It’s time to catch up with several updates penned by SimWorks Studios over the last few weeks. The development team have had a busy few years releasing the Kodiak 100, PC-12, RV-10, RV-14 and RV-8 aircraft for MSFS 2020. Now the team are looking to the future with updates on their projects for 2020 and 2024. I’ve summed up some of the key points from SWS’ regular Facebook page updates on the Kodiak, PC-12 and GA-8 Airvan. So let’s go!

Kodiak updates

SimWorks is busy updating the Kodiak, one of their first MSFS 2020 releases with an eye towards a Christmas update for the aircraft in MSFS 2020. Among the changes are substantial reworking of the aircraft’s structure in the sim with a more modular setup. The benefit being the potential for more cabin and mission types for the airplane as well as a smaller download size.

There’s also a new pilot, more detailed passenger seats, replacing the old Tundra seats with the newer Timeberline design (on the real one), an updated flight model and further integration with the WorkingTitle G1000. The flight model includes improvements to the pitch control (making it a bit less sensitive), less ballooning from the flaps, and a slightly quicker to respond engine.

Work is being done to move the airplane to MSFS 2024 with the 2020 compatible version intending to work as well as possible. SWS plan to also offer a paid upgrade version with full 2024 support and the intention of offering support for the airplane in Career mode.

PC-12 updates

The PC-12, one of the more challenging aircraft that SWS has tackled, is seeing further updates. Autopilot tuning has been done, there are new seats in the cockpit, bugs with the EFIS have been fixed, and the altitude selector has been worked on with new functionality that includes keybinds. The flight model has also been significantly tuned again.

The entire flight modelling process for the PC-12 has been a long, painful learning experience, allowing us to gain a very deep knowledge of the MSFS flight model and work around most of its limitations. We believed -and still do- that the PC-12 was our best and most complex development, but such things come with teething pains. Now it’s over that.

SimWorks Studios

GA-8 Airvan updates

Not yet out and still very much in development, the Airvan is another SWS project that is underway. They are still working on sounds for the aircraft while also fixing bugs. They’ve retuned the propeller, improved instrument readouts, added vibration to the panel, transferred it into MSFS 2024, and have been tuning the wear and tear system.

The aircraft is definitely coming to MSFS 2024 and may also come to 2020 depending on what SWS decide to do.