It’s been a long time since we last heard anything big from Synaptic Simulations on their in development A220 project, however, that has changed today with a status update encompassing most of the project and what they’ve been busy doing.
Developing a very different kind of Airbus
Synaptic Simulations started out as a freeware developer that then decided to aim their goals higher becoming a commercial developer and then cementing that with a partnership with iniBuilds.
The two teams have been working together to develop the project and their developer diary is keen to point out the extreme levels of detail that they’ve gone into everything from the visual model to the systems. They report, for example, that the model has been reworked right down to the rivets with correct part numbers and positioning. The exterior model has openable engine cowlings, APU maintenance doors, avionics bays, and panels throughout the aircraft for added immersion.
Over on the systems side, it sounds like Synaptic has really gone deep into the systems too simulating the computers, electronics, hydrualics and databuses that make everything work. There are 646 components modeled so far with an additional 368 electrical components and 995 connections. They’ve also modeled all 256 circuit breakers and 636 solid-state power controllers.
The A220 started life as a Bombardier project that Airbus then bought a controlling interest in. That means that the aircraft’s control modes (rather than control laws ala other Airbus models) are specific to the Bombardier built aircraft.
There’s so much more covered in the developer diary but hopefully you get the picture. Synaptic have been busy building this aircraft out with its avionics, deep system modeling, and detailed exterior.
Where they go from here
Synaptic report that they are planning to release for both MSFS 2020 and 2024 with simultaneous launches on both the iniBuilds Store and in the Microsoft Marketplace. The A220-300 would be launched initially with the A220-100 added for free alongside other updates post launch.
The team are planning to have a development stream in May at which point they plan to lay out a release timeline.
Check out the full update here! Personally looking forward to the next update in May!
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