Asobo partnering with Andrei Tsvirenko on Antonov AN-2

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People…Antonov is a Ukrainian company based in Kiev. They probably have larger concerns right now than managing a licensing concern for an entertainment product. I too am very much hoping this arrives, but I understand they delay.
 
DennyA said:
Carenado could get away with that. Microsoft does a lot of business in Russia, so the legal department would never go for that!
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Carenado already does something very similar, since their Cessna 182, 170, and 337 are all sold as "C182" or "C337" and neither the Cessna name nor logo ever appear anywhere on the 3d models, documentation, or Carenado website/Marketplace listings. I assume that's down to Textron having signed a contract to license their stuff to Microsoft/Asobo, but clearly Textron's lawyers have decided they have better things to do than send cease and desist letters to a company that's pretty small potatoes as far as Textron is concerned.

I'm not calling out Carenado specifically here or saying they're doing anything wrong, since there's other developers that do the exact same thing, but it's kind of interesting to look at various MSFS (or other simulator) payware addons and see which ones are working around the fact they don't have an official license from an aircraft manufacturer.
 
ak416 said:
Just a quick update from today's Q&A: Antonov has still not approved licensing for this aircraft. The aircraft is finished and ready for release but they cannot release the aircraft until the licensing issues are dealt with. The second aircraft in the "Famous Flyers" series will likely be released ahead of the AN-2, which is the D-17 Staggerwing by Carenado.
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What a shame! Really looking forward to flying the AN-2. Hope it gets approved.
 
azflyboy said:
Carenado already does something very similar, since their Cessna 182, 170, and 337 are all sold as "C182" or "C337" and neither the Cessna name nor logo ever appear anywhere on the 3d models, documentation, or Carenado website/Marketplace listings.
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Yeah, that's why I specifically mentioned them. Carenado can get away with that. Microsoft's internal lawyers would never even let them try to do that!

Josquin said:
The AN-2 should be released with Sim Update VIII, on february 22 according to the dev roadmap.
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The dev roadmap is out-of-date. Due to the licensing issues, the AN-2 is postponed and they're releasing the Beech Staggerwing on 2/22 instead.
 
People…Antonov is a Ukrainian company based in Kiev. They probably have larger concerns right now than managing a licensing concern for an entertainment product. I too am very much hoping this arrives, but I understand they delay.
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Thats right, but you forgot one important thing. An-2 was not created at a time when Ukraine was free, as its Today (although everyone knows the current situation on the border). An-2 was made by CCCP engineers too. It's hard for me to say who has the rights now for the old productions from Soviet Union times (I remember that Ukraine definitely has the rights to new productions after 1993, it seems), but I'm afraid that in this case the matter is not so obvious because the Antonov plants were divided and the planes at that time were manufactured (parts) in different places of the Soviet Union (was produced also as PZL Mielec Antonov in Poland, so MS can ask here too I suppose).
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No I’m not “forgetting” anything. The rights to the aircraft in name and appearance are owned by Antonov, in Kyiv, Ukraine.

MS isn’t going to ask the Russians or the Poles about using the aircraft name or likeness (unless they explicitly use PZL branding for a version for the latter).

https://carnegiemoscow.org/commentary/75944

YoYo said:
Thats right, but you forgot one important thing. An-2 was not created at a time when Ukraine was free, as its Today (although everyone knows the current situation on the border). An-2 was made by CCCP engineers too. It's hard for me to say who has the rights now for the old productions from Soviet Union times (I remember that Ukraine definitely has the rights to new productions after 1993, it seems), but I'm afraid that in this case the matter is not so obvious because the Antonov plants were divided and the planes at that time were manufactured (parts) in different places of the Soviet Union (was produced also as PZL Mielec Antonov in Poland, so MS can ask here too I suppose).
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(unless they explicitly use PZL branding for a version for the latter).
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That's not a strange question so honestly, because more An-2 was produced in Poland than in the whole Soviet Union. :very_drunk:
 
To paraphrase Drax the Destroyer, at this point things are getting pediatric. :)

Even if Antonov is in Sokovia, the fact remains that wherever it is, a corporation like Microsoft isn't going to do a version of the plane without getting permission from the manufacturer if the manufacturer still exists.

I miss the good old days of gaming in the 80s and 90s when nobody knew about the industry and sim companies could just include all the planes... Kind of ridiculous that 2022 Northrop Grumman can get a licensing fee for use of a plane designed with US government money during WW2, for instance. But those are the laws created by the people we elected...
 
DennyA said:
To paraphrase Drax the Destroyer, at this point things are getting pediatric. :)

Even if Antonov is in Sokovia, the fact remains that wherever it is, a corporation like Microsoft isn't going to do a version of the plane without getting permission from the manufacturer if the manufacturer still exists.

I miss the good old days of gaming in the 80s and 90s when nobody knew about the industry and sim companies could just include all the planes... Kind of ridiculous that 2022 Northrop Grumman can get a licensing fee for use of a plane designed with US government money during WW2, for instance. But those are the laws created by the people we elected...
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Im always wondering about the modeling market (models kits), there is lawlessness I suppose because once upon a time I asked a few companies about naming rights and no one ever answered me. I also know that some developers of add-ons with whom Im associated specifically nonmention the name of producer, just to be easier and not have legal problems. :pirate:
 
Unexpected, but «intellectual rights and design documentation for the legendary Soviet light aircraft An-2, which has been mass-produced since 1949 and is still operated in Russia, CIS countries and China, now belong to the Airbus Military».
 
Interesting! I tried to find more information on the Airbus Military connection unsuccessfully, but my search did lead me to the fascinating info that Azerbaijan has been using AN-2s as uncrewed surveillance and attack drones.
 
I could imagine Airbus bought everything to offer maintenance service and parts production for the ones still in use?
 
Aw, so that means the Staggerwing that was going to be released in its place is going to be bumped down the calendar? Too bad. I wanted the Staggerwing a lot more.

Either way, I'm taking a pass on any future Asobo planes until they fix the Fokker F.VII. Oh, wait, that was what I said about the Reno planes ....

August
 
K5083 said:
Aw, so that means the Staggerwing that was going to be released in its place is going to be bumped down the calendar? Too bad. I wanted the Staggerwing a lot more.

Either way, I'm taking a pass on any future Asobo planes until they fix the Fokker F.VII. Oh, wait, that was what I said about the Reno planes ....

August
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Luckily, it's not Asobo :mixed-smiley-010:.
 
I was using "Asobo" as a shorthand for "third party plane rushed to the market unfinished at the behest of Asobo". :biggrin-new:

August
 
Per today's Q&A, the Antonov has been delayed indefinitely as they (Microsoft) "have lost contact with" Antonov and "frankly, we didn't want to bother them" due to the ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
 
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