Third-party developers shared news about upcoming Microsoft Flight Simulator add-ons, while a few airports have been released.
We start with DC Designs, that provided a development update and new images about its upcoming F-4 Phantom. Interestingly, the developer has been working on restoring cosmetic weapons on aircraft purchased on the official marketplace, which for unfathomable (and never satisfactorily explained) reasons prohibits any depiction of ordinance.
The message below is actually outdated by a few hours and the developer has been successful in its effort, having made the mode available on its Discord server. If you have purchased a DC Designs aircraft on the official marketplace and want it to carry cosmetic weapons, you may want to go take a look. It's worth mentioning that this is only for PC and it remains impossible on Xbox.
"This week I have been focused on the Phantom’s fairly unique carrier-launch oleo-gear extension animations, and the code that is required to go with them. To make things more complicated, the F4-J and F4-K ( UK ) variants had oleo gear that extended to differing lengths, requiring different code. To make things even worse, the cockpit camera doesn’t follow the custom animations, so currently I’m experimenting with different sim variables in order to get everything to work together so that WASM is not required. I want to stay away from WASM as although it’s now coming to Xbox, it seems that it is causing issues with airplanes, so if I can produce the correct animations without it, I prefer to do so.
The good news is that those custom animations are among the last tasks on the exterior model, freeing up more time for the interior cockpit work to continue. CodenameJack is also working on flight model improvements, although the flight model is already sublime in the Phantom, so these further adjustments are just the icing on the cake of an already great representation of the aircraft. Livery textures so far are all just fairly straight colours to show the differing variants- the real artistry is underway by Novawing24 at the moment and will be shared once there is something to show.
I have also been hard at work on an add-on that will restore weapons to aircraft purchased from the Marketplace for PC. While Xbox purchases cannot be modified in this way, PC versions can. I am testing this process at the moment, but if it works well all the jets will be provided with a similar mod that will be made available as freeware. I’m hoping to have this work done fairly soon, so watch this space as I will announce it here should I be successful."
Next, Drzewiecki Design shared new screenshots of its upcoming Tallinn Airport (EETN) serving the capital of Estonia. The airport doesn't have a release date just yet.
If you're among those disappointed by the recent release of a rather poor Mumbai Airport, work continues on MSK Productions' rendition of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (VABB) in India. This one looks a lot more promising and will come to both PC and Xbox.
Moving on to releases, Orbx launched Bern Airport (LSZB). It's currently available on Orbx Direct for $12.85.
It comes with the following features:
- Detailed modelling throughout
- Custom ortho/projected mesh
- Static helicopters and GA aircraft
- Crisp 4k & 2k textures with PBR
- By Massimiliano Addante
Another release comes from Double T, and it's Sacramento International Airport (KSMF) in the US. It's currently available on Simmarket for $19.08 plus applicable VAT.
- Hand made and detailed PBR ground markings and textures according to the most recent airport situation.
- Hand made, Realistic terminals, cargo buildings airport buildings using MSFS PBR materials.
- Realistic airport lighting.
- Taxiways, aprons, runways sloped using the native MSFS system
- Optimized for performance to be used on most types of systems.
- Custom jetways
Lastly, dudulimavasc released Brigadeiro Antônio Cabral Airport (SNDV) serving Divinópolis, Brazil. It's currently available on Simmarket for $5.30 plus applicable VAT.
Microsoft Flight Simulator is currently available for PC, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox Cloud Gaming, including Game Pass. If you'd like to learn more, you should stay tuned on TechRaptor as we host daily Microsoft Flight Simulator news to keep you updated on the many add-ons coming and released for the sim. We have also recently reviewed Orbx's Oslo Gardermoen Airport.
