Today some new additions for Microsoft Flight Simulator have been released, with some breaking new ground for the flight sim genre as a whole.
The Boeing 737-800 and 737-900 by PMDG were released for the Xbox at $69.99 each. You can find them directly on the official market in the simulator. This release marks an important milestone for the genre, as the planes represent the pinnacle of realism in modern airliner simulation, and are now available and fully functional on console.
While Xbox users already had a taste of the Airbus A310 that came with Edition for the 40th anniversary, which is quite accurate, it does not go as deep down the simulation rabbit hole as the PMDG products. Mastering these aircraft will take a lot of research, but once you do, you can truly say you’ve experienced the ultimate in airliner simulation. To give you an idea, considering the PC version, these planes were four years in development.
Below you can check out the specs for the more common 800 version (the 700 version is similar but has slightly different options and is shorter) trailer that was originally released for the PC version.
By the way, if the price puts you off (although it is the norm for an add-on of this complexity), you might want to wait for the release of version 600. Although less popular with real-world airlines, it comes with the same simulation complexity, but is priced at 34.99 US dollars. Being significantly shorter, it is also easier for beginners to spin without the risk of tailing.
- Fully customized system simulation for all major and minor aircraft systems and components.
- Highly complex logical simulation of on-board information systems and aircraft control.
- Adjusted PMDG flight model with improved physics addition.
- Rigid body physics for wing and tail surfaces.
- Fully configured flight control systems with normal, backup and reversal capabilities.
- Cockpit displays with accurate resolution
- Alternative equipment options for cabin instruments
- Numerous user-configurable options from across the 737 carrier fleet.
- Updated 737 option packages reflecting operational improvements and changes in the global 737 fleet.
- Full-featured failure simulation covering almost all QRH scenarios, as well as a real-world mean-time-to-failure simulation model.
- Native PMDG data channel simulation compatible with simBrief integration.
- Incandescent and LED lighting packages, as well as fully dimmed cockpit lights and annunciators.
- Drive tug.
- A custom sound package that uses advanced sound recording and playback technologies for incredible realism.
- A sound environment created using recordings from a specially equipped aircraft.
- Integrated external, internal cabin and flight deck sound environment.
- Includes 737-800 in passenger configuration with mixed wing configurations and split scissor configurations.
- Includes a Boeing Business jet with mixed wing configurations and split scimitars.
- Includes a 737-800 BDSF and BCF freighter with blended wing main deck cargo doors.
- A complete set of ground equipment for each aircraft type, including passenger handling vehicles, VIP vehicles for BBJ and cargo handling equipment for BDSF as well as BCF.
- Virtual cockpit model with ultra-high detail textures, 3D rendering and reflective properties.
- Advanced animation techniques that use the new MSFS engine to truly bring the 737 cockpit to life.
- The differences in the cockpit of a passenger plane, a cargo plane and a BBJ plane are accurately represented.
(paste)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HGIMzon84E(/paste)
Another complex aircraft released for Xbox is the British Aerospace 146 by Just Flight, also available on the official market for $69.99.
While this aircraft is also very accurate and a great complement, it offers a different experience compared to the 737s as it is a much older airliner that represents a different era of aviation where systems and automation were not as complex but were no less exciting.
Mastering it will also require a lot of training so you know what you’re getting into. You can find features at official website of the developer as the list would be too long to reproduce here.
(paste)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0GZ1ZcpwLc(/paste)
Moving on to PC releases, Lionheart Creations released the Bellanca Super Viking general aviation aircraft. It is available on the official market for $24.49.
You can check how it looks in the screenshots below.
We also get release from several airports starting from Calgary Airport (CYYC) in Canada by FSimStudios. It is available on Orbx Direct, Simmarketand the developer’s own store for $21.49.
Features of the airport and the city:
- FSimStudios Premium Quality: Extremely accurate and detailed rendering of Calgary International Airport for MSFS
- Clear, high resolution texturing
- Fully detailed terminal interior at Piers A, B, C, D and E
- Realistic night lighting
- Calgary Tower included. More downtown buildings coming soon (The Bow, new Telus tower)
- Crossiron Mills and New Horizons Mall on model approach to RWY17 L/R
- Fully detailed twin factory
- Optimized for superior performance.
Features
- GSX profile with animated anti-icing panels (requires GSX)
- Air Canada’s maintenance hangars have dynamic animations – doors open and close depending on the time of day and weather conditions.
- Crowded Fireworks: Fireworks can be seen on the RWY35 L/R approach from 11:00 PM to midnight in July.
- Functional VSDG (coming in V1.1)
- Free gift: Kenn Borek DC3 livery
- A product configurator that allows you to deactivate stationary aircraft, ground equipment and clutter, terminal interiors, and more.
Fsdreamteam released Houston Intercontinental Airport (KIAH) in USA. It is available on the developer’s own store for $9.99 plus VAT.
Here’s what it includes.
- The airport has been fully upgraded to its 2023 status.
- The new Terminal C, modeled from the ground up, with a complete interior. All gates in this terminal use GSX’s “Airport walkers” feature to show passengers walking through the terminal in addition to those who eventually board/depart the aircraft using GSX.
- Full custom integration with GSX Pro with added profile containing over 1500 custom return routes, 49 input gates, 156 VGDS.
- New Door Automation System: All doors in Terminals B and C open/close automatically when passengers board/disembark at GSX, with a corresponding information panel at the gate showing animated GSX operation.
- All parking spaces have user-friendly names in the GSX menu to bypass the limited naming possible with MSFS by default.
- Highly accurate airport definition file with matching parking codes for AI, tested by both FSLTL and FS Traffic.
- Full Dynamic Lights with hundreds of light sources located throughout the airport.
- Bridges/underpass rendered with the latest terraforming of tall pillars.
- Fully customized taxiway lights with dynamic lighting, including orange-green variations on taxiways crossing runways.
- Most of the textures are enhanced and enhanced by AI and then manually converted to PBR.
- Extensive use of MSFS Parallax shaders to enhance the appearance of all buildings that do not have simulated interiors with almost zero performance overhead.
Finally, we get something completely different with Orléans – Bricy Air Base (LFOJ) in France by Skydesigners. Unlike the previous French Airbase released by this developer, this one is still active and perfect for the newly released Airbus A400M and C160 Transall.
It is available at Simmarket at a price of $19.64.
- Static aircraft (C160 Transall NG, Mirage 2000B, C130 Hercules, Airbus A400M, DH-6 Twin Otter with real numbers and vehicle registrations, photorealistically textured according to the squadrons present at the base)
- Maintenance areas and hangars, as close to the 2010 base as possible.
- Vegetation biomes suitable for actual vegetation.
- Special service equipment and ground crew.
- Photorealistic textured buildings with night textures,
- Representation of the different areas of the base: the living area / squadron area, ESTA hangars, CIET, and the Airbus training center. Experience the base as if you were there!
- Simulation of military facilities and their transport squadrons (Bearne, Anjou and Poitou squadrons)
- Hundreds of objects that make the scene even more exciting (Radars, ground handling personnel, surveillance equipment)
- Optimized for minimal use of system resources
- MIAC charts included (airfield and approach charts for the relevant period)
Microsoft Flight Simulator currently available for PC, Xbox Series X|S and Xbox Cloud Gaming including Game Pass. If you want to know more, stay tuned to TechRaptor, like us daily Microsoft Flight Simulator news to keep you up to date with the many sim add-ons and releases. We also have recently interviewed Jorg Neumann from Microsoft about the Antonov An-225 “Dream” and meniBuilds CEO Ubaid Moussa on the work of the popular third-party developer. If you are interested in reviews, you can check iniBuilds New York JFK Airport, Orbx Oslo Gardermoen Airportand RHDSimulations’ Boeing 767-300ER.