The first of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024’s 1st Party Aircraft Partner streams has allowed FlightFX to showcase the work it’s done on some of the new sim’s default aircraft. Nick Sdoucos and Marwan Gharib of FlightFX joined the stream to show off the work done on the Jetson One, Joby S4, and Archer Midnight for MSFS2024.
Jetson One
The Jetson One is a small, personal EVTOL (Electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing) aircraft manufactured by Jetson in Italy. It features a highly automated fly-by-wire system that, along with various modes of operation, make it an easy aircraft for beginners to fly.
Keep in mind that the simulator used for this showcase was MSFS2020.
FlightFX has gone to great lengths to replicate this aircraft’s most interesting quirks and features. Apart from recreating the aforementioned FBW system, the general characteristics of this aircraft’s flight dynamics required the developer to make a custom flight model to accurately recreate them. It also features the Jetson’s control modes, which change the FBW computer’s input response to suit beginner, intermediate, and advanced users.
Joby S4
The Joby S4 is another EVTOL aircraft with a very different purpose. Joby’s designers intend for the S4 to be used in ridesharing services similar to Uber. Like the Jetson and other EVTOLs, the Joby features a highly automated fly-by-wire system that makes it easy to fly. Its large windows and high automation also make it a great sightseeing aircraft.
FlightFX has recreated the Joby’s advanced FBW system and the tricky flight dynamics of tilt-rotor aircraft such as this. Flying the aircraft is as simple as giving the computer targets for speed, pitch, and roll. It even has a mode that automatically slows down the aircraft as it approaches the destination. For avionics, the Joby has a Garmin G3000 system with custom pages for the various systems, which have also been recreated in the sim.
Archer Midnight
The Archer Midnight is another EVTOL that, similar to the Joby, is aimed at the ridesharing/air taxi market. Like the Joby, it’s a tilt-rotor aircraft with a highly automated fly-by-wire system. It has a different wing design and is slightly larger and heavier than the Joby, so despite the automation, they have slight differences in handling.
As with the Joby, FlightFX also recreated the Archer’s highly automated FBW system and tilt-rotor mechanics. Although the Archer features two sticks, it will still be flyable with a regular HOTAS setup, as the right stick simply controls pitch and roll, while the left stick controls throttle and yaw. The Archer’s Garmin G3000 system and its custom system pages have also been modeled in the sim for this aircraft.
Closing Notes on FlightFX Aircraft
While most simmers will know FlightFX and Marwan Gharib for their comparatively simpler Vision Jet and Honda Jet, it’s very interesting to see how they have recreated these very new and quirky futuristic aircraft. Although the Joby and Archer haven’t entered production yet, there’s no doubt that EVTOLs like them will very soon start flying, and it’s good to already have these representations of future aircraft available in MSFS2024.
If you would like to view the original developer stream, you can do so here. This is only the first of a series of upcoming MSFS2024-focused streams, so stay tuned to FSNews for the latest updates on the new sim. In the meantime, check out one of our previous articles about the MSFS2024 SDK here.
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