Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Name: German Airports 4
Item: German Airports 4
Author: Retro Replay

German Airports 4 builds on the familiar foundations of its predecessors by integrating seamlessly into Microsoft Flight Simulator 2002. Installation is straightforward, and once the expansion is activated, you’ll find ten new German airports available directly from the in-sim airport selection menu. The airports are meticulously placed in their real-world coordinates, so flight planning and navigation work exactly as you’d expect with navigational aids and published SIDs/STARs faithfully represented.

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Taxiing and ground maneuvers feel more authentic thanks to support for the AGNIS docking system. Jetways automatically extend to compatible airliners, and you can actually follow the pushback and taxi clearance as if you were at the real airport. Ground vehicles such as follow-me cars, baggage tractors, and fuel trucks patrol their designated lanes, bringing a welcome dose of life to otherwise static apron scenery.

For pilots who like to plan every detail, German Airports 4 includes printable Jeppesen charts embedded in the scenery files. You can load the PDF charts directly from the scenery menu, study approach plates, taxi diagrams, and departure procedures, then fly the exact procedures in-sim. Whether you fly VFR hops along the North Sea coast or file IFR from Frankfurt-Hahn to Berlin-Schönefeld, the flight deck workflow feels natural and comprehensive.

Graphics

Visually, German Airports 4 represents a marked improvement over German Airports 3. All ten airports feature high-resolution ground textures that accurately depict runway markings, taxiway centerlines, and apron edge paint. The seasonal texture swap in winter mode is particularly impressive, with frost patterns, snowbanks along the runways, and realistic runway friction visuals that change dynamically with weather conditions.

Moving docking bridges and animated ground service equipment bring static airport environments to life. Jetways slide smoothly into position, and the smoke effects generated by taxiing jets or idling ground vehicles are subtle but convincing. Even the terminal windows reflect ambient lighting accurately, creating a true sense of depth and atmosphere at each airfield.

Performance remains solid on mid-range systems. Despite the added detail, frame rates hold steady in the 30–40 FPS range under default weather and AI traffic settings. Users on older hardware may need to scale back certain visual options, but the core scenery fidelity remains intact. For simmers running higher resolutions, the quality of textures and 3D models outshines many freeware alternatives without demanding excessive resources.

Story

As an airport collection rather than a narrative-driven title, German Airports 4 doesn’t follow a linear plot. Instead, its “story” unfolds through your own flight adventures across Germany’s diverse aviation landscape. Berlin-Tempelhof’s historic terminals, once a gateway during the Berlin Airlift era, now sit frozen in time but recreated here with remarkable authenticity.

Berlin-Schönefeld’s growing regional operations and the quiet runways of Saarbrücken evoke the pulsing heart of Europe’s mid-sized airports. Each location tells its own piece of aviation history: Westerland/Sylt’s rugged island approach, Maastricht/Aachen’s cross-border charm, and Magdeburg’s lean, business-jet–focused apron all reflect real-world character.

By tracing routes between these airports, you essentially script your own storyline—perhaps flying emergency medevac runs into Braunschweig or tackling challenging crosswinds at Karlsruhe-Baden. The sense of place is bolstered by period-correct signage, accurate radio frequencies, and custom landmark models that give each flight a unique narrative context.

Overall Experience

German Airports 4 stands out as a mature, polished expansion that delivers tangible value for flight simulator enthusiasts. Its ten detailed airports cover a broad spectrum of German aviation, from historic hubs to sleepy regional fields, offering a wealth of new destinations to explore. For those who enjoyed German Airports 3, the improvements in texture fidelity, animated equipment, and winter conditions make this installment feel like a true leap forward.

The reliance on Microsoft Flight Simulator 2002 ensures compatibility with long-standing add-ons and flight planning tools, though it does mean you’ll need to own that base title. Once installed, however, you gain access to an immersive slice of European flying that’s hard to replicate with generic scenery packs. The inclusion of printed Jeppesen charts and AGNIS support underlines the developer’s commitment to authenticity.

Overall, German Airports 4 is an engaging, well-executed offering that caters directly to virtual pilots seeking realistic German operations. Whether you’re a virtual bush pilot seeking remote fields or a procedural flyer who thrives on accuracy, this expansion pack provides a rewarding set of destinations and features that will keep you busy for countless hours of flight sim enjoyment.