A2A Simulations has recently announced the development of a new Accu-Sim airplane for Microsoft Flight Simulator: the Piper Aerostar 600, a twin-engined propeller aircraft designed and built by Ted Smith Aircraft Company in the late 1960s. 

Ted Smith, then an already experienced aircraft designer, envisioned a fast twin-engined airplane with no compromises, sleek lines, powerful engines, and speed as the main priority. By the late 1960s, the first prototype was already breaking records, making it the fastest twin-piston general aviation aircraft at the time, thanks to its light construction, low drag, and sheer power. 

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The Aerostar 600 had two Lycoming IO-540-K engines, producing 290 horsepower each. These allowed it to cruise at 408 km/h, with a service ceiling of 25,000ft and 1,500 miles of total range on a single tank of fuel. 

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Like their Comanche 250 (released mid-2023), the upcoming airplane will be built on Accu-Sim 2.0 technology. This technology features an advanced aerodynamics system that tries to accurately represent how an aircraft flies through the air, realistic wear and tear on the airframe and engine, in-depth electrical simulation, and much more. 

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They have owned and operated a real Aerostar 600 for several years, and it was assumed for the longest time that it would be their first product for Microsoft Flight Simulator. 

Not much has been revealed yet, but they mention it’s an entirely different experience from flying the Comanche, with their Accu-Sim 2.0 technology accurately recreating the feel of flying a piston twin. It’s expected to be released “later in 2024.”

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