Today third-party developers had plenty of news to share about upcoming add-ons for Microsoft Flight Simulator.
We start with two new releases. Orbx launched its Mumbai City Pack, enriching the city in India considerably.
It can be purchased on Orbx Direct for $7.36 and you can read a list of features below.
- 16 high-detail custom landmarks including Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, Gateway of India, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Omkar 1973, Imperial Towers, and the Bandra–Worli Sea Link bridge.
- More than 100 medium-detail custom landmarks showcase the truly unique architectural styles of old and new Mumbai.
- Several highrises with rooftop helipads, with additional landing areas on Navy frigates and at Shikra Heliport.
- Custom orthoimagery for Mumbai City as well as the port and industrial areas across the bay.
- Many enhancements to the city and surrounding areas: improved vegetation and building placements, static boats, vessels, cranes, chimneys, etc.
- Extensive terraforming and shoreline adjustments across the coverage area.
- Custom night lighting based on real-world photography.
Next is Edinburgh Airport (EGPH) in Scotland by Pyreegue.
You can find it on Orbx Direct for $22.06 and read all the features you’ll find below.
- Completely modeled terminal interior with executive lounges
- Custom Animated Jetways with dynamic hood fitting every aircraft perfectly
- Custom Ground polygons with hundreds of markings and accurate weathering
- 2021 layout with the Turnhouse Apron, New Long Term Parking, New FastPark service.
- Custom night lighting
- PBR texturing on all objects
- LODs and texture resolution optimized for smooth performance
- Animated vehicles on aprons
- Default ATC/AI Traffic integration
- Parallax windows on key objects to simulate interior
- Surroundings included, such as moxy, Hilton, Hampton, Holiday Inn, Royal Highland Centre, Spitfire Memorial, Almond House and many others
- Animated Archimedes Screws (Drainage system near Gate 14)
- Animated ATC Radars abeam Runway 06/24
Moving on to upcoming products, below you can find a few new videos of Fenix Simulations’ Airbus A320 focusing on the hydraulic and fuel systems.
If you want to read more, you should definitely take a look at the official blog post, which includes a lot of additional information.
You can also find four new screenshots (two of which were shared on the developer’s discord channel). One of them showcases the much-welcome ability to automatically download the wind aloft data for the flight instead of having to type it in manually.
We then get a new announcement from Terrainy Studios with a trailer. The developer is working on the small airfield in Hausen Am Albis (LSZN) in Switzerland. It’ll be released tomorrow, July 24.
Update: The airport has been released and it’s available on Orbx Direct for $12.11.
- Highly detailed 3D model of the airport and its surroundings.
- Very detailed main hangar interior.
- Spawn point available inside the main hangar.
- 10cm accuracy (ZL20) orthophoto, covering the airport area.
- Many static models of people, animals, planes etc.
- Accurate runway slope.
- 4K textures exclusively using PBR.
- Performance optimized.
- Custom mesh.
- Accurate approach landmarks.
- Custom placed vegetation.
- Fully working ground and ATC services.
Hausen Am Albis isn’t the only airport releasing tomorrow, as Photosim Labs also shared the same release date for Henry E. Rohlsen Airport (TISX) inf St. Croix, United States Virgin Islands.
You can see what it looks like below.
Next, we see more of the F-14 Tomcat by DC Designs.
The aircraft is ready for internal beta testing. All that’s missing on the F-14A are a few small details and the new textures. In the meanwhile, the developer is preparing to convert the model into the F-14B.
Last, but not least, we take a look at the cockpit and ram-air-turbine of the Hawk T1 by Just Flight, alongside a new development update.
“With the visuals nearly complete, the Hawk T1 development team are now focused on the aircraft systems coding. The Hawk T1 is a relatively simple jet to operate, thanks to its role as a trainer, but like our equally vintage and British 146 airliner, it features plenty of quirks and systems to keep you busy!
Multiple DC and AC electrical sources/buses with reset and backup controls, a ram-air-turbine (RAT) for hydraulic backup to the powered flying controls, a gas turbine starting (GTS) system, similar to an APU, for engine starts and a central warning system (CWS) are just some of the systems that are fully-functional in our Hawk T1.
Another unusual feature related to its use as a trainer that is fully simulated is the landing gear and flap transfer controls. Both front and rear cockpits have controls for operating the flaps and gear but the rear cockpit (i.e. instructor) has the ability to transfer control between the front and rear. You will need to ensure the controls have been transferred to the front cockpit whenever flying solo from the front cockpit.
No switch, lever or system will be left with the dreaded ‘INOP’ tooltip, just like in every one of our in-house aircraft, and we’ll discuss the hydraulic, flight control and air-conditioning/pressurisation systems in the next in-development update.”
Earlier today, we published our brand new and massive interview with head of Microsoft Flight Simulator Jorg Neumann, focusing on the Xbox version and short and long-term plans for the sim (on both platforms).
If you’d like to read more about Microsoft Flight Simulator add-ons, you can enjoy our recent reviews of Tehran Imam Khomeini Airport, Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport, Shanghai Pudong Airport, Kraków Airport, Fukuoka City & Airport, Fort Lauderdale Airport, Chongqing City & Airport, Manila Airport, Santiago Airport, the Frankfurt City Pack, Key West Airport, the Okavango Delta, Bali Airport, London Oxford Airport, Berlin Brandenburg Airport, the CRJ 550/700, the PA-28R Arrow III, Kristiansand Airport, Macau City & Airport, Bonaire Flamingo Airport, Milano Linate Airport, the Singapore City Pack, Tokyo Narita Airport, Yao Airport, the F-15 Eagle, the Paris City Pack, Greater Moncton Airport, Tweed New Haven Airport, Santorini Airport, Sydney Airport, Helsinki-Vantaa Airport, Reggio Calabria Airport, Bastia Poretta Airport, Munich Airport, Paris Orly Airport, Newcastle International Airport, Sankt Johann Airfield, Dublin International Airport, and Seoul City Wow. We also have a beta preview of Singapore Changi airport.
If you want to learn more about the game itself, you can read our review that will tell you everything you need to know about Asobo Studio’s game.
Microsoft Flight Simulator is already available for Windows 10 and Steam and will release on July 27, 2021, for Xbox Series X ad Series S.
