We last heard from Fenix at the end of 2023 and many have been eager to hear what updates would be coming next for the series of aircraft. We know that the team has been hard at work on remodelling many aspects of the plane in preparation for the A319/A321 aircraft whilst also getting the long anticipated IAE engine update out for customers. Today the team released a lengthy video showcasing a LOT of things the team are bringing to the table with Block 2.
We have summarised much of the video below (in bullet form) but expect to watch all new details on improved EFBs, a new cabin announcement system, full GSX integration, and vast improvements to the engine simulation. Many other nuance features are also shown off in plenty of detail so you can see exactly what the Fenix team has been hard at work on over the past year. Plus those hoping for news on hardware support will be pleased to hear that negotiations have taken place and it appears there will be a resolution on enabling this for customers.
Sadly we still await a release date on the Block 2 update for the Fenix A320. However, the fact we are seeing this in such detail gives us a good indication we are pretty close from being able to update our A320 in Microsoft Flight Simulator. For now though, watch the presentation in the video above.
A huge thanks to Tom from our team who watched the whole video and summarised key points below.
Highlights
- cabin announcements/PA system
- sound attenuation from speakers based on position in cabin
- PA system tied to electrical system of aircraft (stutters/cutouts for gen switches, etc)
- cockpit door affects volume heard
- adjustable PA audio knob on radios
- random timings to sound playback
- community modifiable
- packs based on airline all simultaneously
- synchronization with ECAM (such as “cabin ready” message)
- Full GSX integration
- auto progressive fuel/boarding based on what’s loading in EFB
- options to refuel or not during boarding w/ appropriate PA announcements
- auto pushback when parking brake set and beacon light on. GPU auto removed and prompted for push direction from GSX
- parking brake set and beacon off, GPU/chocks auto connects and deboarding begins automatically w/ auto doors
- future updates planned to improve and integrate ACARS
- EFB
- Fully rewritten
- Snappier response times
- persistence in apps added
- background changable
- external EFB optimized for more screen sizes
- keyboard inputs added
- EFB data now uses navigraph for airports/runways for performance calcs
- AMDB charts from navigraph supported
- new custom runway intersection calc section added
- can now send takeoff calcs and INIT page direct to MCDU
- QRH for IAE and CFM in built in documents
- Failures app removed from MCDU and added to EFB with better UI
- SDS & FM
- Sidestick Damping Simulation
- tries to translate heavy damping of real sidestick into the sim “feel”
- Makes experience much smoother. More inertia and weight behind side stick
- Flight modeled further tuned against OEM data to be more accurate in many aspects
- Improvements in FM helped improve VNAV calcs
- Flap 3 and Full cause incorrect pitch previously. Now rewritten to be more accurate which also leads to improvements in FLARE MODE
- External Engine Model (XEM)
- Whole model is aircraft agnostic, able to be applied to any future aircraft/engine
- Engines will respond to being mishandled, including their quirks
- Compressor stalls/flameouts can happen that can damage the engine over time preventing restarts and core locks
- Data points to build model comes from in-service engines, rather than book numbers
- More on the table for optimization but it will perform similarly to current version
- FADEC quirks & Forced manual start
- Demonstrated: 35min turn around in hot New Dehli
- all checklists followed, fuel pumps/APU bleed on
- Engine one start procedure started, IAEs have extended crank period compared to CFMs to get engine cool enough as IAEs have a lower max transient temp
- ENG 1 Start Fault observed, Man Start crank on Engine 1 begun.
- Due to lower transient temp compared to CFM, FADEC auto start protections kicked in and aborted the start
- Engines won’t always do it on hot turn arounds, but will vary for aircraft/engine/day
- Alternative start procedures must be followed to actually start engine in these conditions
- Effects of not removing fuel vapors modeled (spicy starts)
- Starter breaking itself not yet modeled but coming later
- Manual start demonstrated
- Engine variation being experimented with but not going to be released just yet
- Fan Blade Icing
- Snowy copenhagen with snow falling, -2°C
- Cowling + fan blade icing both modeled
- Ice shedding procedure needs to be followed
- Possible to accumulate enough ice to not be able to achieve N1 value to even shed it
- DEMO: Ice ignored, no runups
- Throttle up: N1 for Eng2 did not advance past 30.7% while eng1 went to 50.2. Eng 2 was sat in the quartering wind while eng1 was shielded by the fuselage
- Compressor stalls
- DEMO: large xwind outside of aircraft xwind lims + rain
- power quickly applied, engine 1 starts surging heavily (engine 1 in the wind, eng2 shielded)
- if you let engine continue stalling it will flame out and be damaged. if you do it too much engine won’t be restartable
- bird strikes can cause surges or complete destruction with random chance
- Conclusion
- Apologies for lengthy delays
- XEM helps give A319/321 best base to start with and heavy upfront investment helps future aircraft development
- 320 should be improved for free first before the next paid thing releases
- Web MCDU built that can be used on mobile devices
- 1+ year of negotiation/discussion with ProSim to unlock hardware support. Results in change in licensing agreement Fenix has with them resulting in a cost that Fenix “will eat”.
- Updates will be more frequent/regular after Block 2 releases
