New details on MSFS 2024: FlightFX Vision Jet included for free, payware-quality default planes, Q4 release, and more!
This week, the MSFS team caught up with the community once again to share new insights into the backstage at Microsoft and Asobo concerning the ongoing work on the sim and, as always, shining some light on what’s coming in the near future. As always, there is a bunch of new stuff worth noting, so we rounded up the highlights that touch a little bit of everything, from the customary fixes to new content updates, aircraft addons, and even some very exciting news about Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024!
MSFS 2024: New Details!
Let’s start from the end, when Jörg Neumann finally unveiled a little bit more information about the most anticipated release of the year: Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024.
Acknowledging the lack of new information shared since those first few days post-announcement (and a series of interviews shortly thereafter, including our own), Jörg offered some very interesting new details, especially around aircraft, that are sure to keep simmers excited!
It seems third-party developers will be more important than ever and will offer key contributions to the base aircraft that will be included in the platform from the get-go. In the stream, one of those partners was revealed, and it’s none other than FlightFX, the talented team of which we just talked a few days ago about their Citation X project.
So, how will FlightFX contribute to the roster of default airplanes in the upcoming new version of Microsoft Flight Simulator? Two new aircraft, both of which made an appearance in the now-famous MSFS 2024 trailer: the experimental Jetson One and, surprise surprise… the Vision Jet! Yes, that Vision Jet shown in the trailer is actually the one from FlightFX, and will be a part of the stock aircraft offerings in the new sim!
Jörg explained that the MSFS team received a call from the CEO of Cirrus, expressing a desire to include the Vision Jet in the base aircraft options in MSFS 2024. As Cirrus is a fan of the work FlightFX did on the Vision Jet, and neither them nor Microsoft wanted to compete with that, they decided to strike a deal with FlightFX. This will result not only in the inclusion of the Vision Jet for free in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 but also the Jetson One.
A question was raised whether the current Vision Jet should continue to be available in the Marketplace or pulled, saving simmers from spending money on an aircraft that will be free later this year (save from the purchase price of MSFS 2024), and Jörg even said he didn’t want simmers to “buy it in September”, hinting that MSFS 2024 will not be released before that.
Interestingly, Jörg also said that there are more of these partnerships with third parties for the creation of the default MSFS 2024 airplanes. He said the team’s goal this time will be to give simmers “payware-quality” aircraft that they can choose from the get-go, with significant improvements over the average default aircraft quality included when MSFS 2020 was launched.
Other Highlights
- $1.5 million donation to Antonov
Jörg started the stream by reaffirming the incredible support that the Microsoft Flight Simulator community has shown for the Antonov An-225, with over 90,000 units sold. This overwhelming response has enabled the team to donate $1.5 million to Antonov, offering an important contribution to the rebuilding efforts of this legendary aircraft.
- Caribbean water masks update
The team has finally rolled out some much-awaited updates to the Caribbean water masks, hoping to enhance the visual fidelity of water bodies in this region. Issues with water textures in this region were reported immediately after the Caribbean World Update became available, and it has taken a fair share of time for the team to fix these issues, but it should be much improved after this week’s update. Make sure to delete your rolling cache, if you have that enabled, to grab the new textures.
- Sim Update 15 release
Sim Update 15 has been a significant endeavor for the MSFS team, which has led to a few delays due to the sheer size of fixes and improvements it brings. But things are looking good for a release later this month, with a tentative release date of March 26 if all goes well. The team is committed to ensuring the update is polished and meets the community’s expectations.
- iniBuilds A320neo showcased
The new Airbus A320neo, which is being developed by iniBuilds and was announced a few months ago, is set to make a definitive appearance when SU15 finally becomes available, after the developers have gone back to the code to polish it and improve stability.
On the stream, the A320neo was showcased by iniBuild’s Cameron Macmillan, who highlighted the meticulous attention to detail and realism iniBuilds is known for but to good use in what will be the new default A320 for MSFS. This aircraft promises to be a significant upgrade when compared to the stock Asobo A320neo and will sit beside that aircraft once it finally becomes available. It will be free!
- Dynamic LOD would be “easy to implement”
Perhaps surprisingly, the MSFS team touched on a topic that has been making waves lately. We’re talking about a few recent mods that dynamically change LOD visual settings in the sim to offer smooth performance across all stages of flight. Auto FPS, a mod we recently wrote about in great detail, is one of the most popular implementations of this methodology, but it’s an unofficial method that is sometimes considered to be a “hack.”
Well, Sebastian Wloch revealed that the Xbox version of Microsoft Flight Simulator already makes use of this trick too, and he even said that it would be an easy thing for them to implement on the PC side of things. He agreed that this method works very well and it’s something that they will look into with more care and look to implement on the platform, probably eliminating the need to use third-party mods.
- City Update VI: Southwest Germany
One of the newest content update types for Microsoft Flight Simulator is the City Updates, which focus on upgrading notable cityscapes with new or improved photogrammetry and texturing. The next city update will once again focus on Europe, specifically on Southwest Germany, enhancing some of the most important cities along the Rhine River. Cities such as Mannheim, Heidelberg, Karlsruhe, Stuttgart, Esslingen, Kehl, and Strasbourg (France) will see improvements. Additionally, EDNY Friedrichshafen Airport is being developed.
- Local Legend 15: Dornier Do 31 by iniBuilds
There’s also an intriguing new aircraft in the works for the Local Legend series. iniBuilds has once again been selected as the developing partner for Local Legend 15, which will bring us a meticulously detailed rendition of the Dornier Do 31, an experimental German airplane known for its unique vertical lift capabilities. Michael Standen from iniBuilds showcased this innovative aircraft, promising a challenging yet rewarding flying experience.
- FSExpo Presence Confirmed
Microsoft Flight Simulator’s presence at the upcoming FlightSimExpo in Las Vegas has been confirmed, where the team looks forward to sharing more about their plans and engaging with the community. They had a big presence last year in Houston and will surely look to engage with the community, especially with the release of MSFS 2024 planned for a few months after the event.
This Developer Q&A session has provided valuable insights into the future of Microsoft Flight Simulator, highlighting the team’s continued commitment to improving the existing platform and bringing exciting new updates for simmers to enjoy in the future. Was there anything that stood out for you? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
