March Progress Update

21.03.2024

We haven't talked about the project for a while, but since we were approached so often at the FSWeekend in Lelystad, we want to bring you all up to date:

In the last few weeks we have fixed countless bugs and, according to our testers, the flying experience is getting smoother and smoother. However, we also want to implement the other engine variants. Our 3D team is therefore currently busy modeling. The exterior model of the NEO variant is finished and the cockpit is undergoing final changes compared to the "classic" version. The GE engines are already finished, more liveries are yet to come. At the moment we are working on the PW engine, it should be ready within the next 2 weeks. Of course we will also adapt the displays and sounds to the new variants, but that will take a while.

As soon as the NEO cockpit is ready, you will get to see new pictures.

An update on the A330 release schedule

22.01.2024

Following a thorough evaluation of the project, we have decided to shift the development and release of the A330 around the upcoming Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. This will allow us to greatly expand the focus of the project – including multiple engine options.
Additionally, we are planning to release both the CEO and NEO variants of the A330 simultaneously.
Once we have more details to share, we will update you via this page.

FMS Testing

01.12.2023

… and another milestone ticked off: Engine performance tuning and tweaking is now done!

Our testers can finally get back on track. We are aware that it is sometimes very frustrating for testers when things don't work properly and you can't complete the flight successfully as a result. However, this phase seems to have finally been overcome. Fortunately, we have many testers who fly to different airports all over the world with all sorts of arrivals and approaches. This shows how good our custom flight management system really is and where things still need improving. The most common error is the handling of the different waypoint types. We will now gradually eliminate these, which can be quite a time-consuming task. Fortunately, it's not a question of whether, but only how quickly we can get it done.

We are also continuing to work diligently on the vertical autopilot modes and on the documentation, which will come in both text and video form. It's quite an extensive undertaking, but we're already pretty far along and are continuously adapting the documentation to our development progress.
The end-of-the-year sprint is underway and we will try to make as much progress as possible before the Christmas break – and we're already looking forward to next year!

TRACKING OF THE AUTOPILOT

03.11.2023

We have worked our way through several valleys in the code and got rid of many loose ends from the P3D. As is so often the case, most of the problems are relatively easy to solve, but there are those 2-3 things that are supposed to be small problems, but in reality turn out to be bigger and more extensive. This is particularly true for the Airbus, where the systems are very closely interlinked.

An important milestone was setting the performance of the engines correctly, because only then can our sound engineer continue working.

Another point was the lateral tracking of the autopilot. Do you remember the screenshot with the egg dance flight path? Fortunately, that's history.

Now there is another important building block that we have to cover. The aircraft systems calculate the planned flight route, speed, altitude, vertical climb/descent, etc. based on various factors. We've come this far. Now we have to teach the autopilot to work with this data. But the best planning is useless if reality gets in the way. So this data must also be constantly recalculated in real time. We are currently working on this.

As you can see from the previous screenshots, we have almost finished the 3D model. So this milestone has already been mastered. Now we "just" need the systems to do what we want them to do. We will give you more information on this soon.

Checklists

12.10.2023

The use of checklists is not only important in real aviation, but also in flight simulation. Especially for new users of MSFS, checklists can be extremely helpful. They serve as a learning aid by explaining the necessary steps and procedures step by step. The integration of checklists into our A330 addon is very important to us. This allows users to practice the same procedures and processes that are used in real aviation. Especially beginners tend to forget important steps or settings, which can lead to unwanted problems.

In addition to our future online documentation, we offer a direct and interactive way to familiarize yourself with the aircraft with the standard MSFS Checklist menu. Due to the complexity of some procedures, we cannot guarantee the auto-complete feature everywhere. However, each checklist item is provided with a clickspot that allows users to quickly and easily navigate to the appropriate area in the cockpit.

This means that Xbox users and newcomers in particular need not be put off by the complexity of the A330. Instead, they will quickly be able to get used to the handling of this large aircraft.

Vote on your favorite liveries!

21.09.2023

In the world of aircraft, there are many fantastic liveries. Each airline has its own unique design, and in Microsoft Flight Simulator, these repaints come to life with stunning realism. Our A330 takes advantage of cutting-edge technology provided by Asobo to deliver both high detail and smooth performance, making even the tiniest logos and details appear sharp.

We've already crafted some highly detailed liveries for the A330, and these will be available for everyone when the plane is released. Now, we're also introducing a voting system that allows you to have a say in which liveries will be included on top of that. The list includes liveries from some of the most iconic airlines, both past and present, operating the A330-343 with RR engines. For this, we’re collaborating with skilled artists renowned for their livery design expertise. This means we'll be able to offer more liveries from day one, and they'll be available to both PC and Xbox players.

Additionally, we've put together a kit with easy-to-follow instructions, making it accessible for anyone to create their own livery designs using the “old” texture technology.

The voting has ended. Thank you for participating!

Recent Improvements and Fixes

01.09.2023

Systems and Instruments

ECAM (Electronic Centralized Aircraft Monitoring)
The ECAM system has undergone rigorous improvements to enhance both its logic and display. Issues like the high-pressure and engine valve logic on the "Bleed" page have been addressed. Additionally, a critical update was made to the APU indication on the AC electrical page to ensure accurate readings when the APU is turned off.

Flight Management Systems: MCDU and FMS
The Multifunction Control Display Unit (MCDU) and the Flight Management System (FMS) have seen several updates, primarily focused on system stability. For example, an issue that caused the MCDU to freeze when entering a duplicate waypoint in the flight plan has been resolved. Moreover, issues with LOC B/C and RADNAV selections during arrivals have been addressed to improve navigation accuracy.

Autobrake and Ground Power Unit (GPU)
The autobrake selection logic has been enhanced for more realistic landing scenarios. The Ground Power Unit (GPU) functionality has also been updated, particularly concerning its selection on the overhead panel (OVHD).

Cockpit and Animations

Control Panels and Switches
Several improvements have been made to the cockpit's control panels and switches. For instance, the engine start selector button has been correctly mapped to external hardware. The main engine switches now also have synchronized animations to reflect the actual engine status accurately in all spawning states.

Display Issues
Various display errors on the ECAM pages and the Navigation Display (ND) have been corrected. This includes drawing errors in the PSI and fuel indications, as well as the incorrect display of airports and runways on the ND.

Audio and Environmental Effects

Rain Sounds and Weather Interactions
The audio subsystem has been overhauled to make environmental sounds more realistic. The rain sound, for example, now changes individually, enhancing the immersion during flights. Issues related to rain noise being audible from the cockpit's exterior have been addressed.

Ground Operations
Improvements regarding ground operations include fixing the animation of the tiller for more realistic ground handling. The front wheel sliding issue has also been resolved, offering a more authentic taxiing experience.

Stability and Performance

WebAssembly and System Crashes
A focus has been placed on improving system stability, particularly concerning WebAssembly and MCDU-related crashes. Measures have been taken to ensure these components run smoothly, thereby contributing to a more reliable flight simulation experience.

Future Outlook
Ongoing development efforts aim to introduce further refinements. These include primarily more autopilot functionalities. The development team continues to prioritize feedback from our team of real pilots to make the Aerosoft A330 as authentic and enjoyable as possible. If you deal with the real A330-300, please get in touch with us via a330[at]aerosoft[dot]com!

Issues and Testing

10.08.2023

It is said that there are people who like numbers. Our team happens to consist almost exclusively of such people. On one side, there are the programmers, who solve the most exciting functions with acrobatic calculations. On the other side, there is the project manager, who is ultimately measured by the numbers. So, it's time for a few insights:

The A330 is currently undergoing internal testing. We have around 20 testers who are tirelessly putting the aircraft through its paces. We currently have 285 reported bugs and improvement requests on our development board. About 30 of these are low priority and therefore at the bottom of the list. An additional 90 have already been fully evaluated, assigned to employees and are ready for processing. 29 others have already been resolved and are awaiting the next release for the test team. The remaining batch requires more detailed evaluation before it can be phased into the "production" process.





The issue categories in the graph can give you a good idea of the current status of the aircraft. Of course, it must be taken into account that none of the figures reflect the complexity of the individual tasks. It is quite conceivable that 9 out of 10 bugs can be solved within a week, but the 10th takes a whole week. Our current focus is to sort out the bugs first before continuing to add more features. Nevertheless, the numbers are important for us to measure our own productivity and - once the numbers are lower overall - to estimate a potential release date.

Development Status Quo

17.07.2023

The A330 platform project is truly extensive. Although we already have a good A330 product for Prepar3D, we have repositioned for the MSFS variant. For example, the 3D model was designed from scratch for the Asobo 3D engine and various systems were not simply taken over, but fundamentally changed to provide a stable and smooth experience.

Currently, the aircraft is at a stage where almost all the planned systems work and you can get the aircraft from A to B safely. There are a lot of things that are really fun. The 3D model looks great, the EFB is a highlight, and many systems are very extensively coded. However, there are also some cases that pop up during flight testing that are not yet handled correctly by the aircraft systems. This is because critical systems such as the flight management system and autopilot had to be coded from scratch.

Here are a few examples where things are not yet running smoothly:

- The lateral tracking of the ILS approach is not precise enough under certain circumstances and lets the aircraft touch down next to the runway.
- With certain waypoint types the autopilot does not intercept the following track correctly but oscillates around the track.
- After importing a flight plan into the MCDU, performance losses are noticeable. Entering the same route manually, however, does not cause any problems.

Furthermore, we are still working on the soundscape and the usability of the cockpit. At the same time, we are already working on the documentation. We also want to produce tutorial videos in advance. After all, there should be enough learning material available from day 1 to give everyone an understanding of this complex aircraft.

A quick look into the project technology: There are currently some technical restructurings taking place. This means that server structures are being changed, workflows are being optimized, cooperation with the testers is being improved and -where possible- processes are being automated. This all contributes to creating a professional and stable development environment, which consequently leads to our developers working more efficiently and progress being published faster.