FS9 and FSX both have a limitation of 255 maximum parking stands per airport, and at O'Hare we hit that limit. The BGLCOMP, which is the official tool to compile AFCAD, will simply refuse to compile a file with more than 255 parkings. AFCAD allows >255 parkings, but we think this might create issues in the sim, so we prefer to play safe, at least in our supplied AFCADs.
That statement is not accurate as per FS9/FSX and I beg to differ
I am not going to address the Gate issues as far as what is missing and what is there but there are other areas that do need fixing.
FS9/FSX does not have a limitation of 255 maximum parking stands per airport. The BGLComp compiler and the .xsd will not allow more then 255 parking stands that have a ICAO airline code embedded within the parking spot. This does not stop any other parking code from compiling.
The newest version AFCAD posted for KORD only has 192 Airline coded parking spots which means you still have 63 available that you could have used.
After you meet the 255 max airline parking then you can continue with all the non coded parking. I have many airports like KATL with 300 + parking spots and compiles just fine with the FS9/FSX compiler.
What I fine very interesting is your need to add as many as 30 ICAO airline codes to one single parking spot.
<TaxiwayParking
index="160"
lat="41.9738261774182"
lon="-87.8921744227409"
heading="61.9930000305176"
radius="47.0M"
type="RAMP_GA"
name="GATE_M"
number="9"
airlineCodes="AFR, AIC, ANA, AZA, AAR, AUA, BMA,
BAW, CAL, CCA, CPA, DLH, EIN, IBE, JAL,
KLM, MPH, KAC, KAL, LOT, MXA, PIA, QFA, RJA,
SAS, SIA, SWR, TAI, THY, VIR"
pushBack="BOTH"/>
FS uses many scoring algorithms for runway selection and parking. In the airport file parking spot properties - a parking code match in the first position (AFR) has a very high score value, the second position (AIC) a lower value, and so on. By the fifth code (AAR) in the parking spot properties the parking code has such a low value that other criteria scores higher for parking and FS goes looking down the XML parking list rather then across the XML list. This causes a severe cascading affect if you do not have more overflow parking available (greater the 255 parking at KORD). You will find many post over the years (since FS9 released) that tells designers that more then 5 ICAO Airline codes in a single parking spot destroys the proper score order and placement of a AI plane regardless if it taxis into the airport parking spot or spawns in the parking spot.
There are other major issues with your most current "official" release.
There is no vehicle traffic road network in combination with the taxiway network. That places all the support vehicles you are generating with certain type parking spots onto all taxiways which interfer with the AI Airplanes when trying to taxi and the User Plane Crashes (resets) when they run into one of these support vehicles if they have Crash Realistic Settings on. Because no vehicle path network exist some of the FSX ground support equipment is also crossing the active runways and any User Plane landing will crash into them and reset FSX. Not something I want after a long overseas flight.
All those Fuel Trucks in a nice side by side line do nothing. FSX will only use one so it is very important to space Fuel Trucks in various locations around large airports. A large airport such as KORD needs a minimum of 20 Fuel Trucks so the User wait time is minimum and AI Planes do not disappear waiting for a Fuel Truck based on FP times.
The taxiway network segmentation that keeps the AI Planes and the User plane flowing properly from and to a Runway as per ATC has been completely removed from your current "official" release.
A, A as per the default taxiway network structure was A-4 and A-48. You now have A-92 and A-0
The 3 E's per the default network were E-1, E-9, E-5 which you eliminated and now have E-36, E-0, E-0. There is a lot more to making a airport look good as a 3rd party Design Group but what good is it if you destroy the basic fundamental FSX code that makes the airport work properly.
RWY 14L has been shortened to less then 9000 ft (default 10,005ft) and a displaced threshold added. The Glide Slope antenna was not moved so now the Glide Path that intersects the runway is on the Blastpad that has all the Chevron lines.
You added many fake runways (in the runway list) to activate the crosswind runway technique but failed to assign a FSX default runway as the deciding wind direction runway. However it is probably a good thing the Crosswind Runway Technique is not working since they are 95NM from KORD sitting in Lake Michigan instead of the North Pole where they are suppose to be. At 95NM which is inside the Visual AI Zone Sectors for KORD you would have a real headace on your hands with all those UAL trying to land in Lake Michigan.
Many Users do not find fault with the hard work that you put into making a airport look good but there is also the goal to make the airport work as per the default FSX airport or better then.
Jack