We’ve been closely following the development of the AzurPoly Rafale for the past several months. The upcoming multirole fighter aircraft is being developed in partnership with JFEXP (Jet Fighter Experience) and is officially licensed by Dassault. Now, AzurPoly is back with a video showing a work-in-progress startup preview of the jet, and even as a WIP, the cockpit modeling, displays, and audio environment created by renowned audio developer Echo19 seem to be shaping up nicely.
The five-minute video showcases a cold-and-dark startup sequence of the Rafale using Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 (MSFS2024). It begins with the pilot entering the cockpit via the ladder and bringing the aircraft to life by firing up the APU. We hear the Echo19 sounds in full effect, with the open canopy not providing any “protection” from the whine of the APU. From there, the cockpit startup flow continues as the canopy is closed, the inertial navigation system (INS) is aligned, and the external lights are turned on. As the engine start process is initiated, the M88 turbofan engines spool up to ground idle with a deep rumble, again showing the attention paid to the audio environment. The sequence wraps up with an automated Flight Control System (FCS) test and the release of the parking brake, leaving the fighter ready to roll off the hardstand and onto the runway for a full-reheat takeoff.
On their Facebook page, AzurPoly stated: “We are doing everything we can to aim for a public release during the summer,” indicating that “several major areas of the aircraft are now considered complete, pending final testing and refinement, including the 3D model, textures, flight model, fly-by-wire system, and performance tuning.” The developer says their focus now turns to the depth of the onboard systems and avionics, fine-tuning the autopilot and its various modes, implementing flight plan management, and adding the last remaining pages to the lateral displays.
Clearly, the Rafale is progressing well, though it’s worth pointing out that, according to AzurPoly, many of the features developed for the Rafale only exist in MSFS2024, so MSFS2020 compatibility “is on hold”. Stay tuned to FSElite as more details are provided.
