A new developer update has come out from Just Flight and Black Square with new information on the status of the Beechcraft Duke that they are bringing to Microsoft Flight Simulator. Here’s the latest!
Nearly complete, heading to beta
Developer Nick Cyganski has written a new update for Just Flight’s in-development product page on the Beechcraft Duke. It contains some beautiful new screenshots, as you can see, plus a bit of discussion about some of the features coming to the aircraft. Those include a completely revamped EFB interface from prior Black Square products that includes some really impressive visualizations. Here’s the motivation behind it:
I have always been passionate about aviation education, so my goal was to create real-time graphical representations of some of the most complex systems in general aviation aircraft, such that they can be more readily understood by experienced and novice simulator pilots alike. A pilot’s understanding of his or her machine is paramount to safety in the air. This understanding is too often compromised by computers and glass panels in our present time. Hopefully these visualisers will help bring a new appreciation of the electromechanical systems behind the touchscreens in modern aircraft, and also the complexity of Black Square’s systems simulation.
Nick Cyganski from Black Square
Other details include a long list of realism features that include having engine vibration cause needles to become stuck and then enabling the user to tap the glass to unstick them, a partnership with Boris Audio Works for the audio work on the Duke, and a debut of the freeware KLN-90B GPS Navigator (support for PMS50 and TDS panels will also be present).
Beta testing is underway and the two aircraft are planned to be released concurrently in March of this year. The turbine and piston engine variants will be sold individually though a discounted bundle also encourages purchasing both.
Stormbirds 