The folks at iniBuilds have laid out a lengthy update indicating their product strategy for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and 2024. Many scenery and some aircraft products will have free upgrades to the new sim but there will be some paid updates as well. It’s all laid out so let’s have a look!
Product strategy
The folks at iniBuilds are laying out their strategy for upgrading their products to MSFS 2024. They are going with three different status types depending on what kind of work has been done on the product.
The first category is “Compatible” and its intended to be a straight port of the original product with outstanding 2020 bugs fixed and tested to make sure it works at expected in 2024.
The next category is “Enhanced” which has the product’s models re-exported with new LOD system and materials. Additional features such as passenger handling would be added. This Enhanced category would have an upgrade fee associated with it.
“Premium” is the third category applying to either new products or completely rebuilt products. New LOD models and textures system, all MSFS 2024 features, brand-new or fully upgraded ground polygons (for scenery). These premium updates will cost £4.99 to existing owners.
iniBuilds also report that they intend to have the A300-600R, LOWI Innsbruck, T-33 and a new international airport all at the Premium level around the release of MSFS. LEIB Ibiza and KPSP Palm springs will be “Enhanced” and EGHI Southampton, LPPD Ponta Delgada, EGGW London Luton, and EGSS London Stansted will be “Compatible.”
The rest of their product line will be updated over the following months. Here’s what they had to say about that:
Over the next few months we will be updating our suite of products in line with our structure outlined today. Please note we aren’t going to share which category they fall into and when they will release as some are large hubs; however rest assured any airport released this year will be a free update for MSFS 2020 customers in line with our commitment we shared earlier this year.
So to summarize a slightly complicated plan, it seems like some products will be free ports, others will be paid upgrades, and new products going forward will be considered a “Premium” MSFS experience.
T-33 and A300-600R
iniBuilds T-33 Jet Trainer Premium, released earlier this year, is getting a free update. That’s pretty straightfoward. The A300-600R is getting two updates with the first being a Compatibility upgrade bringing the airliner over to MSFS 2024 and that will be free for existing customers. iniBuilds A300-600R Airliner Premium version will have MSFS 2024 features such as exterior interactions, covers, passenger seating, career mode capability, a new flight model, dirt, wear and tear, and new effects. The upgrade price will be £9.99.
The EPIC modification, using updated avionics, is apparently not quite as certain as I had thought previously. Here’s what they had to say:
To be clear this is NOT referencing the EPIC mod expansion that we have discussed in the past as a potential expansion. This is still under consideration internally and once we have more to update on this expansion it will be shared in a dedicated A300 update.
A350 cockpit
We’ve got an A350 update from iniBuilds as well. They are still targeting an end of 2024 release plan, however, they say that its a project that they intend to get right and thus they say a delay of a month or two may occur. Not unexpected with highly complex products.
The above image shows off the cockpit of the A350 as it currently is, work in progress, while they work towards release.
L1011 tease
In the last 24 hours, iniBuilds posted this teaser on their Instagram stories. Community members have identified the nose as belonging to a Lockheed L1011 and specifically to Saudi Arabian Airliners HZ-AHP located at the Royal Saudi Air Force Museum Riyadh.
iniBuilds reports that this teased aircraft is planned for 2025. No other details are available, however, given that their A350 is intended to be a MSFS 2024 platform release it seems likely that the new product will release on the new sim only as I expect many products will be going forward.
Stormbirds 
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