Bringing the conversation back to the topic, I too feel there is something no longer present at FliteTest which I consider was quite a key component.
I totally understand the need to keep things more commercial with the master series. To crank designs out at the rate they are will demand a lot of manhours. Took me a year and seven builds for me to get my only design released, so for these bigger, more complex builds, it makes sense for them to be SBK only. And hey, you still get to build them yourself this way, it's just more pricey - as are the power systems needed for them anyway.
What I think is missing, are the originals. The swappable series showed FliteTest designing many original airframes from the ground up which explored various flying styles and activity in the air. Some have been the ideal platform for certain content; usually a FT Kraken for heavy lifting and a FT Guinea Pig for drop missions (additionaly,
@Wildthing used to fly 'Combat Wars' streamer-cutting games where the plane of choice for everyone was the Bloody Baron).
Of course, this does beg the question; do the swappables pretty much cover every mission there is? It is a very diverse line up and off the top of my head, I can't think of a mission I would ever do that an FT airframe couldn't. However, it's not like there isn't plenty of overlap in the capability of the various designs already and in amongst that, still a great variety in flying style and feel. I haven't flown the FT Spitfire or FT Mustang Swappables, but I bet they feel entirely different on the sticks.
So what do I think would be an awesome next move? A return to FliteTest originals, that incorporates the new capabilities developed in working with Overstreet. Remember when they showed us the FT Viggen and David Windestal had that hot-wire cut version that looked almost like a storebought? Well the simple replacement of some score-fold foamboard pieces with curved ones is already halfway towards the look of Windestal's version. FliteTest could hash out so many more awesome looking planes that don't have to be perfect replicas of real planes. They can produce simpler designs that are cheaper to develop and easier to access like the Swappables, but now have an updated look.
PS: Not to suggest I and others on the forum aren't already doing this ourselves, I just think FT are missing out.
