Third-party developers released a ton of new add-ons for Microsoft Flight Simulator and announced a few more, including a relevant aircraft and plenty of airports.
We start with the Airbus H160 helicopter by Hype Performance Group. It’s available now on the developer’s own store for $49.99.
It includes the following features:
Highly Detailed 3D Model, Textures and Animations
- HPG’s highest quality production to date
- 2 H160 variants (Civilian, Luxury) included in this package
- Each variant includes six (6) stunning liveries in 4K quality for 12 total
- Extremely detailed professionally modeled interior and exterior, all PBR textures
- Cockpit is almost completely interactive, supporting both the Lock and Legacy Cockpit Interaction System
- VR Cockpit Zoom supported, aircraft designed from the ground up around VR
- Rotor animations including blade droop, blade flap
- Working doors, animated windshield wipers, all flight controls animated
- Rotor downwash effects (water, snow, dirt/sand), engine heat blur and heat emissive effects
- Functional emergency floats (Luxury variant only) with manual and automatic deployment options
Advanced Avionics & Detailed Systems
- High quality Airbus Helionix avionics – the most modern and safe avionics suite
- Vortex Ring State protections
- Automatic takeoff (vertical and rearward takeoff assistance)
- First Limit Indicator containing TRQ, N1 and TOT limits combined in an intuitive pilot display
- Realistic normal procedures (checklists) included
- Synthetic Vision System on all 4 MFDs is supported without restriction
- Map display options including the ability to use any OpenStreetMap/slippy tile provider you may choose
- Maps are combined with sim flight plan, OSM underlay, and weather or HTAWS (Height Above Terrain) overlay
- Maps operate in light or dark mode
- Fully functional weather radar
- Online weather service available on the tablet and DMAP system
- Included Tablet with powerful apps including LittleNavMap moving map, Neofly, Documents library, Maps, utilities & games
- Stream video and websites with our exclusive EFBConnect app for PC
- Integrated Garmin GTN750 (pms50) or the TDS GTNXi (TDS Sim Software)
- CMA9000 FMS coming after launch
- Add custom key bindings for over 400 cockpit actions (no extra software required)
- Home Cockpit friendly with L:Vars and H:Events for almost all functionality
- Great for both IFR and VFR flight
Powerful 4-axis Autopilot
- State of the art auto-flight control system with Stability Augmentation System (SAS)
- GTC: Ground trajectory command: Maintain longitudinal and lateral ground speed. So called “follow the boat” mode
- GTC.H: Ground trajectory command with hover: This is an automatic hover mode which will acquire a position and maintain it in crosswinds up to the aircraft limit of 30kt
- LOC/GS APP/V.APP: Traditional precision approach and GPS approach modes
- Fully capable of flying a hands-off ILS-to-minimums approach
- Automatic level-off when approaching the ground to avoid Controlled Flight into Terrain
- Beep Trim (traditional trim mode and AFCS mode)
- AFCS and SAS may also be disengaged for a more challenging flight regime
Helicopter Flight Model
- Native MSFS Helicopter flight model augmented with our proprietary AFCS and Vortex Ring State augmentation.
- The HPG H160 uses an advanced Stability Augmentation System (SAS) to stabilize the helicopter using computer controlled actuators
- Support for All-Engines-Operative, One-Engine-Inoperative or Autorotation flight condition
- Operate in both Realistic and Arcade modes – enjoy with a controller or higher end hardware
Immersive Sounds
- Realistic turbine, rotor, cabin, alert, floats deployment and environmental sounds
- Doors mixed with environment and exterior sounds when open or removed
- More than 60 custom sounds included
Here’s a trailer to show the helicopter off.
Another release comes from Flightbeam Studios, and it’s Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport (KMSP) in the United States. It’s available at the developer’s own store for €19,95.
It comes with the following goods.
- Latest real-world (2023) taxiway layouts and newest construction included
- Extensive, highly detailed and realistic 4096×4096 textures
- Detailed Flightbeam Gen-5 dynamic jetways with custom signage
- Multi-layered, realistic hand-painted ground textures with PBR and custom decals
- Passenger models at various gates
- New Flightbeam SoundFX, placed in various locations, captured from real life airports
- Key interior areas modeled in the terminal
- All new animated inset and elevated runway guard lights
- Dense amount of custom tarmac objects, modeled after actual objects from airport
- State-of-the-art optimization techniques, bringing you absolute best possible performance
For something completely different, you can head to the adventurous bush flying in Papua New Guinea thanks to Orbx’s PNG Highlands Bush Strips Pack 1, priced at $11.99 on Orbx Direct.
It includes the following
- 3 airstrips included (AYYE, AYYW, AYDN)
- Custom Effects
- PBR textures
- Custom 3D vegetation with modeled Bananas!
- 100 custom-built and hand-placed models
- Handcrafted mesh for each airstrip
- Custom hand-placed objects and people
- Tropical and guaranteed to be challenging
- Perfect for all bush flyers!
Another new release comes from UK2000 Scenery, and it’s Glasgow Prestwick (EGPK) Airport in Scotland. It’s available on Simmarket for $19.34.
- Full detail Buildings
- Realistic Ground Markings
- Hi Res ground image
- Stunning Night Effects
- High details Airport Vehicles
- Excellent Frame Rates
- Full set of signs
- Fencing
- Vegatation
- PBR Materials
- Static aircraft (optional)
Jumping a few hundred miles to the east, you’ll find Karlstad Airport (ESOK) in Sweden, now available on Simmarket from Borgillios Scenery for $12.91.
That is not all, as we also have the release by PKSim of Federico García Lorca Granada-Jaén Airport (LEGR) in Spain. It’s priced at $23.87 on Simmarket.
- Detailed 2023 version of the airport.
- New terminal interior and exterior expansions.
- GSX Ready with real WALK-IN gates.
- Surrounding buildings.
We also have a few announcements starting with Jacksonville International Airport (KJAZ) in Florida, United States, in development at Fly2high.
At the moment, further details have not been shared, but you can find a few screenshots below.
Another announcement comes from Verticalsim and it’s also in Florida, precisely St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport (KPIE). It’ll come with the following features.
- Parallaxed terminal w/simple interior for maximum performance
- spawnable hangar for GA flights
- Fully modeled accurate ANG, USCG, and FBOs
- LOD’s for optimization
- Custom high-grade aerial imagery
- 2023 airport layout
- Custom static models: Coast Guard C130s & Jayhawks, ANG UH-60s
- Custom taxiway signage, obstruction lights, guard lights, etc.
- High-resolution accurate texturing of airport buildings with the full PBR suite
- Custom Bayside Bridge model (Download VCities Tampa for free for a custom Tropicana Field)
Lastly, for an airport that’s definitely not in Florida, Toowoomba – Wellcamp (YBWW) Airport has been announced by AUscene, and if you know your ICAO codes or the developer, you know it’s in Australia.
Below you can take a look at the aerial imagery used as a base for development.
And after all the news, I leave you with the reminder that we publish daily Microsoft Flight Simulator news here on TechRaptor, to keep you up to date with all of the sim’s add-ons in a convenient and approachable format.
