Fenix Simulations has published an in-depth development update showcasing the upcoming sharklets update for their A320 family lineup (except for the A319). As promised in the past, it is said to be released "this week" for all customers at no extra cost.

While the A320 and the A321 will be getting the sharklets from the get-go this week, the A319 will take a while. Fenix Simulations claims it's been a bit tricky to obtain reliable data on it, as not many exist in real life. 

The sharklets are more than just a visual thing. Airbus went the extra mile to warrant similar handling and overall behavior between both variants, mostly on the "software" side of things, making it hardly noticeable if one doesn't look closely enough. Fenix Simulations claims to have accurately replicated the subtle system differences and flight dynamics behavior, warranting a realistic experience.

The flight model has been adjusted to the sharklets, with a bit more lift on the wings, less drag, and extra energy on flare, which is said to be subtle but noticeable if you pay close attention. Regardless, the fly-by-wire system should make the overall handling feel relatively homogeneous across all variants, as in real life.

As previously mentioned, there are also software changes, with upgrades to the two elevator and aileron computers, three spoiler elevator computers, and the two flight augmentation computers, as well as less significant changes to the ECAM, fuel, FMGC, and more. 

Among these ELAC changes, Fenix Simulations highlights the Load Alleviation Function, which alleviates wing structure loading, as the extra weight of the sharklets also means more strain on the wings, making them bend more aggressively in extreme conditions. The LAF system rapidly deploys ailerons upwards while in-flight or spoilers 4 and 5 to prevent that. The FBW system was also tweaked to accommodate the new system and its inherencies.

Ground physics also underwent improvements. The tiller mapping from the real A320 was applied to their add-on, adding a bit of extra weight to the taxi phase across their entire range of aircraft (wingtips included).

They have also built a custom wingflex model to accommodate the more obvious sharklet wingflex, taking into account a lot of factors such as localized forces, fuel tank level, etc. It has also been backported to the wingtip fences. They also reinforce that it's mostly a work in progress and might not be perfect initially.

The ADIRS model has been upgraded to the newer version, applying to both aircraft. The old one has been ultimately retired as it's rare in currently flying A320s anymore. The ACP was also upgraded, and the old one was phased out. They plan on bringing both the old ADIRS and ACP as options in the future.

The new digital standby instrument has also been added as an integral - and forced - part of the sharklets modernization, complete with the correct degraded displays and its functions.

At long last, the ACT tanks were also added to the A321, allowing for realistically operated transcontinental flights and routes like Finnair's HEL—PMI. The presence of the ACTs also means less space in the cargo compartment, which is also modeled.

The lights were heavily tweaked to match the configuration of most A320SLs, featuring a full LED suite across the aircraft.

Regarding liveries, they have painted 106 unique liveries so far, with accurate cockpit configurations, ACTs (A321 only, of course), and more.

The expected rollout date is sometime this week, and the discount on the full bundle will end once that happens.

They conclude with a statement on Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024: "Unfortunately, we were not permitted access to the DevAlpha (though we did ask Microsoft), which means we still don't have an answer for you on compatibility and timelines for adjusting to this new platform. Our intent will be to bring compatibility and stability first and foremost, then at a later time assess the new feature set and see what makes sense." Therefore, they found themselves unable to make any promises regarding dates, viability, or anything for that matter.

Stay tuned to Threshold for more flight simulation news!

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