Despite Aerosoft NextSim being primarily an event focused on the group’s other simulation ventures, the livestreamed presentation still found time to discuss the group’s plans for Microsoft Flight Simulator – both in terms of aircraft an scenery – with an interview with Mathijs Kok.
Kok acts as Aerosoft’s flight simulation product manager and gave users a rundown on the previously previewed CRJ and further information on their range going forward.
“What you’re seeing is the first complex aircraft in Flight Simulator today, from a third party,” he says. “We’ve been working with Microsoft and Asobo since last summer. They helped us completely rebuild it [the CRJ], and while doing so we helped them create the software development kit – because we know what third party developers want.”
The video provided, which ran underneath the interview, shows the CRJ in the Microsoft Flight Simulator hangar view. A link is available here.
The developer says the new simulator has thrown a spanner into the typical workflow at Aerosoft and now they’re working on two aircraft projects at once for the new platform, a change from the single-focus of the Prepar3D era.
Kok then confirmed that the freed up space in the development schedule is to be occupied by the Twin Otter, an aircraft which is currently available for Flight Simulator X and Prepar3Dv4.
The reasoning behind the choice of the Otter was to encourage low-flying in the simulator, which is a primary part of the platform’s pulling power. “With the Twin Otter, you can go everywhere… you can land on snow, water – it’s the ideal aircraft for this simulator.”
After these two projects have been released, Kok says the focus with shift towards the company’s ever popular Airbus range, including the A320 and A330 families.
“They [the Airbuses] are being worked on now, but not as much as on the CRJ… the CRJ will be the first one.”
In terms of release dates, the developer remained very apprehensive about naming a firm timeframe, citing an incomplete SDK from Asobo Studio. ‘It’s very depending [sic] on Microsoft here.’ He goes back on his earlier statement a little later in the clip, where he says it ‘must’ be this year that the CRJ launches, with it becoming an issue of money should Aerosoft miss the 2020 release target.
That’s all on the aircraft front, with the interview wrapping up on a brief section about scenery. Mentioned was the now-released freeware Paderborn Airport and looking to the future, it appears as though the Mega Airports range will be the next to follow – as payware.
See the full video on YouTube.