The F28 Professional from Just Flight is about to get a version 2 upgrade for free to current owners. We’ve got a date for the launch and an overview of all of the new autopilot features available in the F28. Let’s have a look!

Choose your autopilot

The Fokker F28 airliner stuck around for quite a long time with the last one rolling off the production lines in 1987 and seeing service into the early 21st Century. None remain on civil register, however, Argentina still flies a couple in military service. A long service life and many operational changes to aviation over the years means that the Fokker F28 has seen a lot of changes to its avionics. There were a couple of options available previously and now Just Flight are adding more. A Facebook post, put up earlier today, goes over the new options in Version 2.

We start with the UNS-1 Flight Management System (FMS) which they say is largely borrowed from the work they did on the 146 Professional V2 plus some unspecified refinements and addition of a TUNE page for tuning the radios.

Just Flight have removed the GNS530 (which somewhat awkwardly replaced the radar) and instead have a more realistically fitted GNS430. Some F28s flew with GNS430s so this is a configuration the jet actually used and it means that you can still use the weather radar. They also report that the 2024 version uses the latest Working Title framework so it has full integration with the MSFS EFB.

You can also rip those navigational aids out and use the F28 as it was originally intended. VHF NAV radios and ADF radios can be used to track VORs, DMEs and NDBs.

We’ve also got a new altitude preselect controller that they say adds new features like autopilot coupled vertical speed, altitude arming, altitude hold and altitude alerting modes. It’s coupled with the autopilot so it will reach and hold altitudes if instructed – not something that was possible before in the F28.

The other cool thing is that the method available previously is still available with the more primitive altitude selector being purely an alerting system.

Coming March 13!

All of these new features are coming to the F28 Professional on March 13 for PC and Xbox flyers and following shortly thereafter on third party storefronts.

It’s a free update for current owners adding in quite a bit of extra value for no charge. Very much appreciated and another reason to have a look at all of Just Flight’s unique airliner offerings.

In recent weeks, Just Flight have talked quite a bit about the update showing off new liveries being added to the mix and of course talking about the new features. It looks like a comprehensive update and adding the MSFS 2024 compatibility is great to have too.

Looking forward to flying the F28 some more very soon! More from Just Flight on Facebook!

If you’re thinking about buying the F28, don’t forget to check out the Stormbirds F28 review! Hint, there’s a reason why I talk so much about this classic airplane.