Third-party developers and Microsoft itself had news and releases to share for Microsoft Flight Simulator, including scenery and aircraft aplenty.
We start with Microsoft, which released the City Update 5, which can be downloaded right now for free and will include Zagreb in Croatia, Košice in Slovakia, Cádiz in Spain, Brussels in Belgium, and The Hague in the Netherlands.
On the paid side of things, Microsoft also released its Famous Flyer 8 aircraft, and it's the Cessna T207A Turbo Stationair.
This popular aircraft comes with three versions, standard (with 10 liveries), cargo (with 5 liveries), and skydiving (with five liveries).
It's sold exclusively on the official marketplace for $14.99.
Another release comes from PixelPlanes and Aerosoft, and it's the Breezer Sport ultralight. It's sold on Aerosoft's own store for $23.99.
It includes the following features.
- Realistic and authentic interior and cockpit according to original specifications from Breezer Germany
- Animated glass canopy for opening and closing, including handle animation
- Intrumentation with AS3 Touch
- Simplified RSFlight EMU for display of engine data
- Animated kneeboard with original Breezer checklists
- Animated tablet with additional functions:
- Safety Pin, Pitot Cover, Canopy open/close, Baggage
- Also implemented is a practical checklist that automatically includes all steps for starting the engine
Moving on to an aircraft that has not been released yet but is coming soon, iniBuilds released the first trailer, screenshots, and details about its highly anticipated Airbus A300.
It's confirmed to be coming before the end of 2023. Here's the feature list for launch.
Authentic Systems
- Detailed custom FMS with SIDs, STARs, SEC flight plan, custom VNAV and LNAV, altitude and speed constraints and holds
- Independent FMS with state-of-the-art high-resolution cockpit displays
- Custom system rendition including bespoke hydraulic, electrical, pressurisation and fuel operation including unique A300-600R trim tank functionality
- Cautions and warnings triggered by poor maintenance
- Realistic RNAV and autoland capability modelled
- Unique behavioural characteristics of the A300-600R simulated throughout each system for the most excellent immersive experience
- Extensively tuned flight model to capture A300-600R characteristics including accurate performance; landing and takeoff behaviour
- Accurate rendition of General Electric GE CF6-80C2A1 [Pratt and Whitney PW4158 variant engine coming soon!]
- Custom maintenance functions: Engine oil levels, APU oil level, Hydraulic fluid level, wheel brake wear and tire wear
Outstanding Visual Fidelity
- New and optimized PBR textures up to 8K quality. With performance texture packs available for lower-end systems via iniManager.
- A reworked cockpit 3D model and new exterior of the A300-600R (Passenger) and A300-600RF (Freighter) variants.
- A plethora of Easter eggs and eye candy associated with maintenance options and other abnormal situations. (brake wear indicators, fueling panel, openable APU cowling, openable engine cowlings [GE ONLY], APU Mechanic, visible tire wear, RAT, reactive windshield rain)
- Realistic door arming simulation with emergency slides modelled on passenger variant only.
- A contemporary set of realistic and fictional liveries courtesy of the iniBuilds Painting Team available for free.
Immersive sounds:
- Authentic WWise soundset with full 3D environment using recordings from the real aircraft
- Advanced implementation of sound environments for the exterior, cabin, and cockpit, creating an immersive audio experience.
- Authentically modelled the CF6s "Buzzsaw" sound dynamically balanced depending on N1
Additional features:
- Pre-set cargo loads with visual models (racing team charter, horse stable transport, cargo transport, aero parts, humanitarian charter, postal freight)
- Basic iniBuilds ground handling set (freighter stairs, chocks, ground power unit)
- Feature-rich onboard Electronic Flight Bag (EFB); including Navigraph and SimBrief integration, performance calculators and load manager
- Panel State functionality
- The most critical and important feature of all: Fally Blocks!
We also get a roadmap for updates.
- Version 1.0 product release before the end of 2023 - features list below
- Stage 1 - Hotfix sometime in January 2024. We will submit the iniBuilds A300-600 for PC and an optimized Xbox version in January too.
- Stage 2 - Pratt & Whitney Engine variant added free of charge along with full CPDLC/ACARS simulation (the modern radio unit option) and another host of bug fixes and improvements - target is Q1 2024.
- Stage 3 - EPIC Mod variant (paid expansion) sometime late 2024.
You can enjoy the screenshots and trailer below.
Moving on to an aircraft that is further out in the future, Blue Bird Simulations released a brief video about the Boeing 757.
While it won't come in 2023 and no release window has been announced, the developer confirmed that this will be a "high-fidelity aircraft by any standard" meant "for the hardcore simmers."
This is a change of plans from the previous goals, which saw the aircraft intended to be a mid-level simulation. That being said, novices will be able to take advantage of extensive documentation to learn to fly it.
As usual, you can count on TechRaptor to deliver daily Microsoft Flight Simulator news, keeping you up to date on the ins and outs of its flourishing add-on industry.
