Players of Microsoft Flight Simulator can now pilot a helicopter thanks to the work of modders over at Hype Performance Group, despite helicopter physics being absent from the game. In fact, developer Asobo Studio has said helicopters won't be natively supported until 2022 or later.
Microsoft Flight Simulator is the latest installment in the beloved PC franchise. Released in August 2020 to critical acclaim, this iteration of the flight sim is enhanced by Microsoft's Azure cloud technology that renders vast landscapes and thousands of models simultaneously with unimaginable detail and precision. Asobo Studio has continued updating and supporting the game since launch, but the modding community is also responsible for keeping the game fresh for its millions of players. For instance, modder Travis Koryciak jokingly created a mod with the famous Ever Given ship wedged into the Suez Canal.
Modding team Hype Performance Group, also known for their Icon A5 mod, has developed a functioning helicopter mod that allows players to pilot an Airbus H135 in-game. In a twenty-six-minute video published on MediaHypeTrain's YouTube channel, developer Steve from the mod team provides intricate, need-to-know details on how to pilot the helicopter, including control tips and what to do during the pre-flight check.
Over 87,000 people have downloaded the Airbus H135 mod, making it a huge hit with the Microsoft Flight Simulator audience. One can imagine that it's not easy to develop helicopter controls using a physics engine designed strictly for airplanes, but the developers have done well for themselves. When launched, the helicopters were unable to hover in place without crashing, but this has since been fixed, and the crafts can now hover freely. While continuous improvements are rolling out for the mod, players can enhance their experience with a host of livery and helipad mods crafted for the Airbus H135.
Microsoft Flight Simulator is both technically impressive and immersive on its own. But like many PC games, the modding scene has allowed the flight sim to thrive in unique and interesting ways unintended by the developers. Fun concepts, such as helicopter support, may be on the developers' to-do list, but lack of time and resources can cause them to be canceled or pushed into the distant future in lieu of more pressing matters.
Though players are excited for the possibility of native helicopter support in a year or two, Hype Performance Group's Airbus H135 will hopefully placate helicopter enthusiasts who can't wait to experience Microsoft Flight Simulator in a totally different way. The addition of VR support late last year should make the experience even more immersive. If Asobo Studio follows through with native helicopter support, console players will also get to experience the wonders of Microsoft Flight Simulator in a helicopter after the game launches on Xbox Series X|S this summer.
Microsoft Flight Simulator is available now on PC.
Source: MediaHypeTrain, Hype Performance Group