Following the news shared in March that SimWorks Studios planned to release the GippsAero GA-8 Airvan for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and 2024, the developers have continued to release more previews and updates on the progress of the aircraft.
The aircraft, a small but mighty Australian prop aircraft designed for everything from skydiving to medevac and aerial surveillance, is currently in the final stages of preparation for release, according to the development team. In an update shared on May 10th, SimWorks shared some insight into some of the finishing touches being built for the add-on, as well as extras that are expected to come with the main aircraft on release day.
The main focus was the failure system, something the team say has been “in the oven for quite some time.” According to SimWorks, there are already more than seventy failures supported for the Airvan. Some are simpler, electrical faults that result in a circuit breaker popping; sometimes requiring a simple reset by popping a breaker back in, while other times not, as the system is agnostic.
Alongside electrical failures, the team has also been working on singular and cascading failures; from a propeller wearing out faster in the winter at low altitude than in the summer at a higher altitude, to low oil levels affecting engine heat and speeding up wear and tear. The team also previewed the effects of a cylinder failing to achieve combustion, causing engine arrhythmia – something they note simulates very well now, including the fact that each cylinder is treated separately.
This means that while all similar, users will never know if or which specific cylinder could fail first. Elements like prop wear and oil levels will also be inspectable in pre-flight, while other details will only be noticeable from sound and the aircraft’s actions.
This update comes after an April post from SimWorks that featured a hint at a tablet designed for the aircraft by the SimWorks avionics team, as well as details as to how the aforementioned failures will integrate with the tablet’s systems. They also included more information on how the add-on will work alongside MSFS2024’s career mode.
According to the team, the add-on is expected to be ready for release sometime this month for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020. A version for MSFS2024 is in development at the same time, meaning there is a good chance both versions will be able to be released in a very close timeframe to one another. Users who purchase the 2024 version can expect to be able to pick up the 2024 version for no additional cost.
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.
