Fix Orbx KATL terrain issues in Microsoft Flight Simulator by removing duplicate scenery, checking Orbx Central and refreshing terrain data.
To fix Orbx KATL terrain issues in Microsoft Flight Simulator, close the sim, update and verify KATL through its installation channel, remove every other KATL or Atlanta-area scenery package, then delete the rolling cache and restart. Sunken runways, terrain walls and floating objects usually indicate duplicate airport data or an overlapping elevation or mesh add-on.
What causes terrain problems at Orbx KATL?
Terrain faults at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport usually come from two packages trying to control the same ground elevation. Airport packages contain flattening, exclusion and elevation data, so even an add-on that appears unrelated can create cliffs or sunken aprons around KATL.
- Sunken or raised runways: competing airport elevations, flatten polygons or outdated scenery data.
- Sharp cliffs around the airport boundary: an Atlanta-area mesh, terrain or photogrammetry package overlapping KATL.
- Floating terminals or ground equipment: an incomplete installation or objects positioned for a different airport elevation.
- Duplicate terminals and taxiway markings: another complete KATL rendition remains active.
- Terrain spikes extending beyond the airport: streamed terrain, rolling-cache corruption or a regional mesh package is more likely than the airport itself.
Our method for isolating duplicate airports and overlapping mesh covers the broader conflict-testing process without relying on unreliable scenery-order changes.
How do I repair Orbx KATL terrain?
- Exit Microsoft Flight Simulator completely. Returning to the main menu does not reliably unload scenery packages. Make changes only after the simulator has closed.
- Confirm the installation channel. On PC, a copy installed through Orbx Central must point to the correct simulator and active library. A Marketplace copy is managed through the simulator's content library instead. Do not keep Marketplace and Orbx Central installations of KATL enabled together.
- Update and verify KATL. Install any update offered through the same channel used for the original installation. In Orbx Central, use the product's verification function if available and check that its Community-folder link is active. Our Orbx Central library and package checks explain how to diagnose broken paths or inactive links.
- Run a KATL-only third-party scenery test. Temporarily move or disable every Community package except Orbx KATL and any dependency explicitly required by it. Include other Atlanta airports, airport enhancement packages, Georgia mesh, photogrammetry and regional terrain products in the disabled group.
- Clear the rolling cache. Open the simulator's data settings, delete the existing rolling cache and recreate it only if you normally use one. Keep online world data enabled while testing; otherwise MSFS may substitute lower-detail terrain that does not match the add-on as intended.
- Restart and test the same location. Use the same runway, parking position and weather conditions so shadows or different spawn points do not confuse the comparison. A complete restart is required after changing packages; see our guidance on properly refreshing installed MSFS scenery.
- Test once without Orbx KATL. Disable KATL, restart the simulator and inspect the stock airport. This establishes whether the malformed terrain belongs to the Orbx package or remains in the base simulator.
- Restore add-ons in small groups. If KATL works alone, reactivate mesh, city scenery and nearby airports one group at a time. Restart between groups. The group that brings the fault back contains the conflict.
How can I tell which package is responsible?
The comparison between a clean KATL installation and the stock airport identifies the responsible layer quickly.
| Test result | Likely cause | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| Stock KATL is correct; Orbx KATL alone is broken | Damaged, outdated or incompatible KATL installation | Perform a clean reinstall through the original installation channel |
| Orbx KATL works alone but breaks after restoring add-ons | Third-party airport, mesh or terrain conflict | Leave the conflicting package disabled or remove its KATL-related component |
| The fault remains with Orbx KATL disabled | Official scenery, streamed terrain or cached data | Refresh online data and verify the simulator's installed content |
| Ground elevation is correct but terminals are duplicated | Two KATL airport renditions are active | Remove one complete rendition rather than changing its priority |
If the runway or apron remains sunk after the duplicate-package test, use our targeted checks for runway elevation and terrain mismatches.
Should I remove the default Microsoft KATL scenery?
Do not delete files manually from the simulator's Official or protected content folders. A properly packaged third-party airport should suppress the stock rendition with exclusions, and manual deletion can be reversed by an update or damage content verification.
If a separate official KATL package appears in the simulator's content manager, disabling it temporarily is a useful controlled test. Restore it if removing it makes no difference. Trying to force two complete airport packages into a preferred order is not a dependable fix because their elevation and exclusion data can still interact.
When is a clean reinstall necessary?
Reinstall Orbx KATL when the stock airport is correct but KATL remains malformed with every other third-party package disabled. Uninstall it through Orbx Central or the in-simulator content manager, confirm that no second KATL package or abandoned Community-folder link remains, then reinstall it through one channel only.
For Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, use only a KATL build offered for that simulator by the installation channel. Do not manually copy an MSFS 2020 installation into the MSFS 2024 Community folder unless the package is explicitly supplied as compatible; airport elevation handling and package dependencies may differ.