The developer of the RealAcars utility has announced RealAcars Plus, a new payware version primarily for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, designed for more realistic ACARS simulation.
The shift to a payware model for RealAcars Plus is attributed to the financial costs of the current freeware version and the aim to fund new features. The developer stated this “is not a cash grab,” with the goal being a “high-quality product at a fair price.” The existing freeware RealAcars will remain on flightsim.to. However, some cost-incurring features will be disabled in the freeware version upon the Plus release. A “solid freeware version with essential messaging functionality will continue to exist,” according to the developer.
Additionally, RealAcars Plus will introduce a “Ramp Agent.” This simulated ground crew member will be present during the boarding phase, walking around the aircraft and providing spoken updates on boarding status in real time. The Ramp Agent can also alert pilots to ground issues like catering no-shows or staffing delays, potentially before official ACARS messages arrive, and support the pilot through these simulated disruptions. The developer states this feature aims to simulate the “full day-to-day reality of a commercial pilot.”
Currently in alpha testing, RealAcars Plus has no set release date or finalised pricing. It is specified to “work mainly with MSFS 2024.” The team plans to share regular updates as development progresses.
You can read the full announcement in the RealAcars Discord server.
Planned Features
- A global database of 811 real-world VHF Datalink Stations.
- Simulation of approximately 141 actual ACARS satellites.
- Aircraft profiles to specify SATCOM equipment.
- Custom message delays simulating realistic transmission times.
- Dynamic generation of ACARS message headers (AES, GES).
- A ‘Flight System Overview’ to display the active station or satellite.
