In the meantime, X-Plane 12 users can take advantage of a new incremental beta patch to optimize their experience.
Interestingly, we have an announcement of our own to make. On October 26, between 19:00 and 20:30 UTC, we will be part of a panel hosted by the Flight Simulation Association titled What to Expect from MSFS 2024.
The panel will include journalists and content creators who tested the new simulator and will discuss the ins and outs of what we saw.
Without further ado, I leave you with the news. Of course, we also have a recap for general gaming news if you’re interested.
Gold Coast Landmarks Released for Microsoft Flight Simulator
Orbx has released its Gold Coast Landmarks package, significantly enriching the Australian location.
It’s available on Orbx Direct for $15.72 with the following features.
- Over 42 custom buildings and structures
- Animated power and sailboats along the coast
- Emissive textures on all buildings for dazzling nighttime flying across the city
- Marinas with static boats
- Perfectly pairs together with our YBCG Gold Coast Airport for Microsoft Flight Simulator
- Includes the Gold Coast University Hospital with a landable helipad
- Made for use with World Update 7 Australia’s Gold Coast photogrammetry
- Precise placement of our custom landmarks within the city’s photogrammetry coverage
If you’d like to grab both the landmarks and the local airport (YBGC), a bundle is available priced at $22.83, which is a net 30% discount on the total price.
TL Ultralight TL-3000 Sirius Released for Microsoft Flight Simulator
FSReborn released the TL Ultralight TL-3000 Sirius which has been teased for quite a while. The aircraft is available only on the official marketplace (at least for now) for both PC and Xbox priced at $24.99.
It comes with the following perks.
- Realistic night lighting, exterior lighting, and ambient lighting inside the cabin.
- CFD (Computation Fluid Dynamics) and new MSFS prop physics fully implemented into the flight model.
- Realistic flight model tested by TL3000 pilots.
- MSFS rain and icing effects included.
- Highly accurate 3D models and animations.
- Opening doors.
- Full custom engine carburetor physics modeled, this includes choke behavior due to ambient + engine temperature, inverted flight consequences, and many other real-world behaviors.
- Full custom-coded checklist as per original aircraft POH(Pilot Operational Handbook) with interactive co-pilot.
- Tablet EFB to operate many options of the aircraft, including fuel, weight, chocks, pitot tube cover, tire pressure, brake pads, battery charge, engine maintenance, lighting bulbs, and many more.
- Custom maintenance module (via the EFB) which manages wear and tear to many components of the aircraft alongside realistic behaviors, failures, and consequences in your flight such as engine failures, brake failures, electrical failures, tire’s air pressure, and many others real-world circumstances encountered by real pilots.
- BRS (Ballistic Rescue System also known as CAPS) fully implemented and operational, designed with custom physics and flight models. This is the seconds aircraft in MSFS capable of bringing this technology and experience to users. The 1st was Sting S4 by FSReborn :).
- Full GTN750 integration (PMS50) or TDS (Requires a mod by TDS).
- 4K highly detailed PBR textures for the best immersion experience possible.
- 10 liveries included.
- All Sounds Recorded from a real aircraft TL3000
PMDG Boeing 777 Freighter for Microsoft Flight Simulator Is in Beta, Expected Release Before the End of October
PMDG announced that its freighter version of the Boeing 777 is currently in beta testing, with a few gameplay items related to cargo that still need to be improved,.
As such, the developer now expects to release the aircraft before the end of October.
In the meanwhile, the 777-300ER received a much-awaited update. You can read the full patch notes on the developer’s forums.
X-Plane 12 Gets New Beta Update
Laminar Research released the third release candidate patch 12.1.2 for X-Plane 12, including a setting to disable boats in the scenery. It also comes with the following fixes and enhancements.
- Fixed various replay crashes
- Removed forced aspect ratio for avionics pop out screens (XPD-16003)
- Improved performance of boats
- Changing the World Objects Density will now immediately have an effect on the number of boats displayed
- Increased visibility of smaller boats and sailing ships
If you’d like to get into flight simulation but you’re perhaps a bit intimidated by its apparent complexity, you can read our introductory guide, alongside the second episode focusing on installing add-ons, and another showcasing the basic instruments.
You can also read more flight simulation news in the previous roundup article.