A new team of developers for Microsoft Flight Simulator is set to appear on the horizon: Commercial Simulation Solutions. They are a team of professionals, including developers, designers, and active pilots who have also partially worked on real simulators like those used by airlines to train their pilots.
The developer team wants to start their career with a classic airliner as a niche product: the 737-500.
About the 737-500
The Boeing 737-500, part of the “Classic” series of 737s, was first delivered in 1990 to the initial customer Southwest Airlines, followed by other large airlines such as Lufthansa, United Airlines, and Air France. A total of 389 machines of this model were produced, with the last one delivered in 1999 to All Nippon Airways (ANA). It was designed as a shorter and more efficient version of the 737-300, seating up to 140 passengers. Despite their age, a few aircraft are still active in 2024, primarily with cargo airlines and smaller airlines in developing countries and Russia. Commercial Simulation Solutions saw this aircraft as the best compromise between a modern, still-used aircraft and the fun of flying manually.
Commercial Simulation Solutions 737-500 Development Progress
The project has been developed in secret for over a year. An estimated release date is not given, but according to the team, it is between a week and a year from now. As progress updates, some renders of the aircraft cockpit and exterior were shown, alongside a technical preview of the promised in-depth systems. The textures of the aircraft are currently under development, so no further updates on them were shown.
Further Plans and a “Unique” Subscription Model
The 737-500 will just be the beginning for this developer team: after the release of the first aircraft, they will progress with the entire Classic Family of the 737: the 737-300 and the 737-400, including their cargo variants. These new aircraft will be an upgrade for the 737-500 and don’t have to be purchased separately, so flight simulation enthusiasts can grow their hangar progressively.
For the first time in the flight simulation add-on market, Commercial Simulation Solutions plans to introduce a subscription for the aircraft with the prices as follows:
- Monthly subscription (30 days): $5
- Annual subscription (365 days): $50
- Lifetime purchase without subscription: $120
Through the subscription model, they want to ensure that people can test the aircraft without having to pay the whole price and to allow themselves to further develop the aircraft and bring all the announced features. For this model to work, the aircraft has to be bought through their own installer.
This product is still a work in progress, and all the information stated above is subject to change in the future. For updated and additional information, please refer to their Discord server.
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