Flight Simulation developers shared news today, including aircraft and airports for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 and X-Plane.
Simulation Daily publishes a roundup every day for all the news across the flight simulation field, helping you keep up to date with the ins and outs of the industry.
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.
Below you can also find a flight simulation story that received its own individual coverage.
That being said, before we get to the fun reveals, we have sad news to share.
DCS World Senior Producer Matt “Wags” Wagner Passes Away at 57
Eagle Dynamics announced that DCS World Senior Producer Matt “Wags” Wagner has passed away on September 7, following a battle with cancer. He was 57.
Wags was a legend among the flight simulation community, having worked at Eagle Dynamics for over two decades. He was especially well-known for his many videos in which he introduced and explained advanced features of upcoming aircraft and avionics for DCS World.
We have reported on his videos many times here on Simulation Daily, and the fact that we won’t hear his familiar “Hey everyone, Wags here from Eagle Dynamics” anymore is heartbreaking.
The community became aware of Wags’ condition in June and rallied en masse to offer support through several initiatives.
We’d like to offer our most heartfelt condolences to Wags’ framily and friends, and his colleagues at Eagle Dynamics. He will be missed.
F-15C Eagle For MSFS 2024 Gets New Screenshots
Blackbird Simulations showcased a couple of work-in-progress screenshots of its upcoming F-15C Eagle.
For now, we know that the developer would like to release the aircraft this year but can’t make promises. It’ll be only for MSFS 2024 and should also come to consoles.
Airbus A380 for MSFS 2024 Gets Tons of Screenshots and Details Ahead of Release
iniBuilds opened the store page for the Airbus A380, including a large gallery of screenshots, which you can enjoy above ahead of the aircraft’s release next week on the official MSFS 2024 marketplace.
We also get plenty of details.
Systems
- Persistent aircraft-state simulation, retaining fuel quantities, switch positions and system conditions between simulator sessions.
- Fully simulated potable-water and waste systems, including consumption, accumulation and ground servicing across multiple sectors.
- Independent Display Unit management, allowing pop-up displays and interchangeable cockpit screens to operate separately.
- Authentic Brake to Vacate (BTV) functionality, providing predicted runway-exit performance and automatic turnaround-time calculations.
- Refined PRIM and fly-by-wire logic, featuring realistic response delays, improved stability and dedicated A380 rotation laws.
- Detailed Vertical Situation Display (VSD), presenting terrain, flight path and altitude constraints to support descent planning.
- Advanced weather-radar simulation with adjustable tilt and azimuth controls.
- Dynamic fuel-temperature simulation across individual tanks, including ECAM indications when operating limits are exceeded.
- Comprehensive landing-gear simulation, including functional body-gear steering and MSFS 2024 suspension modelling.
- ATA-organised failure system covering engine fuel leaks, gradual pressurisation leaks and individual Display Unit failures.
- Configurable failure scheduling, allowing faults to occur immediately or randomly during flight.
- Selectable Early-MSN and Modern-MSN configurations with era-appropriate FMS capabilities, flight-guidance logic, protections and procedures.
- Distinct Trent 900 and GP7200 engine simulations with individual start behaviour, spool dynamics, thrust response and cockpit indications.
- GSX integration connecting aircraft systems with ground services, including potable-water and waste servicing.
Visuals
- Extensively detailed exterior model with refined geometry across the belly and lower fuselage.
- Highly detailed wings with individually modelled control surfaces, spoilers and associated moving components.
- Dedicated Trent 900 and GP7200 engine models, accurately representing the external characteristics of each powerplant.
- Fully modelled engine interiors for both available engine options.
- Detailed recreation of the A380’s multi-bogie landing-gear arrangement.
- Interactive MSFS 2024 Walkaround features with animated air-conditioning hatches, ground-power connections, APU access and servicing panels.
Sounds
- Individually developed sound profiles for the Rolls-Royce Trent 900 and Engine Alliance GP7200.
- Engine-specific start-up and shutdown sound characteristics matched to the selected powerplant.
- Dynamic engine audio reflecting differences in spool behaviour, thrust response and engine architecture.
- Fully integrated optional RAAS voice callouts supporting runway awareness during taxi, departure and arrival.
- Engine audio changes automatically with the selected Trent 900 or GP7200 variant, remaining accurately paired with its visual model and systems behaviour.
- Responsive engine sound behaviour reflecting changes in thrust demand and simulated spool state.
Art & Effects
- Custom dynamic wing flex responding to aerodynamic forces, aircraft weight, turbulence and manoeuvring loads.
- Control-surface and spoiler animations that follow the changing shape of the wing.
- Progressive landing-gear compression and independent bogie movement as aircraft weight transfers during touchdown.
- Detailed tyre and wheel water-spray effects when operating on wet surfaces.
- Custom engine water spray, reverse-thrust effects and atmospheric engine vortices.
- Bespoke heat-blur effects for all four engines and the APU.
- Custom in-flight contrails and visible fuel-jettison effects.
- Visual abnormal-event effects, including engine flames, smoke, tail-strike sparks and visible hull damage.
EFB/OIT
- Integrated take-off performance calculator providing V-speeds, FLEX temperature and stop margins based on aircraft weight, configuration, runway conditions and weather.
- Full support for intersection departures, automatically accounting for reduced take-off distance.
- Integrated NSS Avionics domain with switching between avionics and Flight Operations functions.
- Dedicated NSS inbox for receiving and reviewing AOC communications.
- Expanded crew-identification and operating-status fields.
- Improved chart searching with pagination controls and support for multi-page Lido charts.
- Streamlined numeric entry through familiar numpad-style keyboards across NSS Avionics and Flight Operations.
- Centralised Notification Centre for aircraft and EFB messages, including GSX notifications and ground-service status.
Dubai Airport V2 Released for MSFS 2024
iniBuilds released Dubai International Airport (OMDB) v2 in the United Arab Emirates for MSFS 2024.
It’s available on the developer’s own store for $21.64 incliuding the following features.
- Redeveloped from the ground up for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, featuring extensive updates to modeling, textures, interiors, lighting, and the wider airport environment
- Completely overhauled Concourses A, B, and C with updated exterior modeling and brand-new, highly detailed interiors throughout
- Refined and improved D Gates area, featuring enhancements to the existing terminal and passenger spaces
- Upgraded terminal geometry and materials, bringing true-to-life depth to building façades, roof structures, glass surfaces, and gate environments
- Enhanced ATC tower featuring improved modeling, updated artwork, and intricate surface detailing
- Hand-made, high-definition airside and landside ground polygons with crisp, bespoke texture sets built to the latest MSFS standards
- Custom terrain implementation for a highly accurate representation of the airport’s topography
- Full integration of the custom iniBuilds Multi-Jetway System for authentic widebody turnaround operations
- Fully functional, custom-built ILS approaches
- Overhauled airfield detailing, custom ground clutter, and meticulously updated surrounding service areas
- Accurately modeled and positioned dynamic airport lighting completely overhauled across both interior and exterior spaces
- Expanded true-to-life landside recreation, including an extended metro line, updated Emirates car parks, and headquarters
- Highly detailed surrounding road network updates, featuring custom underpasses and elevated roads
- Brand-new custom modeling of the mosque located within the Terminal 3 parking area, alongside new and improved auxiliary airport buildings scattered throughout the scenery
The update comes at no additional cost for those who already own Dubai International Enhanced Edition for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024.
Ancona Airport Released for X-Plane 12
Skybound Studios released Ancona Falconara Airport (LIPY) in Italy.
It’s available on Simmarket for $23.05.
It includes the following features.
- Custom Airport & Surrounding Models
Features structural modeling by Lucio Barelli covering the main terminal, hangars, and almost all surrounding landside buildings. - Custom Railway & Terrain Details
Includes hand-crafted terrain work incorporating the adjacent train lines and surrounding landscape contours without requiring custom mesh plugins. - Animated Apron & Road Traffic
Animated service vehicles around the apron powered by Living Scenery Technology (LST), plus moving traffic on surrounding airport roads. - Rich 3D Vegetation & Clutter
Dense placement of 3D trees and realistic foliage around the airport boundary, along with detailed ground equipment across the ramps. - Realistic Ground Surfaces
High-detail ground textures showing realistic concrete wear, runway tire rubber marks, and authentic weathering across aprons and taxiways. - Full X-Plane 12 Environment Support
Designed for X-Plane 12’s atmospheric effects, featuring realistic night lighting, dynamic rain puddle reflections, and smooth performance.
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.
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