Review: Xiamen Gaogi International Airport by Island Simulation
By Bill Stack
Screen shots by Pacific Island Sim
Xiamen Gaogi International Airport (ZSAM) is the airport for the City of Xiamen in China's Fujian Province. Serving more than 15 million passengers in 2011, this is China's its ninth busiest cargo airport, 11th busiest passenger airport, and 13th busiest in overall traffic. It is served by numerous airlines such as Air China, Hainan Airlines, and Shandong Airlines. It international airlines include KLM, Korean Air, and Malaysia Airlines. Because Xiaman Airlines is based here, it flies to more destinations than any other airline using this airport. Located on Xiamen Island, its elevation is 18 meters (59 feet), and its longest runway is 3,400 meters (11,155 feet).
Xiamen is a city of 3.6 million inhabitants on the southeast coast of China. Dating back about almost 2,000 years, it is now ranked among China's more livable and romantic cities. Its economy is based largely on fishing, shipbuilding, manufacturing, telecommunications, and financial services. Tourism is growing as a economic activity as China's overall standard of living improves. The city and surrounding countryside are known for beautiful scenery and tree-lined beaches. It was one of the four special trade zones established by the Chinese government in the 1980s to enable foreign trade and investment. Its climate is known for long, hot, and humid summers and short and mild, somewhat like the southeastern United States.
Screen shots by Bill Stack
Island Sim's Rendition
Island Sim promises realistic night lighting ambiance, 15 cm/pixel photoreal landclass, seasonal coloration typical of the region, and friendly frame rates. Indeed, Island Sim has created a simulation environment that details Xiamen Gaogi International Airport and extends far beyond. The airport is extremely detailed and up to date. The city and countryside are accurately detailed in some areas and adequately depicted in others.
Island Sim also promises that this scenery will be AES compatible in the near future. The acronym AES stands for "Airport Enhancement Services," which is an add-on that enables interactive animations. Graham Michael of Island Sim said: "I sent our ZSAM to the AES developer to have it made compatible, and it should be out soon."
This rendition is generally along both sides of the runway centerline that would be visible from departing and arriving aircraft. A large urban area on the southwestern tip of the island is FSX default scenery and not part of Island Sim's scenery.
For Xiamen Gaogi International Airport, Island Sim heralds accurate airport terminal buildings, weathered runway and apron markings, static vehicles and aircraft, and custom vegetation with volumetric grass. The custom vegetation reflects flora native to this region. "Volumetric" is an improved method of making three-dimensional objects such as vegetation.