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How are the PAPI and VASI lights in MSFS 2024

Featured Replies

I can't see them from afar in MSFS 2020. Apparently, they've been improved and viewable from a distance in MSFS 2024. They're supposed to be viewable from about 3-5 miles during the daytime and up to 20 miles on a clear night in real life. 

Have they improved much and are more realistic in MSFS 2024? Are they useful and can they be relied on in MSFS 2024?

Hardware: i7-8700k, GTX 1070-ti, 32GB ram, NVMe/SSD drives with lots of free space.
Software: latest Windows 10 Pro, P3Dv4.5+, FSX Steam, and lots of addons (100+ mostly Orbx stuff).

 Pilotfly.gif?raw=1

I think we were spoiled in previous versions of MSFS (FSX and P3D), and have an expectation that runways and VASI lights would always be visible from a long way away. But as you say, 3 to 5 miles back is pretty close. It makes navigating the approach a bit more difficult, but it's just a matter of adjustment.

'24 is the same as '20 which is pretty lifelike.

Mike Beckwith

3 hours ago, bofhlusr said:

I can't see them from afar in MSFS 2020. Apparently, they've been improved and viewable from a distance in MSFS 2024. They're supposed to be viewable from about 3-5 miles during the daytime and up to 20 miles on a clear night in real life. 

Have they improved much and are more realistic in MSFS 2024? Are they useful and can they be relied on in MSFS 2024?

I am pretty sure that they are visible 3-5 miles out in MSFS 2020 on my PC during the day.

Christopher Low

AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D CPU / 64GB DDR5-6000 RAM / 12GB Nvidia RTX 4070 Super GPU / Gigabyte X870E Aorus Elite Wifi 7 / 1+2TB Samsung Evo Plus M2 Nvme

UK2000 Beta Tester

Functional for me

9800X3D 5090 64 GB RAM

Correct.  Too dim.  They seem to be at the same brightness level as the rest of the runway lights.  They need to be more emissive.

https://aviatorsms.com/features/resources/papi-lights/

Rob (but call me Bob or Rob, I don't mind).

I like to trick airline passengers into thinking I have my own swimming pool in my back yard by painting a large blue rectangle on my patio.

Intel 14900K in a Z790 motherboard with water cooling, RTX 4080, 32 GB 6000 CL30 DDR5 RAM, W11 and MSFS on Samsung 980 Pro NVME SSD's.  Core Isolation Off, Game Mode Off.

I'm finding that they are not quite bright enough in both 2020 and 2024.  

Ryzen 5800X3D, Nvidia RTX5080 - 32 Gig DDR4 RAM, 1TB & 2 TB NVME drives - Windows 11 64 bit MSFS 2024 Premium Deluxe Edition Resolution 2560 x 1440 (32 inch curved monitor)

11 hours ago, bofhlusr said:

I can't see them from afar in MSFS 2020. Apparently, they've been improved and viewable from a distance in MSFS 2024. They're supposed to be viewable from about 3-5 miles during the daytime and up to 20 miles on a clear night in real life. 

Have they improved much and are more realistic in MSFS 2024? Are they useful and can they be relied on in MSFS 2024?

You won't see anything 20 miles out. First thing you see in clear night is rotating beacon 

Life time flight sim enthusiast, current airplane owner 172P (past C182F). FAA CP/IR ASEL/AMEL, FI ASEL

My System: AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D , MSI X870 GAMING PLUS, 64G RAM, ASUS RTX5090, 4T SSD

Put my hands on (pic/dual/given)

7GCAA, 8KCAB, BE24, BE76, BE35-C33, BE35, C150, C152, C172B/N/P/R/SP, 182F, M20E,M20C, M20J, AT6(SNJ4), PA28-140,PA28-151, PA28-161,PA28-181,PA28RT-201,PA28R-180/201T, PA24-250, PA32-300R, PA44, AC114, YAK-18T, YAK-52, SR22

 

IMHO, I can hardly say if it's correct or not. I think it depends on luminosity and type of light. Sometimes I feel it's pretty realistic and sometimes it way too bright.

Too bright here:

mfm4pjW.jpeg

BAchlc1.jpeg

Sounds quite right here:

y9QJqCL.jpeg

EbGu0UQ.jpeg

Edited by vbazillio

Vincent B.
Check my free MSFS sceneries : https://flightsim.to/profile/vbazillio/trending and my hardware configuration.

  • Author
11 hours ago, Highmike said:

I think we were spoiled in previous versions of MSFS (FSX and P3D), and have an expectation that runways and VASI lights would always be visible from a long way away. But as you say, 3 to 5 miles back is pretty close. It makes navigating the approach a bit more difficult, but it's just a matter of adjustment.

'24 is the same as '20 which is pretty lifelike.

Lifelike?

PAPI and VASI lights have wrong placement, causing long landings, or are missing - Bug Reporting Hub / Scenery and Airports - Microsoft Flight Simulator Forums

How to change papi light visibility? - User Support Hub / User Interface & Activities - Microsoft Flight Simulator Forums

Hardware: i7-8700k, GTX 1070-ti, 32GB ram, NVMe/SSD drives with lots of free space.
Software: latest Windows 10 Pro, P3Dv4.5+, FSX Steam, and lots of addons (100+ mostly Orbx stuff).

 Pilotfly.gif?raw=1

  • Author

I can see the PAPI lights from this distance. Is this realistic?

spacer.png

Hardware: i7-8700k, GTX 1070-ti, 32GB ram, NVMe/SSD drives with lots of free space.
Software: latest Windows 10 Pro, P3Dv4.5+, FSX Steam, and lots of addons (100+ mostly Orbx stuff).

 Pilotfly.gif?raw=1

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