light Simulation developers shared news today, including a look at upcoming aircraft for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 and MSFS 2020 and scenery released for X-Plane 12.
You can check out all the flight simulation news below.
Black Square Reveals Bonanza Professional, Baron Professional, and More for MSFS 2024 and MSFS 2020
Popular developer Black Square revealed two new aircraft of the “Professional” series intended to replace its Steam Gauge Overhaul series, following the previously announced Cessna 208B Grand Caravan.
The Bonanza Professional package will include a 2000’s normally aspirated Beechcraft Bonanza A36, an aftermarket turbo-normalized A36TC, and the A36TP PT6A-powered turboprop conversion.
The Baron Professional package will include a 2000’s normally aspirated Beechcraft Baron B58, a turbocharged 1984 58TC, and a pressurized 1985 58P.
Both will have “custom exterior models, improved interior models with higher quality materials, custom sound sets from Boris Audio Works, drastically improved systems, more avionics options, and all the features of recent Black Square aircraft.”
The improvements from the Steam Gauge Overhaul series even include subtle touches like “instrument needle physics with stiction and friction, allowing you to tap on the glass to free stuck needles in cold weather, or gyroscope physics simulation.”
They’re almost double the code complexity of the original aircraft and the quality is similar to the Dukes by the same developer.
We also hear about the Beechcraft Starship (which you can see in the last screenshot above) the developer believes we should be able to get a simultaneous release for MSFS 2024 and MSFS 2020 thanks to Working Title having solved a blocking issue on the new simulator.
It should come before FlightSimExpo in June.
The developer also provided documentation explaining what is new for all three “Professional” packages (Caravan, Bonanza, Baron).
Qbit Showcases its Freeware Boeing 737-800 for Microsoft Flight Simulator After a Long Silence
It has been a long time since we heard from Qbit Simulations, but today we get to see a new look at the freeware Boeing 737-800 that has been in development for quite some time
The model and most of the screens of the flight decks are done, and the developer (who is working on this solo) is halfway through the work on the systems, hoping to release the aircraft around November 2025.
The screenshots were shared on the developer’s Discord Server.
Algiers Airport 2.0 Revealed for Microsoft Flight Simulator
NetDesign announced that it’ll release a version 2.0 of its Houari Boumediene International Airport serving Algiers, the capital city of Algeria.
You can see a bunch of screenshots above, and it’ll include the following. The update will be free for existing owners and it should come “in the next couple of days.”
- New aerial imagery covering entire airport area
- New bespoke structures, antennas, parking booths and more
- New bespoke Line Maintenance building in central area
- New details on ground level of Terminal 4 such as bump rails and signs
- New bespoke runway markings
- Revised and enhanced tarmacs
- Perimeter fence
- Many performance optimizations and LODs for every building and object
Lihue Airport Released for X-Plane 12
Northern Sky Studio Released a port of its Lihue Airport (PHLI) in Hawaii for X-Plane 12. It’s available on Orbx Direct for $20.89.
It includes the following perks.
- The most detailed replica of airport buildings and vehicles
- High-resolution ground textures / Custom runway textures
- High-resolution building textures
- Compatible with all X-Plane 12 features
- Weather effects
- Native jetways
- PBR materials
- New lights
- 3D vegetation
- Ortho4XP tile (link in the manual)
- X-Plane 12 bathymetry
- X-Plane 12 DSF sound
- High-resolution elevation
- Edited orthophotos
- Edited coastline and water bodies
- All materials created for full PBR
- Shading and occlusion effects on all airport buildings
- Custom orthophoto for the airport and surrounding areas
- World Traffic 3 compatible
- Compatible with Ortho4XP only
Princeville Airport Released for X-Plane 12
Northern Sky Studio also launched a second airport for X-Plane 12, and it’s Princeville (HI01) serving Hanalei, in Hawaii. It’s available on Orbx Direct for %9.13.
It includes the following:
- The most detailed replica of airport buildings and vehicles
- High-resolution ground textures / Custom runway textures
- High-resolution building textures
- Compatible with all X-Plane 12 features
- Weather effects
- PBR materials
- New lights
- 3D vegetation
- Ortho4XP tile (link in the manual)
- X-Plane 12 bathymetry
- X-Plane 12 DSF sound
- High-resolution elevation
- Edited orthophotos
- Edited coastline and water bodies
- All materials created for full PBR
- Shading and occlusion effects on all airport buildings
- Custom orthophoto for the airport and surrounding areas
- World Traffic 3 compatible
- Compatible with Ortho4XP and default mesh
ChasePlane Cloud Subscription Pricetag Abandoned
Parallel 42 announced that it changed its pricing plans for the camera suite ChasePlane. Basically, customers won’t be charged for the cloud-based features anymore. Cloud backup and community features will be part of the initial sticker price.
If you’d like to get into flight simulation but you’re perhaps a bit intimidated by its apparent complexity, you can read our introductory guide, alongside the second episode focusing on installing add-ons, and another showcasing the basic instruments.
You can also read more flight simulation news in the previous roundup article.