From Aamir

 

Hello @everyone!

 

So, today we learn about project management and why it sometimes sucks. I have, by all accounts, some really great news. The CFM external engine model has progressed rather briskly, much more so than I expected. In my expectation as project manager, I pegged it at around 4 months to completion from when we started. As such I scheduled it for launch alongside the A321 and A319. What actually transpired is that we started working on it.. And then finished it. In 6 weeks. It is now in testing and we’re finalising its failure behaviours before pushing that out for our testers to break. 

 

Why did this go much quicker? Well, we’d already built all the external engine infrastructure, which was the toughest part. The difference between doing something for the first time (the IAEs took 6 months), and doing something once you’ve got a bit of experience, the infrastructure in place, and some tools you’ve developed for the job - speeds it all up quite massively, but I definitely did not expect this. 

 

Why is this a bad thing? Right - well, it comes down to decision making on my part. I could release Block 2 at the end of this month, and then release the CFMs at some later point. But I have a few factors to consider. 

 

The first is fairly simple - mixed infrastructure sucks to deal with. When I say mixed infrastructure, we’re going to have the CFMs running the old FM, old engine model, old FADEC, and a bunch of other old code in the background (script hacks to make the old CFMs a little more believable, etc), and then alongside that, we will have the IAEs running a completely different set of code for pretty much anything that has to do with the engines. Failures will also get mucky, CFMs will trigger failures in one way, IAEs in another. So on, so forth. Basically it will get rather soupy. And this is fine if we were going to be working with it over a couple of months. But for the want of 3 to 4 weeks, it’s not worth dealing with the potential blowback. 

 

The second, is protecting other timelines. We could deploy the IAEs now, then get stuck in on a round of bug fixing, then prepare the CFMs and deploy them, and THEN bug fix those, before finishing up the A321/A319. Or we could deploy the IAEs and CFMs, bug fix and service them, and move straight on to A321/A319. The latter approach is less risky, but it also lets us proceed with the engines on the A321/A319 sooner, meaning we can get the entire thing done quicker. 

 

Anyway, the tl;dr is that I’ve opted to delay Block 2 so we can get the CFMs out to you ASAP as well. Our revised timeline is October. The A321 and A319 guidance remains unchanged. 

 

I know some will hate this news, others will see the sense in it. It circles back around to project management and why it sucks. A tough decision to make, but for those I’ve disappointed, my apologies!

 

Now something else we wanted to properly confirm for Block 2 is an almost entirely rebuilt cabin for more detail and performance (higher FPS and reduced VRAM), but also ensuring it is possible to realistically represent many more airlines. When we first built the cabin for V1, whilst it wasn't quite an afterthought, back in 2021 cabins weren't considered such a broadly enjoyed part of the experience as they are now. Much more to come in due course about it all. 

 

Thanks!

Edited September 25, 20232 yr by grandfred29

I see this as good news. They'll have very cohesive release in October 

I agree 100% with the reasoning for the delay. Tbh, was wanting the new CFM model more than the IAE so a delay of 3 to 4 weeks is not bad at all.

Block 2 is going to raise the bar for an already exceptionally simulated aircraft, in all aspects.. take all the time you need Fenix!
 

2 minutes ago, B777ER said:

I agree 100% with the reasoning for the delay. Tbh, was wanting the new CFM model more than the IAE so a delay of 3 to 4 weeks is not bad at all.

I hope the CFM engines don't have any counterfeit parts in them like the real aircraft engines....😉

I thought both models were coming together until now so I also believe this is the only way to do this. Good on them for being transparent and best of luck with the release. I'd rather have a nice working plane than a buggy mess that was released before it was ready.

Looks like October will be a busy month. Fenix delayed until October and the MD-11 Certificate holders. 

Edited September 25, 20232 yr by Wise87

12 minutes ago, B777ER said:

Tbh, was wanting the new CFM model more than the IAE so a delay of 3 to 4 weeks is not bad at all.

Very much agree with your comment.

Although it was not something extreme, in the case of the Fenix A320, behavior and performance of the CFM engines has not been correct from the beginning, especially in abnormal situations such as in cases of single engine operations. So this news and the waiting time are received with great enthusiasm.

18 minutes ago, Wise87 said:

Looks like October will be a busy month. Fenix delayed until October and the MD-11 Certificate holders. 

It will be busy for the GA crowd as well! FSR M500, BKSQ TBM 850 and SWS PC12 all likely to release in October.

That seems like a logical approach.

I appreciate the explanation of the rationale.

That is one thing why you are such a great developer, Fenix. You don't rush things and you release quality products!

1 hour ago, grandfred29 said:

As such I scheduled it for launch alongside the A321 and A319. What actually transpired is that we started working on it.. And then finished it. In 6 weeks.

The dev team that Aamir assembled is an absolute powerhouse. The ability to make an external CFM Jet Engine, with all the proper thermodynamics and fuel calculations in all sorts of phases of flight is downright monstrous. I can't comprehend the math, tables, and co-dependent systems. They did it in a month and a half.

I cannot understate how insane that is. Kudos to Fenix for having this kind of dev team.

Now there's something you don't see often... A developer that actually gives the info and reasoning behind their decision making.... Please stop it, as it may rub off on some others....  .  

1 hour ago, B777ER said:

I agree 100% with the reasoning for the delay. Tbh, was wanting the new CFM model more than the IAE so a delay of 3 to 4 weeks is not bad at all.

A delay is always somewhat disappointing, especially if you're a fan waiting on the IAE model.

Nonetheless, in 4 weeks or so we get the works—IAE and CFM engines, external engine modelling for both, new visual model, new EFB, and more…
And to be fair, I already fly the Fenix A320 some 80% of my time in MSFS. I can wait a few more weeks for an even better version!

I think it's a good move also.  Might as well start off clean.