In today's edition of No Money Mondays, we showcase the works of BullfrogSim's Tucson freeware for MSFS2020. Their rendition of the airport is one of six faithfully recreated regional airports that they've developed for the community on flightsim.to. The real-life counterpart of the airport is the second busiest in Arizona, after Phoenix Sky Harbor. Tucson contains features such as handcrafted buildings, complete taxiway signage, and custom night lighting.

Introduction

Tucson International Airport is a civil-military airport located in the town of Tucson, Arizona. Secondary to only Pheonix Sky Harbor in terms of Arizona passenger traffic, the airport reported 1.7 million passengers in 2020. Having opened in 1919, the airport marked the first municipally owned airport in the United States. Since the airport's founding, numerous airlines have served the city, both domestically and internationally. It also serves a dual purpose as a National Guard base, notably housing F-16s and A-10s. Currently, the airport sees commercial service from a range of air carriers, varying from Alaska Airlines to Sun Country Airlines and beyond. American Airlines holds the largest share in passenger traffic at the airport, as they operate the busiest route, Dallas. 

‍Installation

BullfrogSim's Tucson contains a simple installation procedure. Like other sceneries, the airport requires a drag-and-drop into your MSFS Community file. In order to experience the airport at its total capacity, users must download the free UK2000 object library, Totof aircraft library, and Totof helicopter library. Tucson will utilize approximately 32MB of space on your hard drive, discluding the other libraries.

Disclaimer

It's imperative of me to disclaim that the F-16 screenshot is from the developer. I turned off all MSFS default static/3rd party aircraft to avoid nefarious planes from showing up in the scenery that was not intended to be included in the package. As a consequence of the setting at zero, the F-16s fell victim and disappeared from the ramp. 

Review and Recap

To faithfully review the airport, it's important to contextualize that we're examining a freeware product available for anyone to enjoy in the public space. Alas, let's take a look at the airport. In real life, the singular terminal is unextraordinary, as it doesn't present any unique features as represented by the developers work in the simulator. BullfrogSim did not recreate the interior, but it wasn't necessary in all honesty. Other airport features that received attention were the Tucson Executive Terminal, Atlantic Aviation FBO, aircraft graveyard, and Cessna Hangar. The developer did a fantastic job with the Executive Terminal, as the conspicuous figure is the first sense of Tucson that passengers observe once arriving at the airport. They've even included some palm trees for the extra effect. Continuing onto the massive Atlantic Aviation FBO, the developer ensured that the airport's most relevant FBO was presented reasonably. Bearing the famous Atlantic Aviation logos and signature front entrance, the building could not be mistaken for anything else. Behind the FBO is the Cessna Hangar, which delivers a covered ramp full of Cessna aircraft and a few corporate jets to flex on the single-engine propeller owners. Another landmark characteristic of the airport is its military operations, represented in the airport, with F-16s accompanying the military ramp in their entire space. Last is the aircraft graveyard; airports such as Victorville, Mojave, and Kingman are typically referenced as notable graveyards, but Tucson has its inventory of relics occupying the northwestern side of the airport, which of course, was recreated faithfully by the developer, as aircraft ranging from 737s to 787s are accounted for on the ramp. 

In a rather humble recap, the developer focused on accuracy when upgrading the airport from its default state. Small details such as the Cessna logo on the relatively irrelevant hanger stashed away in the corner of the airport, and the aircraft graveyard resembles quality you'd expect in payware projects. More prominent landmarks such as the Executive Terminals Tower, military ramps, and the General Aviation scene were well articulated in the scenery. 

Strong MSFS Freeware Game

Sceneries such as these are a glamorous reminder of the rapidly developing MSFS2020 freeware game. Every week, the community receives a new gift from developers donating their time to deliver new content for pilots to enjoy. Take a look at flightsim.to and gawk at the number of downloads available if you're new to the scene. 

Conclusion

It's an exciting time in the flight simulation community, as we're showered with great addons for the excellent price of *free*. Aspiring Tucson tourists may download the airport from flightsim.to here.