FlightFX Details the Hawker 800XP’s Biggest Pilot Quirks in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024
Ventral-tank fuel can cap the aircraft at 280 knots, while TKS anti-ice fluid and manual lift dump procedures add extra work before landing.
FlightFX’s Hawker 800XP is already available through the Marketplace for $36.99, but the business jet asks pilots to pay close attention once the engines are running. Its manual lift dump, finite anti-ice fluid, fuel restrictions, and detailed cockpit procedures all make shortcuts a risky choice.
Nick Sdoucos from FlightFX explained the aircraft’s design and its less obvious demands in an interview about the Hawker 800XP. FlightFX chose the jet because it represents an older style of business aviation, with a proven airframe and systems that still require active pilot input instead of automating every task.
The Hawker was rebuilt for MSFS 2024
FlightFX began the Hawker 800XP as a quiet background project roughly two years before launch. Work later paused as other projects took priority. When the team returned to the aircraft, both FlightFX’s development standards and Microsoft Flight Simulator had changed enough that the jet needed major rework rather than a simple final pass.
Early development included time with a real Hawker in Birmingham, Alabama. FlightFX worked with a Hawker pilot, recorded audio, took measurements and photographs, and scanned aircraft components for reference. Current and former Hawker pilots later joined the beta team, where their feedback led to repeated changes across the aircraft’s systems, modeling, and workflows.
That work also produced more modular tools and systems that FlightFX can carry into future projects. The Hawker became a place for the team to test ideas developed during the long production process, while pilot feedback kept the final aircraft tied to the real-world procedures.
VAMS makes the aircraft easier to understand
FlightFX’s updated VAMS electronic flight bag does more than handle planning. Its system synoptics let pilots watch valves move and see different aircraft components respond to cockpit inputs. That gives the Hawker an educational side, since the simulator can show what is happening behind the switches and displays.
Several smaller details reinforce that focus. Pilots can refuel the aircraft from inside the cabin using a workflow based on the real Hawker, while the TKS ice protection system visibly spreads fluid across the wings. FlightFX Enroute adds a passenger-facing moving map with route tracking, flight information, announcements recorded from the actual aircraft, and original cabin music with regional styles.
Total Persistence tracks more than 1,300 parameters for each airframe. Switches, systems, fuel, weight and balance, fluid levels, engine hours, and other aircraft states can carry over between flights. Leave one airframe parked long enough and it can even collect dust.
Shortcuts can cause trouble in the 800XP
Successful flights depend on following the checklist. The MAIN AIR valve, pressurization controls, and oxygen system all need the correct settings. Landing also requires manual attention because the spoilers do not deploy or arm automatically. Pilots must select the airbrakes with the flaps at 45 degrees to activate the lift dump system.
Fuel management adds another restriction. Fuel remaining in the ventral tank limits the aircraft to 280 knots, and that tank is treated as either full or empty. The Hawker cannot land with fuel left inside it, so the tank needs to be managed before the approach.
TKS fluid is another finite resource. It can run out during a flight, and its quantity gauge sits on the first officer’s side rather than directly in front of the pilot. Avionics and electrical details also matter. Pilots who are not using the ATS need to set VNAV speeds in the FMS before they reach the primary flight display, while forgotten emergency lights, standby indicators, or refueling controls can trigger loud shutdown warnings.
FlightFX’s Hawker 800XP is built for simmers who enjoy learning an aircraft’s procedures instead of skipping straight to the throttle. Tell us what you think about its hands-on approach in the comments, and follow us on X, Bluesky, YouTube, Instagram, Steam, and Telegram.
