Today marked the first day of FlightSimExpo 2025 in Providence, Rhode Island, and developers revealed plenty of juicy flight simulation news for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, MSFS 2020, and X-Plane 12
Yet, before we move on to the news, you can check out a couple of stories that received their own individual coverage.
- Free City Update 11 & Piper PA-28 Dakota Released for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 & MSFS 2020
- New Flight Simulation Hardware Revealed by Moza
You can find the biggest flight simulation news from FlightSimExpo below. When the main livestream from the expo is embedded, you’ll find it set at the relevant timestamp for each piece of news.
Parallel 42 Announces ChasePlane Update, Legend Nomad for Microsoft Flight Simulator, and More
We start with Parallel 42, which had a few announcements to share, starting with the FlightSimExpo update for ChasePlane for MSFS 2020. It’ll include a major refactoring of the features, Tobii Eye Tracker support, named shortcuts, customizable cinematics, quick actions, customizable spot views, and more.
The update is coming next week and will include a stable channel and an experimental channel, which will include newer features but possibly more unstable.
As for the MSFS 2024 version, it’s in development, but it isn’t ready yet. It still needs some “finessing.” It’ll be added to the experimental channel as soon as it’s ready for public consumption. There are no blockers, and it’s just a matter of time.
The developer is also planning to release complete reworks of its Bush Plane Campout and Mexican Mountain scenes for MSFS 2024 over the next few weeks.
Next, the Freedom Fox and the Fox2 will be made “native-ish” for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 (as opposed to just “compatible) with EFB support, new avionics, career mode support, and walkaround features.
Lastly, the developer announced that it’ll bring Trent Palmer’s Legend Nomad bush plane to the simulator.
Navigraph Reveals New Features Including Taxiway Routing and More
Navigraph revealed three new features coming to the popular navigation and flight planning suite for flight simulators.
The first is the partnership with Rogers Data, bringing the inclusion of their VFR charts covering the entirety of Europe.
The next one is big: the introduction of taxiway routing. It’ll let you display and even select your route between your stand or gate and the runway on the airport charts, including dynamic holding points and plenty of spiffy features that will make taxiing before and after a flight much simpler and more intuitive.
The last feature is Simlink v2, which will support AI traffic displayed on your flight simulation charts.
SayIntentions
SayIntentions introduced its AI Living world focusing on AI traffic injection and sequencing, which will include AI-powered model matching, real-world schedules and gates by FlightAware, and more.
The big news is that this feature will become available to all subscribers on July 7.
The second announcement from SayIntentions is Launchpad, an incubator program designed to help independent developers get their new ideas up and running.
It’s active as of today.
Lastly, we get the announcement of PocketSky, an app for iOS and Android that lets you keep track of your ongoing flight and remote control ATC communications and other features via mobile.
It’s available now for SayIntentions partner customers.
FSS Showcases Boeing 727 Super 27 Expansion and Custom FMS for E-Jets for Microsoft Flight Simulator
Next on the stage was FlightSim Studio, which introduced the upcoming Super 27 expansion pack for the Boeing 727. It’ll come in late 2025 for both the cargo and the passenger variant, and it’ll include the following features.
At some point, the developer is also going to work on the 727-100 version, but it won’t come this year.
We then get to see the upcoming custom FMS for the Embraer E-Jets.
The new LNAV features will enter testing by the end of July. As soon as it’s ready for public consumption, it’ll be released for everyone. As soon as that happens, testing will begin on the VNAV features.
This is due to the fact that all lateral navigation features need to be polished before vertical navigation features are implemented.
Lastly, the developer also announced Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024-native versions of its Tecnam aircraft, to be released between late 2025 and early 2026.
Below is a list of features planned.
SoFly Reveals Bristol Airport, Aircraft Sound Enhancer, and More for MSFS 2024 and MSFS 2020
SoFly was next on stage with the reveal of Kennedy Space Center V2 for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 and MSFS 2020 by TerraBuilder. It’s already available on the official marketplace.
While the developer had no release date (besides a target of Q1 2026) for Cabin Announcement Pro, which was announced a while ago, it did share a few more details about what it’ll entail.
We learn that it won’t involve any subscription, it’ll have a custom panel, and it’ll cover a worldwide range of airlines.
Another new airport has also been announced, and it’s Bristol Airport (EGGD) in the UK. It’ll be for both MSFS 2024 and MSFS 2020 and it’ll release in Q3 2025.
Last, but not least, the developer revealed Aicraft Sound Enhancer for both MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024.
Coming this summer, it’ll enhance the soundscape during flight with a variety of sound effects. You can check out what it entails in the trailer below.
Dassault Falcon 50 Announced for Microsoft Flight Simulator
Next on the menu was Contrail, which revealed a popular business jet for Microsoft Flight Simulator, the Dassault Falcon 50.
At the moment, we already know that it’ll be coming in 2025, and the price is TBD. In terms of custom avionics, it’ll come with a GNS-XLS flight management computer, the Apollo MX20 MFD, the Collins 86C EFIS, and the Collins APS 85 autopilot.
Doha Hamad Airport and City, Airbus A350 ULR Released for MSFS, A340 Teased
iniBuilds had a bunch of reveals to share as well, starting with the release of Doha Hamad International Airport (OTHH) in Qatar for MSFS 2024.
It’s priced at $27.45 on the developer’s store and it includes the following features.
- Hand-made ground textures with crisp, bespoke texture sets for runways, aprons, paths, and roads
- True-to-life airport landside recreation with custom ground decals, signposts, vegetation, parking barriers, and more
- Accurately modeled and positioned dynamic airport lighting for enhanced realism
- First ever FSExpo Exhibition floor recreated in sim! (KPVDX)
- 180+ hand-crafted models featuring custom-made buildings, vehicles, and objects
- Hand crafted terminals with crisp textures providing a fresh, modern appearance
- HD jetways with intricate details enhancing the airport’s realism
- Highly detailed models of all airport buildings, objects, and surroundings
- Full HD ground poly matching the 2025 airport layout
- Up-to-date airport layout reflecting the current, real-world location
- Official GSX profile included in the scenery folder and iniManager download
- Level of Detail (LOD) optimization for every model ensuring the best performance possible
- Use of the latest MSFS2024 SDK features for optimal performance and smooth experience
- Bespoke taxi signage true to real-world specifications
- Full iniManager compatibility allowing easy configuration for optimal performance on your system
To complement the airport, the developer also launched Doha City and Landmarks for $13.72. It includes the following features.
- Fully modelled Banana Island – with modeled resort island, beaches, villas, and marina
- Doha City Skyline to enhance approaches and departures in/out of Doha Hamad Airpot
- Katara Towers
- Doha Tower
- The Pearl (Two Islands)
- Tornado Tower
- Burj Al Mana
- Stadium 974
- Sheraton Hotel
- Al Bidda Tower
- Al Asmakh Tower
- The 7
- Rixos Tower
- Palm Towers
- JW Marriott Trio
- Woqod Tower
- Vyra Suites
- Al Shyoukh Terminal
- Qtel Tower
- 5th June Arch
- Doha Bank
- Kempinski
- Museum of Islamic Art
- North Oil Company
- World Trade Center
- Al Jassimya Tower
- Abraj Bay Towers
The developer also launched an update for its Airbus A350, including the ULR version and plenty of new features that you can check out in the trailer above.
Incidentally, the trailer also included a pretty obvious tease of another airliner coming from the developer, the Airbus A340, which you can see below.
Last, but not least, we also get a trailer of Synaptic Simulations’ Airbus A220.
Mil Mi-24 Hind Announced for Microsoft Flight Simulator
Flying Fries announced its next project for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, and it’s the Mil Mi-24P Hind helicopter.
It won’t come for MSFS 2020 and it’ll include the following features.
- Highly detailed 3D modeling and 4K texturing.
- Uses the FS2024 modular SimObject logic for max details and best performance.
- Complex windshield texturing with the new FS2024 options.
- Custom sound pack.
- Modern engine simulation and modern fuel system.
- Complex electrical system with working circuit breakers.
- Aircraft configuration and fueling via the custom EFB.
- Vibration effects in the cockpit.
- Native FS2024 Walkaround mode, with interactive exterior elements (chocks, GPU, etc.)
- All custom visual effects (various engine smoke, heat blur, dust and rain spray, etc.)
- many unique liveries. Most of them are based on their real counterparts.
- Lots of easter eggs to find!
Upcoming X-Plane 12 Updates Revealed
The presentation was closed by Laminar Research, which showcased upcoming features for X-Plane 12.
First of all, we take a look at the content of version 12.2.1, dubbed the Gateway Assets Update, which will include the titular scenery gateway assets alongside Zermatt Heliport (LSEZ) in Switzerland.
This will enter public beta on Friday, July 4, 2025.
Next is version 12.3.0, which will be dubbed “Weather Update” and will come with a big weather radar overhaul. It’ll be included in all the default aircraft and will have APIs that third-party developers can use as well.
The G1000 is also getting synthetic vision. You can check out all the features listed below.
Next, we get to take a look at an overhaul of the default Airbus A330. You can check out all the goodies below.
The private alpha for this version will also start on Friday, July 4.
Lastly, after update 12.3.0, Laminar is planning to ship performance updates as follows.
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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