The developer FSLabs has released the first version of their A321 NEO with Pratt & Whitney engine option for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. The team has announced the release through their website, showcasing all the differences to the CFM variant, and what expectations we can have from this new update.
For starters, it needs to be mentioned that this free update is currently only available through the FSLabs Experimental channel, which you can freely access as a user. You need to first navigate to the FSLabs Control Center settings, and in the top right, find the update channel, and switch the option from “public” to “experimental”. Once that’s done, click save, and restart your FSLabs Control Center. After that, make sure to repair your installed aircraft and libraries, so the application can replace old data with the new experimental ones.
This update, in general, brings the Pratt & Whitney GTF engine option to the aircraft, as well as numerous visual updates and performance improvements. The Pratt & Whitney engine option includes custom engine modelling, advanced FADEC logic, and performance characteristics that reflect the real-world counterpart.
The flight management computer has also been improved to accommodate this engine option. This includes things like flight planning, vertical navigation, route editing and fuel management. The holding pattern was also reworked, with computed last exit functionality. The lateral and vertical navigation systems should now handle waypoints and constraints much more accurately.
The cabin, which we have also mentioned in our FSLabs A321 NEO review, has been completely reworked and is more authentic, developed from the ground up. The interior features high-resolution textures, unique cabin layouts, depending on the aircraft variant you use, and even animated window blinds and custom lighting.
Alongside the Pratt & Whitney engine option, the team has rolled out an authentic soundpack for this variant, as well as numerous liveries of carriers that operate this aircraft option across the world. The most notable new feature is definitely going to be the auto-save, which will save your flight in case of a simulator crash, which is much needed in performance-heavy environments.
You can also read more about FSLabs in one of our articles covering the update of A321 NEO here.
Feel free to join our Discord server to share your feedback on the article, screenshots from your flights or just chat with the rest of the team and the community. Click here to join the server.
