(A second video!) Here’s the first video of Leonardo’s “Fly the Maddog” MD-80 in MSFS

Update – September 21st: After that first video that we shared below, here’s a second video showing the Maddog taking off in MSFS, with another gorgeous view over the instrument panel. Exciting!

Good news for the fans of serious airplanes. Leonardo’s Maddog X MD-80 Series, one of the most richly complex airliners in any consumer-level flight simulator, has gotten its first teaser video showing the aircraft in action in Microsoft Flight Simulator.

The Maddog for MSFS has been in the works for some time, but with little to no additional information about its ongoing development. We first heard about it almost a year ago, with the developers having said since that it would take its time to bring their existing product to a new platform. It now appears that this work is coming to fruition as we get a first clear look into the Maddog’s cockpit, shared on a video posted on the studio’s Youtube channel.

The video is short, showing the engine startup sequence of the aircraft. During these 56 seconds we are presented with a glorious 4K wide view over most of the flight deck – overhead panel and pedestal included. These are followed by the clicking sounds of the several switches until finally we hear the engines coming to life. It all looks very good, very visually pleasing and in line with what to expect from a high-quality add-on airplane for Microsoft Flight Simulator.

It’s definitely just a sneak-peek, but this is a very promising project in a category of airplanes that is in need of a few more options in MSFS.

There’s no additional information about the development process, features, or even a potential release timeframe, but we should certainly expect a remarkable simulation of the iconic McDonnell Douglas MD-80. Previous iterations of this addon for other platforms have been noted for their advanced systems’ simulation with associated failures, even going further to recommend reading the operations manual of the real airplane in order to learn how to use its virtual version. Prepare yourself for a real and rewarding challenge once the Maddog comes out for MSFS!