We’ve got a new Feature Discovery video from the folks at Asobo Studio and the developers behind Microsoft Flight Simulator. The new video offers a deeper dive into the systems behind the simulators new helicopter based features which are due to arrive next week with the launch of the 40th Anniversary.

Chopper talk

The latest Feature Discovery Series video from the team behind Microsoft Flight Simulator gives us a great overview of one of the core upcoming features for the next update – helicopters!

From early after Microsoft Flight Simulator was first revealed to the public back in June of 2019, the helicopter fan community had been talking about what the helicopter experience would be like in this new generation of sim. Shout-out to Sergio over at HeliSimmer who has helped to lead that charge!

Not content to just slap some helicopters in, Asobo was quick to respond during those early days that helicopters would be a future feature but that they had some work they wanted to do before the sim would be ready.

Now, more than two years post release, and on the 40th Anniversary of Flight Simulator, Asobo look to be delivering on that promise with new flight physics paired with a couple of beautiful sounding and looking helicopters for the sim.

The Feature Discovery video focuses in on the work that Asobo did to bring the Guimbal Cabri G2 helicopter to life. There’s a discussion about the modelling of the helicopter itself (using scanners to get the basis for the visuals) as well as the detailed sound effects that they have built in.

Of course, the real promise is not just in a couple of bundled helicopters but also in the core functionality and flight modelling that will be unlocked for others. Until now, developers have used external flight models to make helicopters work in the sim, but now MSFS will have built in modelling. I can only guess that this will both make things easier and give us more realistic feeling helicopters at the same time.

40th Anniversary inbound

Next week, on November 11, Asobo and Microsoft are planning to release the next update for Microsoft Flight Simulator. This is the next Sim Update but all numbering has been dropped from their roadmap materials as this one gets a very special name: the 40th Anniversary Update.

We’ve already seen plenty thanks to the reveal trailer that came out a couple of months ago so none of this will be a surprise to regular readers. But if you want a refresher, check out the trailer.

With helicopters, sail planes, a full fidelity A310 from iniSimulations, and a bunch of fan favourite airplanes from earlier editions of the sim, the 40th Anniversary is adding a lot to Microsoft Flight Simulator and they are doing it for free.

I can’t help but feel that this update is a real love letter for fans of Microsoft Flight Simulator and of the flight simming genre on the whole. It also likely speaks to the success of both the core sim and the marketplace which is surely driving a ton of revenue to support continued development.

Next week will be yet another big week for flight simmers everywhere!