Joshua Howard was kind enough to provide answers to AVSIM's follow-up questions following the announced stopping of development on Flight. Here is a "mini-review" of sorts.

 

AVSIM: We have a number of questions we would love to ask, but the predominant one is regarding external development. Are you considering allowing third parties continuing development of FLIGHT? Would you provide the SDK's under license to another or others?

 

Joshua: There is no facility to allow 3^rd parties to independently develop content for Microsoft Flight. Though we had hoped to offer this capability in the future, as the product stands today it’s not possible.

 

AVSIM: Do you foresee then a point in time in the not too distant future, where the work on Flight could form the basis of FSX11? Or, is there some other possible road that MS ACES might move down to continue the genre’?

 

Joshua: Those are difficult questions, because on one hand I can’t discuss unannounced product, and on the other hand the company never wants to say never.

 

It should be clear that there is no current effort to continue with a Flight type product. The team itself is dispersing into other projects. But, who knows what the future might bring? I wouldn’t want anyone to hold out any false hopes, but it also wouldn’t surprise me if after some period of time the company reconsidered. We are constantly evaluating our portfolio and making changes – right now Flight doesn’t fit, but it might again in the future.

 

It’s an unsatisfactory answer, but it’s the best I’ve got for you.

 

AVSIM: Thank you Joshua. We do appreciate your candor with us.

 

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...and besides, I might not even have a job tomorrow...