Just Flight recently did a version 2.2 update of their Fokker F28 simulation. The F28 Professional as they call it is up to version 2.2 and it comes with some new features that I was looking into and taking advantage of some of the new features. I wanted to write a little about that while sharing a few images from some recent flights. Not your traditional journal setup but a revisiting of a favourite airplane that has a few new tricks.
It’s still so good!
If anyone brings up the Fokker F28 that Just Flight have put together for Microsoft Flight Simulator, they best be prepared for anywhere from a sentence to a paragraph or two of me waxing poetic about this airplane. Purely objectively, the F28 is maybe not the ultimate airliner project in MSFS (Fenix or one of the PMDG products might hold that distinction) but when it comes to possessing that special combination of sound, visual, flight model, and quirky systems into something fun – this is it!
I’m reminded that every time I go through the start-up procedure. As the APU kicks in and you switch to Gen 3, all of the the systems come online and there’s a loud visceral click. The lights flash, the fans begin to ‘whir’ and the aircraft starts to come to life. The elevator welcome music (which you can change to anything you want) also starts and the passengers start to board. They aren’t animated or visually present but while you’re doing things in the cockpit it feels like they are boarding the plane. It’s all so good! My recent re-review goes into more depth on all of this.
One of the new features is the UNS-1, custom coded by Just Flight, and part of the v2.0 release, now has a new trick: it can import flight plans from SimBrief. Plug in your ID number into the UNS-1 (saved for later) and it imports right in. You still need to do departure and arrival, as is normal, but everything else is there. It was a bit of a missing feature before but now we have it! That bodes well for the upcoming A300B4 which I’ve been lead to understand is equipped with the same FMS. You can still also do the GNS430 and import your plan from within MSFS 2024 as well. This aircraft has a range of experience… and options!
Some other new features include it being a native MSFS 2024 package. It now has a walkaround mode. Although they haven’t done absolutely everything, it does let you interact with the cabin door, click and plugin the Ground Power, and the cargo doors open when interacted with. No tie downs or coverings on this one but that’s ok.
And finally the other headlining feature is the custom cabins which now have branding from various airlines that you’re flying as setup by the liveries. This is maybe the most superfluous for me but it does aid immersion.
My only complaint is that I have noticed a bit of a performance hit while I go back there. It seems to clear as soon as I get back to the cockpit but sometimes my frame rates drop by a noticeable amount. It’s not intolerable and it doesn’t happen every time either. I also haven’t seen anyone else mention it so maybe its just me. The F28 is usually a solid performer with no frame rate issues.
A few fun adventures
Since the 2.2 release, I’ve been back in the cockpit and flying the jet quite a bit. I’ve made ample use of the UNS-1 this time around doing the SimBrief import every time.
I did a historical route from Yellowknife to Norman Wells with Canadian Regional. The jet would fly into this remote location on the Mackenzie River with some regularity and these days its Canadian North and their 737-300 that flies in here but back in the day the F28 would make the trip. It was beautiful, scenic, and a little bit cloudy along the way but definitely a fun ride.
For something completely different, I did a little hop with the Piedmont Air F28 flying between Philadelphia and landing at Providence. I think this was a historical route flown by this type as well going by some of the old route maps.
Another classic route? Horizon Air flying Seattle, Washington to Boise, Idaho. Horizon eventually was acquired by Alaska Air. Back in the day it was their small Fokker F28 fleet rather than the modern Embraer doing the short flight duty. For this one I did an evening flight with the sun setting as we past by Mount Rainier and then an after dark landing at Boise.
Halfway around the world and I did the hop with Air Niugini Airlines flying the jet on a modern route (flown by the F28’s successor, the Fokker 70) between Port Moresby and Cairns Australia. It’s mostly water but the glimpses of the Great Barrier Reef was neat to see. Note to self: There’s some Cairns scenery packs out there that I might want to pick up sometime.
Finally, back in Europe I flew an F28 with the livery of launch customer Braathens SAFE. This was a semi-historical route taking me direct from Trondheim all the way up to Tromsø. Departing just after sunrise, this was a stunning journey all the way north across Norway.
And there you have it
A quick look at what’s changed with one of my all time favourite aircraft in Microsoft Flight Simulator. I have compared Just Flight’s F28 Professional in MSFS to the DCS: AJS-37 Viggen by Heatblur Simulations. They aren’t performing remotely the same job, of course, but they both have punchy sounds, quirky systems that don’t really compare to many other aircraft, and they just exude this kind of style that makes them a fan favourite wherever they go. This won’t be the last time I write about the F28. That’s for sure!
Stormbirds 
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