Hangar Studios 713 has released their rendition of the American Champion Aircraft Scout 8GCBC, a STOL (Short Take-Off and Landing) light aircraft. The backcountry aircraft has been developed for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020, with compatibility for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024.
The addon has been developed with the eSTOL competition in mind, which we covered in a separate article and even interviewed the organizer, available here.
The American Champion Aircraft Scout 8GCBC
The Scout 8GCBC is a two-seat, high-wing general aviation aircraft, first produced in 1974. Originally built by Bellanca Aircraft Corporation, the model inherited features from their 7-series Citabrias and 8KCAB Decathlon. More than 350 Scouts 8GCBC were produced before Bellanca ceased operations in 1981.
The design was later acquired by American Champion Aircraft Corporation, bringing the aircraft back into production in 1993. The latest data shows that more than 500 aircraft of this type have been built to date. Today, the aircraft serves a wide range of purposes, with configurations offering floats or skis, a choice of two engines, and multiple wheel sizes.
Hangar Studios 713’s Scout 8GCBC
Brought to sim pilots by the developer behind the Super Decathlon, the Scout is brought to life with a variety of configurations available, mirroring its real-world counterpart. Two cockpit styles are included: an analog cockpit featuring the GNS430/GTN650, and a glass cockpit equipped with the G3X Touch, G5 backup, AS430 GPS, and AS307 autopilot. Hangar Studios 713 also allows users to choose between 26″ bush wheels, 35″ tundra wheels, or amphibious floats. The tundra wheel variant can be further modified with the 210 HP Denali engine, particularly suited for STOL operations.
While the aircraft has not yet been rebuilt natively for MSFS 2024, the Scout includes realistic features such as animated doors and windows, enhanced with environmental sound bleed. Handcrafted effects interact with the surrounding environment, including dust trails, water spray, land impacts, and smoke. The developer also highlights both the custom fuel system and aerodynamic drag system.
The fuel system requires pilots to keep the slip ball centered in flight to ensure balanced fuel delivery from both tanks, reducing the risk of fuel starvation. When parked on sloped terrain, passive fuel transfer is also simulated. The drag system is modelled so that open doors, windows, or attached cargo pods will result in increased drag.
Hangar Studios 713 states that “all major features work as intended, and only minor quirks may be present due to ongoing sim updates” concerning MSFS 2024. The developer also confirms that the aircraft is prepared for the coming phase of development to ensure full support in MSFS 2024. With 25 liveries available at launch, the Scout is available to purchase now on Hangar Studios 713’s website for $(USD)19.99.
The aircraft is also set to launch on the MSFS Marketplace on August 28 for PC and Xbox, with an Orbx release slated for later this week. If you’re interested in reading more about Microsoft Flight Simulator product launches, reviews, and more, you can read on with FSNews.
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