Like every day, flight simulation developers shared today plenty of news about aircraft and scenery, which will certainly excite many fans of the genre.
Here on Simulation Daily, we post daily roundups on top of our individual news coverage, to provide you with as extensive flight simulation coverage as possible.
Below you can find links to dedicated flight simulation news which were covered in individual articles earlier today.
Without further ado, here is everything else that happened in the Flight Simulation industry today. If you’re interested in gaming news, you can also check out our roundup dedicated to video games for today.
Microsoft Releases Local Legends 18: Westland Scout & Wasp
Today Microsoft released its 18th local legend aircraft for its popular flight simulation software, and it’s actually a pair of helicopter models launched to accompany the recent World Update 17: United Kingdom & Ireland, the Westland Scout and the Westland Wasp.
This beloved family of helicopters designed in the UK is provided on the official marketplace for both PC and Xbox. The price is $14.99.
Each variant includes three liveries. The Scout includes Grey-Green Camo, Black-Green Camo, and Grey colors. The Wasp includes Blue, Grey Camo, and Grey colors.
Su-27 Flanker For Microsoft Flight Simulator Coming Soon
DC Designs has submitted its rendition of the Su-27 Flanker fighter jet for release on the official in-sim marketplace and the store page on Just Flight has also been opened with a €21.95 price.
Below you can read the list of features and liveries available.
Fully native MSFS aircraft
- The aircraft been coded with Microsoft Flight Simulator native ‘Model Behaviors’ animations and built to MSFS operational specifications to minimise issues with future simulator upgrades. All custom cockpit instruments and screens are coded in HTML for native, high-performance display in MSFS
- Authentic cockpit night lighting with brightness controls
- Custom-coded manoeuvring flaps and slats, based on aircraft airspeed and angle of attack
- Fully controllable AoA and G-limiters, allowing for correct-procedure ‘Cobra’ and ‘Tailslide’ manoeuvres
- Numerous external animations including canopy, crew ladders, Foreign Object Damage doors and control surfaces
- The Flanker is fully compliant with Virtual Reality headsets
- Full WWise custom sound set recorded from the real Su-27 Flanker
- Cockpit fully labelled in Cyrillic Russian text, with tooltips in English for ease of use
- Full Interactive Checklist to help the user find their way around the cockpit
- Full operations manual is included
Aircraft systems
- Operational radar system capable of detecting both AI and multiplayer targets with selectable ranges
- Display screens with visual layouts based on the real aircraft’s systems (within the confines of MSFS’ current capability)
- Head-Up Display with authentic layout based on the real Su-27
- Custom-coded, user-controlled ordnance via the simulator Payload Manager, allowing for the live mounting of weapons on hardpoints with active weight increase
Paint schemes
- Bort 305
- Bort 04
- Bort 06
- Bort 51
- Ukrainian Air Force
- Kazakhstan Air Force
- Uzbekistan Air Force
Smiths Falls-Montague and Westport Rideau Lakes Airports Released
NetDesign released two airfields in Eastern Ontario, Canada for the fans of general aviation and bush flying. The first is Smiths Falls-Montague Airport (CYSH), which can be found on Orbx Direct for $10.46.
It comes with the following features:
- 60 different bespoke hangar models matching their real-life counterparts
- Detailed recreation of Smiths Falls Flying Club building, including a dining hall and small museum area
- Detailed hand-crafted ground texture
- High-resolution multi-layer textures that preserve detail up close
- Local wildlife can be spotted, as this is a rural forested area
- Detailed runway textures and custom markings match the real airport
- Accurate static aircraft belonging to the Smiths Falls Flying Club
The second airport is Westport Rideau Lakes (CRL2), and it can be found on Orbx Direct for $5.23.
It includes the following features:
- 6 bespoke buildings/hangar models and several unique scenery objects
- Hand-crafted ground texture and bespoke 3D runway markings
- Starting positions near the flying club building, plus a fictional starting position in the old hangar
- Low-key night lighting to make the airport usable after dark, for more challenge
Jackson Hole Airport for Microsoft Flight Simulator Announced
Dreamflight Studios announced its rendition of Jackson Hole Airport (KJAC) in Wyoming, United States.
For the moment, we have only a single screenshot, which you can see above. The developer promised more images and details at a later time.
Heydar Aliyev International Airport for Microsoft Flight Simulator Announced
AC Scenery announced Heydar Aliyev International Airport (UBB) serving Baku, the busiest airport in Azerbaijan and in the South Caucasus region.
While the developer has shared only some teaser images of untextured 3D models, they mention that the airport is in the final stages of development and will be released soon with the following features.
- Highly Detailed Terminal Buildings: Experience the airport’s unique architecture, with accurate modeling and high-resolution textures that capture the essence of the real terminal.
- Realistic Ground Textures and Markings: From taxiways to runways, all ground textures are rendered with precise detail, including accurate markings and lighting for both day and night operations.
- Dynamic Lighting: Enjoy the immersive experience of dynamic lighting that reacts to time of day and weather conditions, enhancing the realism of your flights.
- Custom Animated Jetways: Watch as jetways move to connect with your aircraft, adding an extra layer of authenticity to your ground operations.
- Enhanced Surroundings: The add-on includes detailed surroundings of the airport, providing a seamless transition from approach to landing.
Marketplace Stars for Microsoft Flight Simulator Released
And now for something a little more peculiar, Parallel 42 released Marketplace Stars, which does exactly what it says on the tin.
The ratings on the marketplace aren’t exactly the best in terms of visibility, and Marketplace Stars changes the color to red, orange, and green, letting you find the better-rated add-ons at a glance.
It’s priced at $2.99 on the developer’s website, promising the following.
- Works in all Marketplace categories.
- Visual Star Ratings: Instantly converts numerical ratings into easy-to-read, colorized stars.
- Enhanced Visibility: Colorized stars stand out against any background, making ratings clear and accessible.
- Efficient Browsing: Quickly spot highly-rated products without the hassle of interpreting ratings.
- Clarity: No more guessing or pausing a scroll to see ratings. Our utility makes it simple and straightforward.
- Improved Experience: Enhance your marketplace browsing with a visually appealing and practical upgrade.
- User-Friendly Design: Simple installation and seamless integration into the Microsoft Flight Simulator marketplace.
- View Colors vs. Ratings Scale
Airbus A350 Detailed and Lockheed T-33 Announced
iniBuilds had a few reveals to share today, including the announcement of its first “Premier Aircraft,” the Lockheed T-33 Jet trainer, created in collaboration with SimWorks Studios and Ace Maker Aviation.
Unlike what many guessed, the Premier Aircraft series will include smaller general aviation aircraft, turboprops, and categories of aircraft that don’t fit the Airliner brand.
The aircraft promises “in-depth, realistic systems simulation” and the release is expected by mid-August.
We also see and hear more about the Airbus A350, which will feature maintenance options and the ability to perform visual inspection of parts like engines and the avionics bay. It’ll also come with dynamic wear and tear that will increase weathering as the aircraft is flown.
The release will include the A350-900 with Trent XWB-84 engines and the A350-1000 with Trent XWB-97. The -900 variant will include both old and new wingtips, as you can read in the dedicated FAQ.
There is also news for X-Plane users, with the re-release of the updated Airbus A300-600R(F) and BelugaST, which were previously removed from sale, delayed to next week due to changes made to the simulator.
We do learn that both planes will have a permanent price drop to £19.99. While the developer intends to do its best to fix game-breaking bugs, they ” won’t be adding new features, or attending to minor grievances that are present in the product.” They also have no plans to develop further products for X-Plane.
if you missed it, you can check out yesterday’s roundup with more flight simulation news.
If you’re new to flight simulation and you’re interested in trying your hand at this wonderful hobby, you can find help in our starting guide, which will be followed by more advanced articles on a weekly basis.