Flight Simulation is an incredibly lively area of gaming, with extensive add-ons released almost every day and so much news to share that it would be impossible to cover them all individually.
As such, here on Simulation Daily, we’ll post a daily roundup on top of our individual news coverage, to provide you with as extensive flight simulation coverage as possible.
If you’re interested in gaming news, you can also check out our roundup dedicated to general video games for today.
Tokyo Haneda International Airport for Microsoft Flight Simulator Gets New Screenshots
We start with the Japanese developer Technobrain, which released brand new screenshots of its Tokyo Haneda International Airport (RJTT), which has been in development for over a year after its announcement in May 2023.
Considering that it’s one of my favorite airports and I visit it regularly, I can say that the level of detail is impressive. I’ve been on these observation decks many times, and they feel extremely familiar, worthy of the quality Technobrain is known for.
At the moment, we still don’t have a release date for this airport.
Warsaw Chopin Airport for Microsoft Flight Simulator Showcased in New Screenshots
Drzewiecki Design is another developer known for its uncompromising quality, and we can certainly expect them to put in their best effort for their Polish home hub Warsaw Chopin Airport (EPWA), which has been in development for a while.
We don’t yet have a specific release window, but the update provided by the developer shows great visuals already.
Maastricht Aachen Airport for Microsoft Flight Simulator Gets New Images and Coming “Very Soon”
ST Simulations revealed new screenshots of its upcoming Maastricht Aachen Airport (EHBK) in the Netherlands.
According to the developer, the airport is coming “very soon,” so the wait for this rendition of the major Dutch cargo hub shouldn’t be too long.
Indiafoxtecho Shares Toy Projects, Ideas, and Failures
Italian developer Indiafoxtecho shared an interesting post on its Facebook Page detailing some of its more niche projects, including some that may never see the light.
We start with the ITS Cavour and the Italian navy package, which will include the ITS Cavour carrier, FREMM frigates, the Amerigo Vespucci, and possibly other ships.
Unfortunately, the project has suffered from the lack of good commercial models to use as a base, and requires extensive reworking by the developer, especially since they don’t expect it to sell like hotcakes. The Cavour is almost complete but textures and models need some work. The model of the AgustaWestland AW101 is also being remade.
As for the British Navy, both Queen Elizabeth and Prince of Wales are completed, as well as the Type 26 frigate and Type 45 destroyer models. Yet, the developer doesn’t expect it to sell much compared to the effort and maintenance required due to an existing competing package based on the same 3D models.
Unfortunately, these packages are also affected by the fact that Microsoft forbids weapons on ship models sold on the official marketplace, which requires additional maintenance for two different versions, unarmed for the official marketplace and armed for other stores.
The Ansaldo S.V.A. has unfortunately stalled due to the lack of documentation and flight manuals, making its completion nearly impossible.
The Macchi-Castoldi M.C.72 seaplane also stalled due to the fact that the developer tried to involve several groups that are restoring the engine and airframe, but either they weren’t interested or did not reply. Indiafoxtecho might try completing this one down the line when they have time.
Last, but not least, the developer has been playing around with a Space Shuttle model. The scope of this project was a high-quality 3D model to be used as a “virtual museum” on top of a system simulation good enough to simulate the re-entry phase, including a landing challenge.
Unfortunately, the simulator has a maximum hardcoded altitude of 275,000 feet, and the developer believes that at very high altitudes the weather engine doesn’t look that good.
Completing this project would be a huge amount of work, and Indiafoxtecho isn’t sure the audience for it is big enough to make a profit. Yet, they will continue working on this as a “research” project.
Below you can find links and summaries of more flight simulation news that we posted individually in detail earlier today.
iniBuilds shared a brief teaser video of its Airbus A350 for Microsoft Flight Simulator and teased a “Premier Aircraft” series that will be announced this week, likely focused on airliners. It’ll also release a new scenery tomorrow and it’ll be “great for the summer.”
On top of that, updated versions of the Airbus A300 and Beluga for X-Plane will be released on Thursday, July 25.
Eagle Dynamics also released an update for DCS World, mostly aimed at cleaning up issues that were introduced by the previous patch.
If you’re new to flight simulation and you’re interested in starting out, look no further than our guide, which will bring you along on an ongoing weekly journey from the basics to the flight deck of advanced aircraft.
