During FSWeekend 2026, FlyByWire Simulations took to the FSElite stage to share an update on its ongoing projects, with a particular focus on the future of its A380X and plans for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024.
The team reiterated its position as a free and open-source collective, powered by hundreds of contributors worldwide. Over the past year alone, FlyByWire has delivered over 100 new features across its aircraft, alongside hundreds of fixes and improvements, highlighting the pace of development behind both the A32NX and A380X projects.
A key highlight from the presentation was the work underway on a native MSFS 2024 version of the A380X. While the aircraft is already compatible with the new simulator, FlyByWire confirmed that a fully native build is in development to take advantage of the updated SDK and new platform features.
This includes improvements to lighting, with more realistic cockpit and external light behaviour, as well as significant performance gains. Early examples shared on stage showed notable increases in frame rates, with gains of up to around 50% on lower-end systems when using the native build. The team also demonstrated reduced VRAM usage and improved stability, particularly in more demanding scenarios.
Another notable feature in development is the option to disable the aircraft cabin entirely, allowing users to prioritise performance depending on their system. This flexibility is expected to be especially useful given the sheer scale and complexity of the A380.
Despite the progress, FlyByWire was clear that the native MSFS 2024 version remains a work in progress, with no firm release timeline. However, the team indicated that it is aiming for a release at some point this year.
The presentation highlighted FlyByWire’s continued commitment to pushing forward its flagship A380X, with the upcoming native MSFS 2024 model set to deliver meaningful improvements in both performance and visual fidelity. You can watch the full presentation above.