The flight sim news keeps on coming and so here we go with another round-up of news from around the community. We’ve got updates from Blue Bird, Just Flight, FSS, AzurPoly, CowanSim, and Rotate Simulations. Let’s go!

Blue Bird Simulations talks 757 beta at FSExpo

We’ve got a small update coming from the BlueBird Simulations folks in the last 24-hours with word that they will be showing off the 757 beta for FS Expo attendees.

Just wanted to give a quick update before the weekend comes to a close. We’re still very much hard at work and excited to be exhibiting for the first time at the Expo in June. While I can’t guarantee any sort of release date info during the Expo, we will have a computer setup with the 757 beta for the Expo attendees to try out. It’ll be a fun time for us there meeting other flight simulator enthusiasts and devs. A big thankyou to WinWing and Thrustmaster for sponsoring some of the equipment we will be using at our booth. We’ll provide more details and a video update a few weeks before the Expo.

The message above is accompanied by four new images including the 757 and some work in progress 767 images. Modeling is clearly going well with lots of details on offer.

Just Flight report progress on PA28 fleet

Hot on the heels of their MSFS 2024 updates for the Vulcan and Hawk T1A, Just Flight report that their Piper PA28 fleet, including the Arrow III, Turbo Arrow III/IV, and Warrior II are all now up and functioning in MSFS 2024. Just Flight report on their Facebook page that they will be treated as MSFS 2024 native packages on that sim.

Updates for both 2020 and 2024 are due in the marketplace soon!

FSS releases E-Jets for 2024

Flight Sim Studio AG are reporting via their Discord server that their E-Jets series are now available in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. Before you celebrate too quickly, the jets are only available on the Contrail store for now and they only work in the latest Sim Update 2 beta. You also need to make sure that the product is already activated on MSFS 2020 first before using them in 2024.

Presumably, these hurdles will be overcome in time.

FSS are far behind their previously published schedule for some major content delivery with the E-Jets series and report in this update that their custom FMS (complete with VNAV) is compatible with both 2020 and 2024 but no release date is available.

AzurPoly officially announce Rafale

Following the teaser released a few weeks ago, AzurPoly are reporting officially that their next MSFS project is the Dassault Rafale. The developers also report that its a licensed product with the aircraft maker which should hopefully add to the detail they can provide.

We are honored to announce that this aircraft is officially licensed. This collaboration will allow us to deliver the most accurate and detailed simulation of the Rafale ever brought to MSFS.

Release is currently planned before the end of 2025 and the team are focused on MSFS 2024 as a release platform, however, they are keeping their options open for a potential MSFS 2020 release as well.

Check out more on the AzurPoly Facebook page.

Cowan Sim announces CH-1 for MSFS 2020/24

HeliSimmer.com is reporting a bit a scoop with word from Cowan Simulations that the next project to release for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and 2024 will be the CH-1. Have you heard of the Cessna CH-1 Skyhook before? Yeah, neither had I but its one wild looking helicopter that dates back to 1956.

Check out the full scoop and a bit of story from Sérgio Costa and HeliSimmer.com.

Rotate MD-80 v1.51 released

Ending off with a little X-Plane 12 related news. Rotate Simulations reports that their MD-80 v1.51 has released. The classic airliner gets some updates with adjustments to support the latest X-Plane 12 developments, a new autoland mode, terrain display, tuned performance model and there is now support for Apple Silicon (I sometimes forget that X-Plane 12 works on Apple computers).

Learn more from Rotate Simulations over here.