A few weeks ago, a new developer called Rhodiumcode announced via Reddit a new A350 project. Since then, the team has been sharing tidbits of news via their Discord ahead of their grand trailer reveal, which took place a few hours ago. You can watch that trailer above.
The new trailer features the A350-900 model (the only model currently in development), and we get a glimpse of its internal cockpit modelling, the external modelling, and some system interaction. Features like the Airport Navigation Function (ANF), wingflex, RAAS, and various FMS logic all appear to be incorporated.
This aircraft is running in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020, as according to the developers, MSFS 2024 didn’t exist when the project started. But they intend on ensuring an MSFS 2024 version exists before beta testing begins.
What the Aircraft Intends to Be
Work on the aircraft began back in April 2023, with the developers opting for a “first principles” methodology. This meant building the aircraft from the ground up using smaller, fundamental components, rather than relying on pre-existing frameworks.
A custom architecture written in C++ and compiled via WASM underpins the aircraft, allowing individual components such as switches and generators to be simulated before being combined into larger systems. This modular approach extends to the flight model, with both the autopilot and fly-by-wire systems developed from scratch and integrated into the broader simulation framework.
The whole project is still very much a work-in-progress, with much of the art and modelling still in development. Sounds is another area the team say that they want to work hard on and is looking for support.
No timeframe has been established for the delivery of the A350 from Rhodiumcode. And to confirm, this will be a payware project.
Why is FSElite Sharing Now?
When Rhodiumcode first announced this news via Reddit, we reached out to the developers to get some more information about the project. After years of doing this, we have learned not to always share/post when a new plane is announced without first doing some due diligence. Time and time again, we have seen developers create 3D models, announce the project, and then abandon it.
At the time, the developer wouldn’t share too much in the way of details surrounding systems or the project itself – nothing that was beyond what was publicly available. Whilst a developer is never under any obligation to answer any question we ask, we wanted to have a better understanding before sharing this with the community. We were unable to get any further clarification remarks and the schedules didn’t align for a video chat. Therefore, we took a ‘wait-and-see’ approach until this trailer came out.
With this trailer, there’s a bit more anecdotal evidence about the project’s state and what it wants to be. Therefore, we felt it was more appropriate to share this via our platforms for the community.
We will continue to watch the development progress from Rhodiumcode and only share meaningful updates on the A350 project as they come to light.
