Last week we looked at iniBuilds’ first development update for the A340 Airliner, where the spotlight was on visuals, modeling, and wear-and-tear details. This week, the focus shifts to the other half of the equation: how the aircraft will actually fly and behave in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024.
The update comes straight from Mike, iniBuilds’ Head of Aircraft Development, who also happens to have two decades of real-world airline flying experience. His team has been busy shaping the A340 into what he calls a “true-to-life” simulation, covering everything from engine performance quirks to avionics logic.
Visual refinements keep rolling in
Although this was billed as a “systems” update, the art team couldn’t resist sneaking in a few fixes based on community feedback from last week.
- Engine rotation corrected: the fan blades were spinning the wrong way. That’s now fixed.
- Wing flex tuning: the wing no longer bends like a rubber band on takeoff. Sensitivity and amplitude have been adjusted with reference footage.
- EIS1 cockpit look: the older CRT-style displays now feature deliberately degraded edges and pixelated terrain masks, matching the real low-res character.
- Weather immersion: wipeable rain masks on the windscreens join the suite of atmospheric effects already showcased.
- Emergency slides: with door arming and disarming logic in place, slides will deploy automatically—or accidentally if you forget procedure.
Flight model: slow and steady wins the climb
iniBuilds has rebuilt the A340’s aerodynamics around MSFS 2024’s new fuselage object modeling. This means drag, crosswind response, and sideslip all take into account the jet’s distinctive four-engine shape.
Taxiing also feels different. The new ground contact system simulates skids if you get heavy-handed with the tiller or rudder, even leaving tire marks.
A fully custom flap and slat system adds another layer, particularly in slats-only configurations at low speed. Meanwhile, the engines have been modeled with all the expected parameters—EGT, FADEC, fuel burn, oil pressure—and the performance curve reflects what A340 crews know well: it’s not quick off the line. Fully loaded climbs can take 40 minutes to reach cruise. As some like to joke, the A340 sometimes feels as if it only gets airborne thanks to the curvature of the Earth rather than its own power.
Rotation technique matters too. iniBuilds cautions that unless you follow Airbus’ steady 3° per second pitch-up, a tail strike could be the result. And the fly-by-wire feels heavier than newer Airbuses, with roll inputs settling progressively rather than snapping back to wings-level.
Systems depth: quirks, printers, and cabin climate
The iniBuilds team is filling the cockpit with features both major and minor:
- Onboard printer: INITs, TO data, and weather can be printed, complete with a paper slip on the tray table.
- Standby attitude caging: a fully animated mechanism for EIS1.
- Para-Visual Indicator: the old-school approach aid makes an appearance as an optional toggle.
- ACARS/DCDU integration: clearances, weather requests, and free-text messaging are all on the table.
- MORA display: obstacle separation awareness added to the ND.
- Autosave: expanded flexibility lets you define intervals, rename saves, and reload progress mid-flight.
- EIS1 vs EIS2 quirks: route curves won’t appear on the older ND unless you insert a direct-to or hold, just like in the real jet.
- Cabin temperature simulation: zones react to packs, doors, trim air, and external conditions.
- GSX integration: rewritten from scratch, configurable directly in the EFB.
- EFB overhaul: the interface has been reorganized to handle flight planning, loading, charts, and third-party add-ons more smoothly.
iniBuilds says a “Welcome to” video will come closer to release, offering a deeper look into these systems in action. Until then, these insights give us a good picture of how the A340 will feel to fly, with slow climbs, heavy handling, and plenty of Airbus personality baked in. Be sure to watch the new videos below, which provide short glimpses into what’s coming with the iniBuilds A340.
