Developer Fenix Simulations is working on their highly anticipated own rendition of the Airbus A320 for Microsoft Flight Simulator. After months of silence, Aamir from the Fenix team just updated their blog with additional information, previews and expected pricing for launch. While no release date has been officially shared yet, Aamir announced the official kick-off of launch marketing.
The A320 received a fair amount of systems and flight model love during the beta period. Apart from system work, the team also spent a large portion of this time focusing on things that weren’t necessarily part of the airplane, but contributed to the overall customer journey and experience. "Systems depth standing alone in an aircraft is an unfortunate scenario to find oneself in, as these simulations are sold to you as an experience - and what good is that experience if you don’t feel immersed in your surroundings?", Aamir continues. One of the main features Aamir highlights is seamless and synchronized real time loading. In the Fenix, for example, all you have to do now is import your flight plan to our EFB with one click, and from there choose whether you’d like to board in real time, quickly, or instantly.
You can send out messages for diversions, which will be received by your airline’s OPS center, and acknowledged. Pulling into stand, the aircraft will also handle deboarding for you. These kinds of features and details go a long way, in my eyes. It adds to the simulation of performing crew duties, and to the immersion of flying the aircraft.
Visually the aircraft has had plenty of polish work done to it. The Fenix A320 includes flap shake, a proper, full cabin, you can open the cockpit door and go for a walk through it, the seatbelt signs work, and the audio dynamically changes as you move through the aircraft. For example, the soundscape changes when you open the cockpit door. The soundscape changes once again if you have both the cockpit door open, and the main 1L door open, during boarding. You’ll hear the outside, the APU, the brake fans, all of it - right from your seat in the flight deck.
181 Liveries included at launch
Fenix A320 will be packaged with 181 liveries including several variations at launch. They will all be available via their in-house livery manager, which will handle downloading, installing, and updating or deleting these liveries. All liveries are available at native 8K, or a downsized 4K for those wanting to save on the VRAM or disk space. On the latter, Fenix has built-in symbolic linking to the livery manager, so you can choose a custom installation folder of your choice, simple and convenient.
Furthermore, the aircraft features Mean-Time-Between-Failures modeling, meaning engineering data is used to determine rough failure rates and apply that probability to your flight. You can even choose a myriad of configurations, such as failing only items that will allow you to continue to your end destination, or failing any component including major ones. Would you like a realistic failure rate using the data, or would you prefer an expedited version where things have a higher probability of happening because reality is boring? Whatever combination, there’s an option to suit.
Pricing starts at £49.99
Fenix Simulations A320 will sell for £49.99 including VAT.
We’re believers that the market is larger. We’re believers that one needn’t pay hundreds of pounds to experience the care and attention put into a high fidelity aircraft. So we’re putting our money where our mouth is. It’s a risk, but we think it’ll pay off. Or, well.. We hope, anyway. And if it doesn’t, at least a few more people will have a chance to fly our aircraft!
about 4 years ago