Before we move on to the flight simulation news, make sure to check out today’s episode of our “Can You Guess this Airport?” video series.
Without further ado, I leave you with today’s flight simulation news.
TA-4J Skyhawk and F-16A Falcon for MSFS Get Development Updates
Indiafoxtecho provided a development update about two of its upcoming aircraft, which are both still in active development.
First of all, we hear about the TA-4J Skyhawk.
“Very good progress in many areas – the plane is flyable except the navigation system.
We still need to complete the avionics, fix a number of small inaccuracies in the cockpit and complete the cockpit texturing.
We *hope* to have a Beta build sometime in June.”
We also hear about the F-16A Falcon developed in collaboration with Heatblur.
“Good progress on this one too! We have received the final geometry (although textures are still preliminary) and started integrating the avionics and the flight model.
As usual, our friends at Heatblur have delivered an excellent 3D model – it is likely to be the most detailed F-16 model for recreational purposes ever made.
In the best case we’ll have a Beta version by the end of June / early July.”
Lastly, the 2.0 version of the F-35 is also being worked on, with the objective of improving the visuals and optimizing the code. For now, there’s no tentative schedule due to the huge amount of work required, but depending on the timing of the completion of the model, it could be only for MSFS 2024.
Embraer Phenom 300E for MSFS 2024 Gets New Trailer Focusing on Passengers
FSReborn released another trailer of the Embraer Phenom 300E business jet, which is going to be released “very soon” for MSFS 2024.
This video focuses on passenger simulation.
Fokker F100 and F70 for MSFS Gets New Video Showing the Warning Tests
Just Flight released a new video (which can be seen on Facebook) of the upcoming Fokker F100 and F70.
The video shows the Engine Fire, APU Fire, Smoke, ANN (Annunciator), and WARN SYS (Warning Systems) tests. The latter is a very extensive test that has been accurately reproduced in the simulator.
Chengdu Tianfu International Airport Released for MSFS 2024 and MSFS 2020
Chengdu Tianfu International Airport (ZUTF) in China has been released by Celestial Team 2 for both MSFS 2024 and MSFS 2020, and it’s available on Simmarket for $31.39.
It includes the following features.
- PBR Textures
- Dynamic ground service vehicle
- Dynamic figure
- Animated Jetways.
- Dynamic Lights
- Real Ground Markings
- Custom Taxiway Lighting
Jackson Hole Airport Released for X-Plane 12
Dreamflight Studios released Jackson Hole Airport (KJAC) in the United States for X-Plane 12.
It’s available on X-Plane.org for $16.99. It includes the following features.
- Accurate airport recreation developed using real-world airport data
- Highly detailed custom models and high-resolution textures throughout
- Fully modeled terminal and interior spaces for maximum immersion
- Custom ground polygon with realistic pavement wear and markings
- Realistic night lighting for enhanced atmosphere in all conditions
- Static aircraft featuring custom liveries
- Realistic airport clutter including snow removal equipment and service vehicles
- Handcrafted PBR materials and textures
- Detailed parking lots and surrounding airport areas
- Optimized for a smooth and immersive experience
DCS World Gets Development Updates About Iraq and Afghanistan Maps
Eagle Dynamics shared news about the ongoing development of two of the maps for DCS World.
First of all, we hear about Iraq South:
“We are making great strides on the southern region of the DCS: Iraq map that will be available as a separate region or as part of the larger Iraq map. As we continue to create major locations, airbases, and cityscapes, the terrain is becoming increasingly recognizable to DCS pilots.
This will include all or portions of southern Iraq, western Iran, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia.
You can look forward to detailed renditions of Kuwait International Airport, Ali Al-Salem Airport, Jubail naval airport, Ras Al-Mishab airport, Riffa airbase, Sakhir airbase, Sakhir Isa airbase, Shiraz airport, Omidiyah airbase, Al-Udeid airbase, Prince Sultan airbase, and several other important regional airfields. The map will also include the strategically important Kharg Island with its airfield and refinery complexes. We are also adding a host of unique landmarks, including custom-built structures like the Bahrain World Trade Center, NBK Tower, the Kuwait Towers, and Stadium 974. These additions will bring even more regional character and visual authenticity to your missions.
As we move forward, the skyline is filling out with denser urban areas, new industrial zones, military facilities, and iconic landmarks tied to operations from Desert Storm through to present-day scenarios. Our ongoing work on terrain generation, infrastructure, and environmental details will ensure the southern portion of the map becomes a richly detailed and operationally diverse environment for all your DCS missions.
Following the Iraq map expansion to the south, we will then evaluate expanding the Iraq map to the east to include several important Iranian airbases that were critical during the Iran-Iraq War.”
We then hear about Afghanistan North.
“We are also making steady progress on DCS: North Afghanistan, with development underway of key airfields across the northern region. Mazar-i-Sharif International, Kunduz Airport, Fayzabad Airport, and Sheberghan Airfield are all being included. Once complete, these airfields and more will open up a wealth of new mission scenarios and operational opportunities for your northern Afghanistan sorties.
Work continues on the Mary International Airport and the neighboring Mary-2 Airbase in Turkmenistan, which we discussed previously. These historic airfields served key roles during the Soviet-Afghan War and will no doubt be key locations for DCS missions and campaigns. Our team is focused on refining layouts and infrastructure that will convey the unique atmosphere of these sites to deliver an authentic experience for your missions.
Other areas on the DCS: Afghanistan continue to receive updates and bug fixes and new content like the addition of historic objects and monuments. Examples include the Tajbeg Palace Ruins and the Gardez Forte. The latter is a historical fort that played an important role in the region’s military and cultural history. This improves the detail and immersion of these areas, especially at low-level.
DCS: Afghanistan is also our testbed for our newest improvements in map optimization technology that is designed to reduce installation sizes without sacrificing the image quality. We heard and listened, as this becomes one of your biggest concerns as the footprint of your DCS install grows. We will have more details on these improvements in an upcoming DCS Newsletter.”
If you’d like to read more flight simulation news, you can find plenty in our previous roundup article from yesterday.
If you want to go further back, we have a handy overview video of the major flight simulation news in the past week. You can watch it below. As usual, leaving a like and a comment and subscribing to our growing YouTube channel is extremely helpful.
