Airlines Can Fund Airport Infrasturcture

[tungstennedge]

I think most players who have played this game extensively have felt the frustration of not having an aircraft type that is able to serve good pockets of demand due to airport infrastructure level being too low. I think adding in a button that could allow players to pay to level up airports would be a good feature, as it would open up more gameplay options, and give larger airlines something to spend cash on.

While under-levelled airports don't cause large problems for passengers, as In my opinion serving lvl 1 airports with only smaller jets/props is a very interesting dynamic to the game, in cargo, the infrastructure level is completely gamebreaking. It makes the 757PF mandatory for all cargo focused airlines as serving lvl 2 airports represents nearly half of all cargo demand, and the 757 is the only decent large cargo-plane with global range until the 737-800f/a321f, which is only added in 2017 once most of the games competition is already dead.

I would love to try an airlines based around VL freighters, not be forced into 757f every single game which I want to operate cargo, and allowing players to upgrade airports would be another way to do this. Also, it would make the game more interesting in slot restricted airports because the player could actually do something to increase the slot count instead of wait ten years for the airport to be upgraded. (The current limitation of maximum infra level to game year is really bad and boring IMO).

[gazzz0x2z]

there is a vicious point to that. Above a certain point, airports costs are very harsh at a certain level of infrastsructure. Being able to finance infra 9 to 10 could be a very efficient way to BK local companies. Open a small base, schedule 3 Platus, invest a few billions in infra, see the local companies die.

Said another way, it should be possible only up to level 3. Beyond that, the exploit possibilities are faaaaaaaaaaar too big & nasty.

[LemonButt]

You just gotta earn it   My fleet of 82 Cessnas did the trick for me: https://www.airwaysim.com/forum/index.php/topic,85901.0.html

I believe sami has a patch coming already where infra expansion is based on the divergence between infra and traffic levels, so if you have airports that are infra2 and traffic6 (like all my bases) they would actually get upgraded automatically instead of having to consume all the slots with ghost flights.

I've made previous posts where small/medium freighters should also be able to carry heavy cargo--heavy doesn't mean oversized and the fact it's denser than light/standard means it actually takes up less room and requires less warehouse space etc.  This would make aircraft like the Cessna Cargomaster viable (currently only light cargo) and also be able to use it's full payload capacity (currently cannot due to volume restrictions since light cargo is so...light).

The other challenge is that there really aren't any medium freighters in the game.  When an airport is stuck at infra1 there really isn't a viable way to serve that demand--even if it's like Toronto City Airport or something in a prime location with tons of demand.  Those airports typically have short runways, so even if they do upgrade you still can't get a big bird in there.

[groundbum2]

I think the original request is still valid, that a player/group of players could find an airport expansion.

in CDB, especially pax CBD, this would allow a smaller airport such as Stansted, to grow much bigger and be a rival to Heathrow. Which in CBD would be an interesting option. Midway v ORD for example.

Simon