The primary utility of FSDG’s LGTS lies in its geographical and operational accuracy. The real-world airport is known for its challenging approach—situated close to the city center and the Thermaic Gulf, with terrain rising to the north. FSDG captures this essence well. The add-on features a custom rendition of the terminal, control tower, and hangars, moving away from the generic, auto-generated buildings of default FSX/P3D. For the virtual airline pilot or the general aviation enthusiast, the inclusion of detailed ground markings, accurate gate assignments, and night lighting (including dynamic lights for P3D v4+) transforms LGTS from a simple strip of asphalt into a living airport.
In the world of flight simulation, few things enhance immersion more than a meticulously crafted airport environment. For virtual pilots flying in Greece, the city of Thessaloniki and its "Makedonia" Airport (LGTS) have long been a point of interest—a bustling hub connecting the Balkans to the rest of Europe. The development team FSDG (Flight Simulation Design Group) has sought to fill this gap with their rendition of LGTS, specifically designed for the legacy platforms of Microsoft Flight Simulator X (FSX) and Lockheed Martin’s Prepar3D (P3D). This essay evaluates the utility, strengths, and limitations of the FSDG – Thessaloniki LGTS package, arguing that while it is a solid product for its target platforms, its real value depends heavily on the user’s hardware and willingness to manage a legacy simulator. -FSX P3D- FSDG - Thessaloniki LGTS
One of the most useful aspects of this product is its dual compatibility. Many flight simmers have not fully transitioned to MSFS 2020, either due to hardware limitations or a deep investment in FSX/P3D add-ons. FSDG explicitly designed LGTS to work across both platforms via a single installer. For a user running FSX: Steam Edition on a laptop, this scenery provides a significant visual upgrade without demanding a modern GPU. For a user on P3D v5, it offers a taste of modernized regional traffic. However, it is crucial to note that the product is not "native" to P3D’s advanced shaders; it is an FSX-era design ported forward. While functional, it lacks the PBR (Physically Based Rendering) materials found in newer, P3D-native sceneries, meaning it can look slightly flat compared to top-tier contemporary add-ons. The primary utility of FSDG’s LGTS lies in
No essay on a utility product is complete without a balanced critique. The most significant limitation of FSDG’s Thessaloniki is its age. The airport has undergone real-world renovations since the scenery’s release; certain taxiway layouts or apron expansions may not be reflected. Additionally, the surrounding city of Thessaloniki receives only basic autogen enhancements. If a pilot expects a fully modeled city center with the White Tower and Ano Poli in 3D, they will be disappointed. The scenery focuses narrowly on the airport boundary. The add-on features a custom rendition of the
Furthermore, FSDG has historically been praised for optimizing its scenery for performance—a critical factor for FSX and P3D, which are notoriously CPU-bound. The Thessaloniki scenery uses efficient texture mapping and LOD (Level of Detail) management, allowing pilots with mid-range systems to maintain acceptable frame rates even with AI traffic enabled. The inclusion of seasonal textures and compatibility with vector data (such as FS Global Ultimate) demonstrates a respect for the platform’s ecosystem.
Another practical issue is compatibility with AI traffic add-ons (like Ultimate Traffic Live or AIG). Some users have reported misaligned AI parking spots or jetways that do not animate perfectly with third-party software. While not a deal-breaker, it requires manual tweaking of AFCAD files for the perfectionist.