Out now at Just Flight (just noticed it's not 2024 native which is a shame)

https://www.justflight.com

Just Flight - ISW EV-97 Ultralight

ISW EV-97 Ultralight for MSFS 2020/2024 - on sale from Just Flight!

Edited Friday at 09:49 AM1 day by St Mawgan

Looks quite nice.

@JYW any thoughts?

13 minutes ago, jon b said:

Looks quite nice.

Yes it does, nice modeling. I hope the developer considers a 24 native update.

3 hours ago, jon b said:

Looks quite nice.

@JYW any thoughts?

Hi Jon,

Just picked it up. I can't overstate how interested I am in this model as this is the microlight that I have flown most for the last 11 years. I have around 420 hours on the EV-97.

The first thing that shocked me a little (already knowing a lot about this product's development) was the cost. This is a simple VFR microlight that is very well modelled and textured but that comes with aliased, default MSFS LSA sounds and not a huge amount of additional options.

£23 is far too expensive for this product in my opinion. I had expected for this to be in the £15 range.

As for the addon itself, first impressions of the modelling, texturing and flight handling characteristics are very good. You can tell that the dev has really spent time getting feedback from EV-97 pilots and has tweaked the FDE. It doesn't feel like a generic MSFS LSA and I'm noticing a few traits that I find in the real aircraft.

Aliased sounds is disappointing - especially at such a high, relative price for what is offered. The dev has stated publicly that if sales are positive, he will incorporate an update with custom sounds and more avionics options (including a more basic version, without the G3X that is more typical of EV-97s operating in the real world). I do like that the G3X is included because (a) a number of highly-specced EV-97s are leaving the factory with the G3X now (a recent development in the last year), although the majority are lower specced aircraft with only basic VFR instruments. Most EV-97s I've seen (including the plane I fly weekly) have basic gauges and then a mounting bracket in the main panel for an ipad. This is a plane where pilots are more likely to be navigating using Sky Demon or Foreflight, than with an integrated GPS. Although again, the G3X-equipped planes are leaving the factory. I like that the dev configured the Working Title G3X to include it's excellent GFC500X integrated autopilot. I've never seen or flown in a EV-97 with an autopilot, but I'm someone who likes to have one for sim convenience (popping for a coffee, without pausing the sim) 😉 The fact that the AP has no hardware panel (it's accessed from the G3X) fits well with this package. If you don't want to use the AP, there's no physical evidence it's even there.

So I'm over the moon it's been released as the last EV-97 I know of in any flight sim, was an old model for FS9/FSX (can't remember the dev's name!).

But my critical feedback would be :-

• This really is too expensive and I think casual simmers, not particularly drawn by this model will be a lot more likely to 'pass' on a purchase.

• At this pricepoint, this really should have come with custom sounds, recorded from the real EV-97. The bubble canopy changes some aspects of how the Rotax engine reverberates. Eg. An EV-97 and an Aeroprakt A32 with the same Rotax engine sound nothing alike.

• More versions would be good and more selectable, customisable options.

• No native MSFS2024 version. This is one of the most frustrating things about this hobby. Almost 3 years into MSFS2024's release, the majority of aircraft addons are still made (and limited to) the 2020 SDK standards. Innovation is held back, due to the need to appease 2020 users, who choose to stay on an old, outdated platform.

With these points in mind, I'm really enjoying it and am stoked and appreciative that the dev spent 4 years creating and perfecting a good EV-97 for the sim.

Edited Friday at 04:22 PM1 day by JYW

A most comprehensive write up, thanks Bill !

I hope you were or will be involved in its development as you’re obviously a subject matter expert .

Just spent an hour flying it around, I must say it’s one of the most plausible and pleasant flight models I’ve experienced in the MSFS product line.

I really like the way rapidly changing the engine power makes the nose pitch and yaw.

Very easy and pleasant to fly accurately.

Maybe it was the stylish track playing on the MP3 player that added to occasion but I found myself spontaneously laughing out loud as I leapt into the air for the first time

4 hours ago, JYW said:

Hi Jon,

Just picked it up. I can't overstate how interested I am in this model as this is the microlight that I have flown most for the last 11 years. I have around 420 hours on the EV-97.

As for the addon itself, first impressions of the modelling, texturing and flight handling characteristics are very good. You can tell that the dev has really spent time getting feedback from EV-97 pilots and has tweaked the FDE. It doesn't feel like a generic MSFS LSA and I'm noticing a few traits that I find in the real aircraft.

With these points in mind, I'm really enjoying it and am stoked and appreciative that the dev spent 4 years creating and perfecting a good EV-97 for the sim.

No better feedback than an IRL guy with time in type! 🙏

5 hours ago, JYW said:

• No native MSFS2024 version. This is one of the most frustrating things about this hobby. Almost 3 years into MSFS2024's release, the majority of aircraft addons are still made (and limited to) the 2020 SDK standards. Innovation is held back, due to the need to appease 2020 users, who choose to stay on an old, outdated platform.

With these points in mind, I'm really enjoying it and am stoked and appreciative that the dev spent 4 years creating and perfecting a good EV-97 for the sim.

Your latter sentence is probably why it's a 2020 plane. At the time he started developing this aircraft, 2020 SDK was the only game in town.

That long devtime is probably a good thing for us though! Usually when someone takes that long to do something, it's done right.

52 minutes ago, Mace said:

Your latter sentence is probably why it's a 2020 plane. At the time he started developing this aircraft, 2020 SDK was the only game in town.

That long devtime is probably a good thing for us though! Usually when someone takes that long to do something, it's done right.

That is indeed true / correct, from the devs perspective. He explained it in the comments of the EV-97 video on his channel. But in my opinion, it would have been good if - once 2024 was released - he'd started to explore the new opportunities for his project that the 2024 SDK could bring. Most assets would have been transferable to the new sim. The biggest difference in assets would be the fact that 2020 uses PNG files for all of the aircraft's textures, whereas 2024 uses the KTX2 format, with integrated multiple LODs. But even 100 texture files can be converted from PNG to KTX2 in an hour or so - using the 2024 SDK tools.

But your point is a fair one. Perhaps it's more realistic of me to hope that he will release a 2024 native version shortly down the line.

I now have a few hours on the plane and it's a great, realistic little rendition. One thing about the EV-97 is that it never requires a lot of trimming through the flight phases. Pilots often joke about the EV-97 having a hidden FBW autotrim system. 😄 That's just banter but the controls are so light, that holding a touch of pressure against the control stick is barely noticeable. I have noticed that this is well reflected in this model. Another good depiction is the fact that deploying first (and second) stage flaps (out of a total of 3) doesn't hugely change the attitude of the EV-97 and doesn't cause significant ballooning or glide path 'upset'. Again, this is well represented in the model.

If you like ULs / Microlights / LSAs in the sim, it's one of the best around. But it also feels like it could be much more. For example, the circuit breakers and even the hot/cold air cabin air intakes are not interactable. The control knobs are there but they are static and don't move. The use of the aliased VL3 sounds aren't a great choice in my honest opinion. The best, most realistic depiction of the Rotax 912 engine is the sim's default LSAs in the A5 Icon. Those sounds are very convincing. The VL3 sounds lack the 'roar' of going to 5800rpm on take off and just sound a little 'woofy', lacking presence and high end frequencies.

Still love it though!

2 hours ago, jon b said:

Maybe it was the stylish track playing on the MP3 player that added to occasion but I found myself spontaneously laughing out loud as I leapt into the air for the first time

😄 I'm currently exploring whether I can replace that track with some James Brown more hardcore funk. It's a nice touch though isn't it!

For those not aware what we're referring to, this EV-97 model comes with a MP3 player in the cockpit, that when played, plays a nice 'lounge synth funk track' 😊 The volume buttons even work so you can choose between quiet background music ambience, or blasting it out while you put some holes in the sky.

Edited Friday at 10:55 PM1 day by JYW