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Flight Simulator X Acceleration at E3

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E3 has begun and speculation has started regarding our expansion pack. If you've been checking my blog periodically, you already know how excited I am about it! There has been a video posted on GameSpot but it's worth noting that this video is a compilation of b-roll material we shot while in the studio producing our primary trailer which I think is much cooler. I think that trailer will be released on fsinsider after it's officially shown at E3 (in other words I don't know exactly when). What you won't see in the trailer is material on the EH-101 as the texture work just isn't far enough along yet. We did however shoot some video of a propane tank being lifted and flown around on the slingload cable, but I don't know if it will ever make it into any other b-roll trailers. You also won't see any catapult launches or arrested landings...

I can offer up some info on the EH-101. I got to spend a day taking pictures of one when I was in the UK and it's very cool. It has three turbine engines (and yes now we do support them in helicopters as well as an APU), retractable gear, rear ramp, glass gauges, hoist, etc. The Bell 206 has been around a long time and it never really had a properly simulated turbine engine, so now the community will be able to take advantage of new tech to improve their own complex helicopters.

As I've mentioned before we also now have slingload and hoist capabilities (not to be confused with a winch BTW). And both of these technologies are very easy to configure on ANY FSX Acceleration helicopter. Of course you can't just go around picking up any scenery object, it needs to be an object with some simulation code behind it...

As for speculation about military aircraft being included in this expansion pack, the P-51 is a Reno racer which has had all remnants of weapons removed. The real EH-101 can be fitted with weapons, and the RAF can (and does sometimes) mount a .50 caliber on the rear ramp, but we are not supporting that at this time. Military machines are hot and fun to fly, and that is what we are going after.

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