Review: From Gate to Catwalk… Airport Milano Malpensa MSFS

This review, written by Bert Groner, discusses David Rosenfeld’s release of the Milano Malpensa International Airport for MSFS 2020. This is Rosenfeld’s third rendition of the airport, following versions for FS X and Prepar3D (2016 and 2018) and X-Plane 11 and 12 (2022). The MSFS 2020 version was released in early December 2024 through Aerosoft.

About Milan and its Airports

Milan, with approximately 1.5 million inhabitants, is Italy’s second-largest city after Rome. It’s located in the Lombardy region, northwest of the Po River. Milan is a major center for media, culture, fashion, universities, trade fairs, and transportation.

The Milan area has three airports:

Malpensa (MXP/LIMC): About 40 kilometers northwest of the city center. Since July 11, 2024, it has been officially named “Aeroporto internazionale Milano Malpensa – Silvio Berlusconi” in honor of the late Italian media mogul and politician.
Linate (LIN/LIML): Approximately eight kilometers southeast of the city center.
Bergamo (BGY/LIME): Situated around 50 kilometers northeast of Milan, often used by budget airlines.

Milano Malpensa Airport Details

Malpensa has two parallel asphalt runways (17L/35R and 17R/35L), each 3,920 meters long and 60 meters wide, spaced 400 meters apart (precluding simultaneous parallel operations).

ILS (Instrument Landing System) Information:
- 17L: CAT I, IMSL, 110.75 MHz, 166 Degrees
- 35L: CAT IIIb, IMA, 109.10 MHz, 346 Degrees
- 35R: CAT IIIb, MLP, 109.90 MHz, 346 Degrees
Lighting: The review details the presence or absence of various approach lighting systems (CALVERT, ALSF-II, HIALS-II), PAPI (Precision Approach Path Indicator) and REIL (Runway End Identifier Lights) for each runway.
All runways support RNP (Required Navigation Performance) procedures. The MALPENSA MMP Doppler-VOR/DME (113.55 MHz) can be used for approaches to runways 17L and 35L/R.
The runways are temporarily closed multiple times a day for short periods (17L/35R from 5:15-5:30, 11:15-11:30, 17:45-18:00 and 17R/35L from 5:35-5:50, 11:35-11:50, 18:05-18:20). There are also “First Day” and “Second Day” departure schemes from 35L/R, as shown in LIDO charts, primarily for noise abatement.

The airport has two terminals:

Terminal 1: Features satellites A, B, and C.
- Satellite C: 4-position gates, 6 with jetways and 6 remote stands.
- Satellite B: 5-position gates, 10 with jetways and 9 remote stands.
- Satellite A: 6-position gates, 10 with jetways and 17 remote stands.
Terminal 2: The older terminal, used exclusively by Easyjet, with 17 stands without jetways and 25 remote stands. A shuttle bus connects the two terminals.

The airport www.milanomalpensa-airport.com is connected to the SS336 highway and the Milano Express train to Cadorna station. Buses also run from Milano Centrale station.

Apron Parking Positions:

Terminal 1: Satellites C, B, and A have a mix of jetway-equipped and remote parking positions.
Terminal 2: All parking positions are without jetways.
Cargo: 49 positions

2023 Statistics (according to Assaeroporti):

Passengers: 1,962,594
Flight Movements: 15,852
Cargo Tonnage: 58,885

Previous Add-ons for LIMC:

Milano Malpensa X by David Rosenfeld (Aerosoft, 2016) for FS X, FSX:SE and P3D v3
Milano Malpensa Professional by David Rosenfeld (Aerosoft, 2018) for P3D v4
Airport Milano Malpensa by David Rosenfeld and Windsock Simulation (Aerosoft, 2022) for X-Plane 11 and 12
BMA Milano Malpensa LIMC v1.0 MSFS by Barelli (SIMMARKET, June 2024) – Not tested in the review.

David Rosenfeld’s MSFS 2020 Version

Developer David Rosenfeld, known for his Tel Aviv airport sceneries, released the MSFS 2020 version of Malpensa in late November 2024, reflecting the current airport layout. A free update for MSFS 2024 is planned for owners of the 2020 version.

The add-on features:

Optional Aerosoft VDGS or FSDreamTeam’s GSX Pro for visual docking guidance.
Animated jetways, trains, and ground traffic.
Detailed representation of Terminals, the Tower, the airport power plant, the three fire stations, and the cargo area.
The “Centrale termoelettrica di Turbigo” (a power plant about 12 kilometers south of the airport) is also modeled.

The ground textures are generally well done, except for overly bright red markings. The airport blends seamlessly into the surrounding environment, although the road ends on the landside appear slightly too sharp. The terminal interiors and the tower are furnished. The night lighting is adequate. Performance is good, even with AI traffic.

Initial Release Issues and Updates

The initial release had issues with low-resolution textures on the buildings. However, David Rosenfeld released update v1.0.1 shortly before Christmas 2024, which included the following changes:

Airport Infrastructure Changes:
- Reworked AFCAD parking layout and adjusted parking radius
- Added airline codes to parking layout for improved AI traffic compatibility
- Added missing jetway bridges connecting Emirates lounge to gates 495 and 499
- Added missing beacon light on “Centrale termoelettrica di Turbigo”
- Removed blue edge taxiway lights to match real-world configuration
- Adjusted runway touchdown zone (TDZ) markings and lighting systems
- Added missing beacon light on the control tower, radar stations and terminal buildings
- Control tower modeling and texture adjustments to reflect real world status
- Added missing fuel farm at the north-east part of the airport
- Terminal 2 apron modeling and texture adjustments to reflect real world status
Visual and Asset Improvements:
- Added missing ground vehicles around the airport vicinity
- Remove ground vehicles on specific locations to avoid conflict with the official GSX profile
- Taxi lines corrections on various places to avoid collision with static elements
- Implemented various minor model and texture fixes throughout the airport
System and Configuration Updates:
- Added Configurator with option to toggle between Aerosoft VDGS and GSX VDGS
- Integrated official GSX profiles supporting both Aerosoft and GSX VDGS

A further update, v1.0.2, was released to address missing localizer antennas, improve Terminal 2 textures and parking, and fix other issues:

Terminal 2 modelling and texture enhancements
Parking lots modelling and texture enhancements
Added missing localizer antennas for all runways
Train tunnel improvements
General improvements and fixes

The AgustaWestland helicopter factory, located just east of the airport, is not included in the scenery.

Conclusion

Actually, given the ongoing impact of the brutal Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, with over 1,200 deaths and several hundred kidnapped hostages, I wouldn’t have expected David Rosenfeld to have the “headspace” for scenery design. Fortunately for us virtual pilots, he did: With Milan-Malpensa, he has meaningfully increased the density of Italian airports in MSFS 2020. After the scenery’s suboptimal start, the bottom line is that after the two updates, a worthwhile airport to see and acquire has emerged, and no one will go wrong with its purchase.

Bert Groner