway, here's the pix. The first lot are from the default airport, including the areas with the melty PG first. Even that will probably not upset most folk, but then I spend as much time down at or near ground level as I do in the air so it's an issue for me.

Some of these buildings are pure 2d - just roof images

And an aerial shot to finish

So when I went to look at the default initially, I figured pretty much anything must be an improvement. The surrounding countryside (outside the melty airport perimeter stuff) is very pretty, and Calgary itself has good quality PG and is well worth a helicopter tour.

This next lot are from the Simaddons version

The tower has a nice interior, but I couldn't spare the shot

And lastly, the FSimStudios version

Almost double the price of the Simaddons version and the tower is just a solid plug - no internals, not even decent glass.

So there you go. Hope this is useful. Personally, if I'd known about or already had the Simaddons version I wouldn't have bothered with the FSimStudios version, but others may feel differently.

Thanks Andy for these comparisons! 😉 

Both products are similar.

Hi, 

Thank you for referring to my screenshots-posting of the Simaddons version. A great surplus above the FSimStudio version is the railtrack with animated train + modelled interiour of both control towers. I don't know if the FSimStudio also have modelled terminal interiours with a few animated passengers like Simaddons has. 

Edited May 31, 20233 yr by ikbenik

4 hours ago, ikbenik said:

I don't know if the FSimStudio also have modelled terminal interiours with a few animated passengers like Simaddons has. 

Hi, they have some minor interior modelling but no animated passengers (or static, from what I remember). I quite like the FSS textures on some of the buildings, but overall I prefer the Simaddons one, for all the sort of extras you showed. Neither of them are really top tier stuff, IMO, but both are a lot better than the default.

Nice shots Andy.