Contrail recently shared a development update on their upcoming Dassault Falcon 50 for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and 2024.
The team mentioned that testing on the FA50 continues to progress well, with one of the final beta builds set to go out tomorrow (Friday). The Contrail team says confidence is growing ahead of a potential release candidate that could arrive within the next two weeks. Whilst there’s still no confirmed release date, development remains on track for a Q2 2026 launch window.
Since the previous development update, the focus has shifted heavily toward refinement and stability, with extensive testing resulting in further work on core systems, particularly the autopilot and flight planner, both of which have undergone significant tuning and improvements behind the scenes.
New functionality has also been introduced, most notably a fully simulated weather radar system. The radar supports Sim Update 5’s new Tilt functionality in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 and can be displayed directly on the EHSI. Alongside this, the MX20 and GNSXLS units can now display datalink weather products, replicating the XM/SiriusXM-fed aviation weather data commonly found in retrofitted FA50 flight decks.
The FA50’s galley and cabin are now complete, and interior LODs are currently being worked on, with new screenshots of the cabin and galley coming soon.
Contrail also mentioned that for anyone working FBOs and ramps, there are a few features that should be especially appealing:
- The Fueling Panel allows you to fuel the aircraft yourself
- The “OK TOW / NO TOW” sign is tied to the parking brake status
- A torque link connect/disconnect feature
- A pushback feature is currently in development to simulate ground handling even further
A native GSX profile will also be included to ensure full compatibility, and animated passengers can board the plane.
Stay tuned to FSElite for the latest updates.
