Synaptic Simulations recently published a lengthy development update on their upcoming A220 for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and 2024, which is said to be an exceptionally accurate rendition of the popular narrow-body airplane.

They have built it from the ground up by leveraging high-fidelity 3D scans, extensive reference data, and the latest development techniques, resulting in a true-to-life model of the airplane that “brings out every characteristic of the A220 while remaining performant”.

They emphasize that while a great model goes a long way, exceptional texturing, and asset integration are just as critical. iniBuilds stepped in to help them with detailed texturing, flight modeling, sound design, and the creation of the electronic flight bag.

Synaptic has dedicated significant development effort to capturing every detail, making sure everything is as close to the real thing as possible: rivets are marked with their correct part number and position, decals show appropriate wear across surfaces, wiring follows the real-world contours of the aircraft, and more.

It also includes a detailed passenger cabin and a wide range of interactive components (like an openable engine cowling, APU maintenance doors, avionics bays, and maintenance panels throughout the airframe).

On the systems aspect, they have managed to mimic the physical structure of the system in code with as much detail as is practical, modeling almost every computer, component, ARINC 429 bus, and any discrete or analog signal documented in operational and technical training manuals, allowing them to encapsulate the aircraft’s inherent complexities and nuances.

The end result of this process is what they refer to as emergent behavior, which grants them the ability to realistically model many non-normal states without explicitly accounting for them.

A total of 646 components have been modeled so far, covering everything from electrical and data buses to major systems like avionics computers, generators, and more. It has been carefully optimized, with each simulation tick currently processing in under 1 ms.

To support development and future maintenance, they have developed custom in-sim instrumentation and visualization tools, which provide them with a debugging environment to quickly resolve any issues that might arise post-release.

The electrical system simulated real-world voltage and current flow across every connection, with 368 components and 995 connections currently represented. It fully represents the aircraft’s primary and secondary power distribution architectures and their respective communication across the appropriate buses.

Furthermore, every circuit breaker and solid-state power controller (SSPC) has been included, with 256 CBs and 636 SSPCs in total, with their respective custom logic applied where applicable.

The developers have worked hard to faithfully yet performantly simulate the many data transfer protocols inside the aircraft. 

Work has also extended to the aircraft’s fuel and hydraulic systems, which have been brought up to the same standard as everything else. The APU has also undergone reworking to feature a separate controller and a dedicated engine model designed to match real life, with failures included.

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They are in the process of implementing a custom flight control system from scratch, focusing on applying the principles of emergent behavior in addition to well-established control theory paradigms. 

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Thanks to its ease of use and incredible depth, they have been using Navigraph data for navigation data. This allows them to implement certain features without having to worry about having the data at hand. 

Efforts have also been made to develop an interface that allows users to switch between Navigraph and the simulator’s default database on the ground as if they were airline technicians.

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The Multifunction Keyboard Panel (MKP) has also been recreated, with custom fonts, sizing, and placement matching the real-world counterpart as closely as possible.

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Their EICAS system processes messages by the aircraft’s data concentration system as per real life and triggers them by discrete or ARINC 429 buses routed from the relevant systems in accordance with their principles of emergent behavior.

Their checklists can be easily modified if desired, and they hope this will stimulate the community to create and share their own airline-specific procedures.

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There’s no release date or pricing yet, but it is now known that it will be available on the iniBuilds Store and MSFS Marketplace from day one, with a two-phase launch: A220-300 base package first, followed by the A220-100 as a free update alongside additional quality-of-life improvements.

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More information will be shared in their next development stream in May, where they plan to unveil a deeper look across all aspects of their upcoming airplane.

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