Today in Flight Simulation News – December 17, 2025

Flight Simulation developers shared news today, including aircraft and more for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 and MSFS 2020.

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 with the news, below you can find a couple of stories that received their own individual coverage.

• Fokker 100 and 70 for Microsoft Flight Simulator “Getting Close to the Finish Line”
• Volanta Update v1.15 Released, Bringing Diversions and More

Without further ado, I leave you with the news.

SR-71 Blackbird for MSFS 2024 Gets Tutorial Videos Ahead of Release

Blackbird Simulations released two extensive tutorial videos for its upcoming SR-71 Blackbird, which will be released in a paid beta tomorrow.

You can watch them above and learn to start up the legendary recon aircraft, take off, and land.

McDonnell Douglas MD-80 Maddog Getting “20th Anniversary Edition”

Leonardo announced that its “Fly the Maddog X” MD-80 series has been removed from sale, but that’s because a new version is coming.

It’s the Fly the Maddog 20th Anniversary Edition, and it’ll feature an entirely new model for the exterior and interior, on top of high-resolution textures.

More details are coming in the “next few days.”

Boeing 737-800 for MSFS 2024 by PMDG Gets Even More Details

PMDG shared even more details about its upcoming Boeing 737-800, which is releasing for MSFS 2024 tomorrow, December 18.

Ground Service Vehicles

• Our Ground Services simulation uses the Boeing Ground Handling Guide to create real-time, realistic servicing sequences from block-in to block-out, including vehicle arrivals and coordinated door operation.
• You may select from a wide array of ground vehicles.
• When using Ground Operations, a realistic sequence of deplaning, cleaning, servicing, loading, and boarding is modeled based on real airline practices. These events occur around you as you prepare the aircraft.
• Available vehicles include:
  • Ground power, air conditioning, and air start units
  • Galley and cabin cleaning trucks
  • Mobile air stairs
  • Cargo belts and loaders
  • Fuel trucks
  • Lavatory, potable water, and maintenance vehicles
• All vehicles integrate with the aircraft: doors and cargo bays open as required, and fuel trucks connect to the refueling panel. Vehicles may be triggered automatically or summoned manually.

Hydraulic System

• If engine #1 fails on takeoff, the A-system EMDP cannot raise the gear fast enough to meet second-stage climb requirements. The Landing Gear Transfer Unit will supply pressure from system B to raise the gear normally. Cycling the gear under these conditions may cause fluid transfer between systems A and B, potentially dumping excess fluid overboard.
• Fluid may transfer from the B system to the A system through the thrust reverser shuttle valve on the left reverser. If the standby system is used to actuate the #1 reverser, it draws fluid from the standby but returns it to system A. Because a standpipe connects standby and system B, you will typically see this as a drop in B-system quantity and an increase on the A side—until the B quantity falls below the standpipe. Below this point, the standby reservoir can be drained entirely by reverse operation.
• The normal brake system uses B-system hydraulics. If B is depressurized, the alternate parking brake supply is system A. When the parking brake is released, that fluid returns to system B.
• When shutting down an engine, EDP pump switches are normally left ON. In this configuration, fluid can become trapped downstream of the EDP, delaying the low-pressure indication on the overhead panel. This is normal and modeled accurately.
• The standby hydraulic pump can be activated in three ways; one activation logic requires wheel-speed input from the antiskid system. If athe ntiskid is inoperative, the standby pump will not be available until the aircraft is airborne.
• Electric Motor-Driven Pumps are significant power consumers (~7.824 amps each). If an associated engine-driven pump fails, the EMDP carries additional load, drawing ~12.124 amps. This increase appears on the electrical meters and may affect load shedding on single-engine power.
• Operating pumps beyond limits will cause case-drain fluid to overheat, triggering an OVERHEAT warning.
• Hydraulic fluid behavior—including pump activation times, drop-off, and system warm/thermal shrink effects—is fully modeled.
• EDPs rotate whenever the engine turns. The overhead switch does not turn the pump on or off; it controls a solenoid that blocks/unblocks fluid flow. The solenoid is held closed by DC power; loss of the associated DC bus allows the EDP to resume supplying pressure—potentially undesirable if the pump was intentionally isolated.
• Overheat sensors in EMDPs will trip pumps offline. These sensors are separate from the ones that illuminate the overheat lights, so even after the lights extinguish, the pump may remain unavailable until fully cooled.
• EMDP cooling time depends on whether fluid is flowing. When running, approximately 5 minutes is required to return to normal temperature; when off, cooling may take 30 minutes due to lack of fluid circulation. Ambient temperatures affect this.
• Hydraulic quantity changes with gear, flaps, spoilers, and flight-control movement, as well as with temperature contraction. Expect real-time changes as the aircraft configuration shifts.
• Quantity indications reflect fluid above the reservoir standpipe. If the fluid level falls below the standpipe, the system may still show usable pressure and retain limited function even when the quantity indicator reads zero.

High Fidelity Flight Model

• The flight model reflects knowledge gained from three generations of PMDG 737 development. It incorporates over a decade of collected data and improvements.

Landing Gear

• Retracting the gear with hot brakes may trigger a wheel-well fire warning.
• The full alternate gear extension system is modeled. Gear doors cannot be reset in flight—use caution with the alternate extension handle.
• Gear-bay turbulence sound volume changes dynamically as the nose-gear forward bay doors open and close. These sounds are simulation-driven and vary depending on whether extension occurs normally or via alternate means.
• The FS2024 tire deformation (“squishy tires”) model is fully implemented, but it renders the tire-wear model we used in the PMDG 777 inoperable.

Lighting Systems

• The diagram used to determine the power source for each cockpit bulb spans 171 standard-sized printed pages.
• Our systems developers validate strobe timing directly with manufacturers when documentation is unavailable. For example, the time between the tail and wing strobe flash is precisely 0.517 seconds.

Liveries

• We provide 70+ liveries for the Windows version of Flight Simulator 2024.
• Many liveries are marked Verified, indicating that the equipment options match the real aircraft. These configurations load automatically with the livery.

​Navigation Data

• The PMDG 737 uses the latest Navigraph navdata system, enabling RNAV and other advanced procedures.
• The navigation database can be updated from the tablet, allowing updates on every platform, including Xbox.

​Physics-based Flexing

• The wing uses a fully physics-based flex model and will bend and twist appropriately in flight.
• The tailplane visibly reacts to thrust, turbulence, and ground roll.
• Environmental conditions, including turbulence and gusts, influence wing flex behavior. As the wing responds, engine and pylon motion also react dynamically.

​Pneumatic System

• Engine bleed pressure is directly computed from RPM, using the appropriate mix of high- and low-stage bleed sources, controlled by the HPSOV and PRSOV. Their logic is simulated in detail to produce accurate bleed pressure.
• High RPM with no bleed consumers will create an overpressure condition and trigger BLEED TRIP OFF.
• Air-start cart pressure varies with OAT and airport altitude.
• Duct-pressure indicators show the transition from low-stage to high-stage bleed on spool-down. As RPM decreases, the system switches from 5th-stage to 9th-stage bleed, resulting in a small pressure “bounce”. The reverse is less pronounced during spool-up.
• Uncorrected bleed-duct leaks can damage hydraulic-fluid pressure or drain lines, causing fluid loss or pump seizure.

​Pressurization

• The pressurization model is based on dynamic airflow in and out of the cabin, integrating static leakage rates and realistic outflow-valve behavior.
• Pre-takeoff pressurization and post-landing depressurization are correctly modeled.
• Cabin altitude level-offs during climb and descent occur realistically.
• If cargo fire is detected, the auto-controller descends the cabin at −750 fpm.
• Explosive decompression is modeled; follow the QRH.
• Door warnings and pressurization loss are often linked. Follow the QRH to determine the cause.
• If cabin altitude exceeds 14,000 ft MSL, passenger oxygen masks will deploy, accompanied by overhead annunciation. In reality, pax O2 cannot be stopped once deployed, but PMDG provides a reset option via the FMS maintenance menu.

​Simulation Features

• Auto Time Compression mode allows up to 4× speed (8× over non-complex terrain or ocean). Before each turn, the sim rate slows to prevent navigation issues.
• Pause at ToD is available.
• Sixteen viewpoints are defined.
• The simulation runs entirely within MSFS; no external files are required.
• Designed for console compatibility, it runs smoothly on all supported platforms. All functionality is identical across platforms, except for third-party services unavailable outside Windows.
• Includes an extensive set of support vehicles:
  • Air Start Unit
  • Ground Power Unit
  • Air Conditioning Unit
  • Lavatory Service
  • Potable Water
  • Stairs
  • Maintenance Van
  • Cabin Cleaning van
  • Cargo Loaders
  • Galley Trucks
  • Fuel Truck

​Sound

• 100% spatialized 3D audio, this is pretty unique.
• The Active Noise Reduction is NOT a different soundset, but actually applies filters in real time, exactly as an actual ANR headset does.
• 1916 sound files are mixed in this sound set.
• Separate sound sets for Krueger flaps, slats, and flaps.;
• The hydraulic pump audio reacts dynamically to the pump load.
• All-new engine recordings, including distinct N1 and N2 simulations.
• Tailored sound behavior for a variety of failure and abnormal scenarios.
• Interior/exterior sound transitions that feel true-to-life when doors or windows open.
• Ground-roll audio that reacts to surface type, scrubbing, skidding, and nose-wheel shimmy.
• Correct audio for alternate engine-start scenarios, including aborted start.
• A wide range of interactive cockpit and cabin sounds.
• APU audio featuring accurate aft-galley perspectives.

Jurassic World Archipelago Livery Pack Released for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024

Orbx released a package of new themed liveries to go with its Jurassic World Archipelago scenery.

It’s available on Orbx Direct for $4.99, including the following.

• Cessna 172 Skyhawk – 2 liveries
• De Havilland Canada DHC-2 – 2 liveries
• Hot Air Balloon – 2 liveries
• SkyRascal Powrchute – 2 liveries

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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