FlightSim Expo 2023

By Spencer Doyle

FlightSim Expo returned in 2023 after a two-year hiatus due to COVID. This year’s event took place in Houston, featuring a day of product announcements on Friday, June 23rd, followed by two days of exhibits at the Lone Star Flight Museum.

Throughout the weekend, numerous exciting announcements captivated attendees. Thrustmaster unveiled an upcoming HOTAS designed as a replica of the F16 Viper, while Honeycomb introduced an array of new products, including the Delta touchscreens, Lima flight chair, Alpha Pro yoke, USB hub, and an upcoming Boeing & Airbus accessory pack. Additionally, Honeycomb revealed the Flight Sim Academy, an educational STEM program focused on aviation. Navigraph showcased their new weather overlay features, delving into the latest integration within their Navigraph Charts apps. A surprise presentation from BeyondATC highlighted their forthcoming AI-driven ATC add-on for MSFS, offering a realistic ATC experience without real operators.

In the realm of aircraft announcements, FastCow Productions disclosed an officially licensed Cicare 8 helicopter, promising a high-fidelity version. A2A Simulations provided a preview of the Comanche, which has since been released and detailed in a separate article. Just Flight revealed plans for an Airbus A300B4-200, accompanied by stunning previews of the flight instruments. iniBuilds unveiled and previewed their upcoming A300-600, aiming to bring high-fidelity cargo operations to MSFS.

The keynote speaker for the product announcements on Friday was Microsoft Flight Simulator, sharing more insights about the upcoming Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. Jorg Neumann, head of MSFS, referred to 2024 as “The biggest undertaking ever in flight simulation.” The presentation highlighted collaboration with aviation experts to bring diverse experiences to the simulator, including aerial firefighting, search and rescue, mountain rescue, helicopter cargo transport, air ambulance, crop dusting, skydive aviation, aerial construction, VIP charter service, scientific research, and more. Emphasizing the focus on flight simulation, Jorg mentioned that this was not a game. He also mentioned the exponential growth of the flight simulation hobby, with Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 reaching 12 million players in under 3 years compared to Flight Simulator X’s 5 million players in 16 years. Jorg revealed that 500 developers are working on MSFS 2024.

Sebastian Wloch from Asobo discussed forthcoming features of MSFS 2024, including a thinner client requiring less storage space and lower PC specifications. Improved aerodynamic fidelity, physics, and enhancements to various systems such as electrical, pneumatic, fuel, hydraulic, failures, wear and tear, payload, passengers, and avionics were highlighted. A default cockpit tablet, enhanced terrain accuracy, upgraded 3D trees with seasonal changes, and improvements to the weather system were presented. The Living World enhancements promised animal herds, migrations, live ship traffic, and improved vehicle traffic on roads.

While time will reveal how these improvements converge, the consensus supports Jorg’s assertion that this is “the biggest undertaking ever in flight simulation.” Anticipation is high for witnessing these enhancements in action. FlightSim Expo 2024 is scheduled for June 21st-23rd at the Tropicana Hotel in Las Vegas.