Hangar Studios 713, the developer behind the Super Decathlon and the Navion series, has now released the American Champion Scout (8GCBC) for Microsoft Flight Simulator, and it’s looking to be one of the most feature-rich bush planes in the sim!
The Scout is available right now through the Hangar Studios 713 website for $19.99 USD, with Marketplace submission already in progress for both PC and Xbox. Support for MSFS 2024 is included, and a native version of the aircraft is planned for later down the line.
Nine ways to fly it
This isn’t a “one model fits all” type of release. The Scout comes in nine different configurations that cover just about every backcountry scenario you can imagine:
- 26-inch bush wheels (analog or glass cockpit)
- 35-inch tundra wheels (analog or glass cockpit)
- 35-inch tundra wheels with Denali 210 HP engine upgrade (analog or glass cockpit)
- Amphibious floats (analog or glass cockpit)
Each setup gives you the choice between a classic analog panel (with GNS430/GTN650) and a glass cockpit built around the G3X Touch, with G5 backup, AS430 GPS, and AS307 autopilot integration. On top of that, you’ll find 25 included liveries, so it’s hard not to find one that fits your particular flavor of bush flying.
A long list of small details
Where Hangar Studios 713 seems to have put a lot of energy is in the “little things” that give an airplane personality. The Scout’s doors and windows are fully animated, and if you open them in flight you’ll actually notice aerodynamic drag changes and sound bleed into the cockpit. Cargo pods aren’t just for show, they interact with the drag system too.
The fuel system has been carefully modeled. The developer says you’ll need to keep the slip ball centered in flight to prevent fuel starvation, and there’s also passive transfer behavior when parked on uneven terrain or taxiing in a crosswind.
Bush pilots will also appreciate the multiplayer-compatible FX—dust trails, land impacts, custom smoke, and individual float spray patterns all make group flying a bit more immersive.
Built for STOL and then some
The Scout may not have the aerobatic capabilities of the Super Decathlon, but that’s not what it’s here for. This aircraft is designed for short takeoff and landing operations, and the developer even calls it “ESTOL capable” for those competitive challenges popping up in the sim community. With the Denali 210 HP upgrade on the tundra variant, it looks like a serious performer for those short strips and riverbanks.
MSFS 2020, 2024, and the road ahead
The Scout works today in both MSFS 2020 and 2024. It isn’t yet a fully rebuilt native aircraft for the newer sim, but the developer says all major features work as intended, with only minor quirks possible until a dedicated 2024 version arrives.
That future update is already on the roadmap, which should give pilots some confidence that the Scout will grow alongside the simulator itself.
The American Champion Scout has long been a favorite among bush pilots in real life, and now simmers have a comprehensive version for MSFS that covers everything from big-tire tundra ops to water landings. At $19.99 USD, it’s also positioned as an affordable, detail-rich option in a category of aircraft that thrives on variety and capability.
If you want to take it for a spin right away, you can pick it up directly from Hangar Studios 713. Expect to see it pop up in the in-sim Marketplace for PC and Xbox in the coming weeks.
