The new engine was needed as the current core is based on legacy FSX code and that wasn't multi-threaded either.
There's been a real hoo-har surrounding 2024 and feeling MS have reneged on their commitments. I don't think so and am looking forward to the release. Today though I just use Hype Performance Groups Action Centre/H145 for all the Medivac and firefighting stuff...
Yes, I'm actually looking forward to it too. I've had a good few years of flying for what I paid for and the sim / game has had plenty of free additions and has improved a lot (in VR too). I'm interested to see what the new game does in terms of performance improvement and I definitely will appreciate the smaller local footprint.
I did just buy the basic version, so wasn't really that much money, and tbh I typically only fly four or five planes so that will be what I'll go for again.