Alright folks! Here we go! We’re on site at The Rio Las Vegas for FlightSim Expo 2024 and it promises to be quite an action packed afternoon with a series of presentations from names both big and small – yet all consequential to our shared hobby. This article will be periodically updated as the afternoon goes on so check back as I cover day one!

Ongoing updates

Here we go with updates! Check back through the day as I add to the list. All times will be given in Pacific Time local to the show.

MOZA Racing flight sim peripherals (10:26 am)

The folks at MOZA Racing, who typically make racing sim hardware, are launching a new line of flight sim peripherals. Announcement coming later today but the teaser is up now. Here are some features they are touting:

• MOZA AB9: 9Nm active force feedback base
• MH16: Precision-engineered joystick
• MTP: Multifunctional throttle panel
• MTLP: Advanced takeoff & landing panel
• MRP: High-sensitivity rudder pedals

Just Flight teasers (10:31 am)

Just Flight have posted about their plans this weekend with teasers of their in development products, sale prices on aircraft at their booth, and presentations coming from Black Square, BlueBird and from their own in-house team.

727-200 Freighter from FSS (10:39 am)

A second team, separate from their E-Jets team, is revealing today that they are doing a Boeing 727-200 Freighter variant for MSFS. It’s going to be at the FSS booth at the expo!

More info here.

Check-in time! (12:08 pm)

The line was lengthy but I’m about to check in. We’re just under an hour before announcements kick off!

Welcome begins! (1:17 pm)

We’re underway!

Evan gets in a few jokes about the change of venue from the Tropicana about The Rio and the Tropicana becoming a baseball stadium.

Evan’s doing a great introduction right now. One slide I wanted to share is the percentages of new versus expert flight simmers here. There’s a sizeable group of new and intermediate simmers here which is superb!

Bluebird presentation (1:55pm)

Started during September 2020. Now over a dozen people working on it.

They’ve shown off the aircraft from the MK Simulations Keflavik airport scenery coming soon.

Complex electrical (maybe the most complex in MSFS), tested by a dozen 757 pilots, fully simulated systems, terrain map, SimBrief, custom AP, LNAV, VNAV, 2K, 4K or hybrid textures.

Update on 767 too. Will start fully developing after 757. 767-300ER main focus with GE and PW engines. RB211 later. 200 passenger and freight version bundled as separate paid expansion.

The surprise is…they will be doing the 787 after the 757, 767. This is terrific news! They say it’s “gonna take a little bit.” So it’s not soon but great to see coming later!

Fabin Lim / FliteSim.com (2:13 pm)

Based in Singapore, aims to revolutionize flight sim training through quality hardware. Full size C172 yoke with force feedback.

They also build flight consoles for home cockpits. Single engine console or twin. Pricing is $1000-3000.

In the future they will do a G1000 console. available Q4 2024. Then a 737NG yoke.

Later, a FF combat stick and a force feedback rudder. “Competitively priced” is what they are saying… but expect that to be higher than the usual of course because of the force feedback.

Nimbus (2:22 pm)

Make scenery and aircraft for X-Plane.

Also make training/pro tools for forest fire fighting aircraft.

And also creating a mission tool with ability to place objects and items. Including a combat mission experience for the sim.

Finally they have announced a 707 which looks really good and has great wing flex.

Lunch and WinWing (3:23 pm)

Ducked out for a bit for lunch. Back at things now with a bunch of surprisingly affordable WinWing products for airliner products featuring both A320 and a new 737 autopilot control panel.

Not only airliners with WinWing.

F-18 joystick V2 with a haptic feedback version that will connect with DCS and other sims.

It also looks like this vibration system will support X-Plane, WarThunder and others.

They’ve also announced a new Airbus inspired stick with a surprisingly low price.

Finally, Cyber Taurus with force modeling force feedback system. Very impressive. I’ll

I’m going to spend a bunch of time with WinWing tomorrow so I’ll cover more of their stuff then!

SimFly (3:33 pm)

This is a virtual presentation. Creating a SimFly economy with a fly and earn system. Customize, buy, sell, aircraft.

They seem to be talking about an economy system with tokens and XP. They also have an AI analysis system to track your flights and help determine more efficient flying.

Combat Pilot (3:30 pm)

Jason is on stage talking about Combat Pilot. Jason is highlighting that it’s been 20 years since an original Pacific combat sim.

Unreal 5 engine with PBR and virtualized geometry and LODs. Physically based soundscape.

They also talk about 2nd year budget. They want to expand the team, refine fundamentals, revise damage and visual effects, more advanced GUI and launcher, rigours testing.

First theatre is Midway but the first large scale theatre is the Solomons and the battle of Guadalcanal.

Scramble Battle of Britain (3:56 pm)

My friend Jon is on stage to talk about Scramble Battle of Britain. He and his team have been working on this turn based tactical dogfight game from Slitherine.

The game demo is on Steam right now. Go check it out!

MicroProse B-17 for MSFS (4:12 pm)

We’ve got MicroProse doing a very quick video presentation about their new MSFS product line. I’ve got an embargoed piece coming out about that later so here’s some images now.

NaviGraph (4:25 pm)

The folks from NaviGraph are on stage now. They are talking about features.

iPhone app support, satellite maps, OFP, FAA sectionals, a new annotation system. New land cover feature makes it easier to make out land types.

There’s new significant weather system. And a new performance calculator which was introduced recently. There’s lots of third party integrations now. They are encouraging devs to connect with them.

The new reveal today is… traffic and ATC sectors with support for everyone flying with NaviGraph, VATSIM, and IVAO.

FlyInside (4:47 pm)

Has been doing content as far back as FSX. Bell 47 for MSFS was first helicopter with real dynamics. New G3B with turbocharged engine coming.

Bell 206 was second release. 17 updates on this product so far. An OH-58A and B models is coming. 206A too.

New helicopter releases are… Rotorway 162-F and JetExec. They were chosen because they are real attainable helicopters that some people could buy. Meanwhile, back in sim world they will be $34.95 USD.

Up next. They will do failures, agri spraying mini games, fully functional Night Sun SX16, working weapons on military models.

Four more helicopters including Composite FX helicopters. Also Enstrom helicopters. The secret project is the Gazelle in four variants.

Cabby (4:55 pm)

An AI cabin crew announcement system that’s done with generated announcements together with SimBrief. Origin, destination, flight sim, etc. Has multiple languages.

Works with MSFS and X-Plane.

Tobii (5:11 pm)

The next presentation is Tobii. I have reviewed their system and it’s my main head tracker.

Today they are talking about a more natural system where your head and eye tracking with camera boost. It’s in DCS already and coming to other games later. It’s hard to describe.

SoFly (5:22 pm)

I’ve heard of it before but not looked into it. SoFly has a series of enhancement packs for MSFS. That includes wildlife, storms, checklists, sound enhancements, more.T

Their new feature is providing a long list of announcements from flight crew and attendants. With multiple accents and languages.

X-Plane/Laminar (5:35 pm)

Final presentation. Update from Laminar on X-Plane. A recap of 12.1 first.

Then some new features. G1000 synthetic vision is one. Airliner weather radar with update sweep, tilt, and ground returns. T

There’s talk about fixing the dark cockpit issue. Their answer is exposure fusion – basically HDR style lighting.

There’s also talk about new terrain rendering (finally).

Performance and detail. Stream scenery meshes. Allows scenery meshes can be edited around the airport. Q3 and Q4 for new updates.

Then it’s X-Plane store. New store, new identity and DRM system, meant to be easy to update, more seamless.

New websocket API will let web code to and from X-Plane.

There’s a new AI supported system called Fly Shirley which becomes a co pilot that can support you interactively. Interesting!

That’s it for today

Thanks for reading to the end! Day one is done and I’m looking forward to day 2! Can’t wait!