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I already had the Bredok3d version of KSLC, but although the exteriors and modelling generally are good, it has no interiors and was one of the very early MSFS addon airports, so when I saw the Pacsim version I grabbed a copy. I really like Salt Lake City in the various sims - the setting is great and it seems to have been quite well done over the years, from what I remember. Only been there once in real life, and that was a working trip as usual, but enjoyed that even so. The new airport is good, with just one reservation (later), and the city and surrounding area is one of the PG gems in MSFS. So I'm doing this in two parts (and even so that will only be about a third of the shots I took). First part is really the airport. So let's get airborne in the 222B and have a look round The setting is great, and the airport has a lot of space to use, but it ain't going to win any architectural awards, that's for sure. AIG running, and there seems to be a fair bit of traffic here today Two level control tower (with interiors - not shown) Really nicely done terminal interiors, but here's the let down - not a soul (or should I say - pixsoul) to be seen. It seems a real shame, and a bit silly to be honest, to go to what I guess is a fair amount of effort to create such good looking interiors and then leave them looking like a ghost town. It was the same in the control tower, which is why I didn't bother posting a picture. Back outside again Again, nicely done but lifeless This is another one of those settings in MSFS where, sitting in front of my 55 inch 4k HDR monitor. I can almost feel the heat and the sunshine, and imagine the taste of the air. Absolute magic! Not a particularly glam shot, but captures the mundanity of airport activity nicely, I feel Meanwhile, back up in the air, the city awaits So let's go visit Part two will look at this very splendid chunk of (default) scenery.

Funnily enough, as I was returning to KSLC in the 222B I noticed a surprise visitor - the new/old Stratoliner. Had to grab a few shots Looks like a real midget in the modern environment, doesn't she? Going against the grain for me and worked my way through the checklists Shame there's nobody here to see her! Taxiing out She's a bit fussy and wobbly for my taste for actual flying, so I doubt I'll do that much. But she's fun to have around and cheap (insert your own sexist joke at this point) and she'll look good in various locations and scenarios (and again) so I'm glad I got her. Would really like a Stratocruiser though, now that's a special beastie.

So now it's time to explore the scenery of SLC and its surrounds. I really like the look and feel of this place. One of the things I enjoyed about a lot of the places I went to in the USA back in my instructing days was the feeling of open space. The UK is one of the most densely populated and built up countries, and we tend to have everything crammed up against everything else. Apart from a few wild places, you're never more than a mile or so from the next building or set of buildings even in the "open countryside", and most of the built-up areas are really chronically over built. Plus we have this obsession with our "green belt" (supposedly preserved areas around most of the towns and cities) where new building is not allowed, so you get this scenario where whenever a mid-sized older property comes on the market, a developer buys it, knocks it down and squeezes four or five properties on to the site. You have ghettoes of "executive homes" spring up everywhere that cost a fortune but you can shake hands with your neighbour across your bathroom windows. I realise that not all of the US is wide open space, I've been to heavily built up areas too, but we really don't have places like SLC here, and combine that with the setting and the climate and you've got somewhere that can turn a Brit's head! This first shot illustrates what I mean. Over here, you'd have two shopping malls and a couple of apartment blocks filling up all that space! And this is definitely one of the better areas as regards the PG in the sim. You can get quite close before it starts to get ugly Don't know how up to date and accurate the imagery is, but there seems to be lots of building work going on around the downtown area, and it is well handled by the whole Blackshark AI processing. Really adds to the sense of realism, I feel That feeling of open spaces again. Plus, there are a few of those awful PG vegetation uglifacts, but nowhere near as many as you see in some places, and generally the greenery is magnificent Lush is the word I'd use. And again, with the light in the scene and on my big monitor I can almost smell all the woods. Nothing special about the buildings here, but it's another illustration of the sort of space and airiness you get in cities like this. Heading back towards the airport now, and here's the big LDS Temple around which the town was established And off to its right (north) is the state Capitol building I took maybe 50 more shots than I'm showing here, but I won't push my luck, so back we go now And down I've said many a time that this is the attraction about MSFS for me. When you get an area as well done as this it really is approaching the "digital twin" concept. If 2024 improves on the PG aspect to bring the whole environment at least up to this level we'll be well on the way to that goal. Maybe by the time we get FS2028 it really will be a d*mn near perfect representation of the planet. The technology is out there, and I for one am looking forward to seeing it in here.