Latest Update: 2023/10/19
The below log shows all updates for this product since release:
v1.1
New Features:
- Significantly improved aerodynamics. All airfoils and control surface dimensions now match the POH values. The aircraft now has a heavier feeling for increased stability in gusty or turbulent conditions. Unusual trimming tendencies have been eliminated with adjustments to the propeller torque reactions (see below), and the takeoff trim positions (see below). Adjustments to the modern propeller simulation and aerodynamic coefficients have resulted in increased drag in approach regimes, meaning the aircraft is easier to slow on approach, and will decelerate rapidly in ground effect at flight idle.
- Massive improvement to propeller beta simulation. The correct blade angle values for the propeller’s twist are now used to produce net zero thrust. This has the side effect of improving low power propeller drag on approach, thereby reducing apparent floating. Erroneous torque effects caused by the native engine simulation have been filtered out. The beta range fuel controller has also been adjusted for finer control of taxi speed.
- Improved turbine engine dynamics. The torque decrease with altitude has been increased, and now decreases from a maximum of 150% at SL, to 105% at FL300 [originally misquoted as 130-90% in some changelogs and forum posts]. Maximum allowable torque of ~120% is attainable until around FL260. Sudden momentary changes in torque at high altitude were caused by a single miscalculated configuration value. ITT increase with altitude has also been increased, especially with the bleed air switch in the high position. An example from real world flight data:
- Real world: 30,000ft, TQ=90%, RPM=2,000, OAT=-26°C, Bleed=Auto, ITT=800°C.
- Under the exact same conditions, the resulting ITT with the TBM 850 in MSFS is 804°C.
- Propeller torque effects on takeoff increased. The torque effects were actually correctly simulated in the v1.0 flight model, but were being suppressed by an overzealous Asobo assistance feature, meant to make flying aircraft with strong torque effects (like the default TBM 930) easier for novice pilots. Thank you JayDee for helping me test and tweak all the above changes over a dozen iterations in just the last week!
- St. Elmo’s Fire & Static Discharge effects added. When aircraft fly quickly through areas of charged particles, such as thunderstorms, the metal airframe can accumulate significant change. When this charge becomes great enough, electrostatic discharges may occur over sharp areas of the aircraft, such as the cockpit windshields. The static wicks or other sharp areas of the aircraft may also glow purple with corona discharge, which can precede larger discharges across the windshields. See the “St. Elmo’s Fire & Electrostatic Discharge” section of this manual for more information.
- Added deicing boots animation using the same technique as the default TBM 930. Future Black Square aircraft will use an even better technique.
- Improved icing effects on windshields, heated cowlings, and boots. Ice on the windows will now crystalize from the outside-in, and airframe ice will remain when leading edge ice is shed with the deicing boots. Heated cowlings will now deice separately from the rest of the deicing systems.
- Added working wheel chocks. The chocks are retrieved and deployed by clicking the aft seat area where the chocks are stored behind the seats. The chocks will stop the aircraft from moving, so the brakes may be depressurized after shutdown.
- Improved exterior lighting with brighter landing and taxi lights. The landing lights are now visible from inside the cockpit, and look better from a distance. Thank you to flightsim.to user eatpizza2 for the idea.
- New custom strobe light system. Just as in the real world, strobe light volumetric effects are now visible on dark nights. The strobe lights will now become disorientingly bright flashes surrounding the aircraft while operating in clouds, especially at night. Finally, you have a reason to heed the warning in , “Turn off strobe lights when operating in clouds or low visibility.” See the “Realistic Strobe Bounce” section of this manual for more information.
- Solar calculations for display backlighting have been added for a much smoother dimming effect during sunrise and sunset. Unlike other 3rd party implementations, this takes all factors into account, including leap years, and the earth’s tilt.
- Residual heat in the engine will now be suppressed by the gas generator during cooling, but some residual heat will return after the airflow subsides.
- The default copilot character can now be toggled on while in cockpit view using the “CREW MUSIC” switch on the copilot’s lower panel. The pilot and copilot models will now also only be visible when the payload weight in their seats exceeds 70lbs.
- The Altimeter and ITT LCD screen reflected light color now changes from day to night.
- The condition lever position can now be controlled via the L:Var L:BKSQ_ConditionLever from 0-2. This should not be necessary, since the condition lever is most easily controlled via the default mixture bindings; however, it was added for convenience.
- The KMC 321 Mode Controller’s rocker switch previously could only be used to adjust target vertical speed in 100ft increments. Now, the rocker switch can be used to adjust the target altitude in 500ft increments, and indicated airspeed holding speed by 1kt increments. When the rocker switch (or external hardware) causes a change in the target vertical speed, the KAS 297B will now momentarily display the vertical speed information for a few seconds, if the inner knob is not currently pulled out.
- An optional power lever beta range annunciator has been added to the annunciator panel for those who do not have hardware or software detents for their throttle input. The annunciator is disabled by default, and can be enabled by changing the variable “BKSQ_ShowBetaAnnunciator” from 0 to 1 in the aircraft’s flight (.flt) files.
- The control wheel steering (CWS) buttons on the yokes can now be used to synchronize the indicated airspeed holding value with the aircraft’s current indicated airspeed.
- The white outlines on the annunciator panel have been reduced in their prominence, and the color of the amber annunciators has been adjusted for a more pleasing effect.
- Added emissive light source on the back of the glareshield flood light tubes.
- The EHSI course select knob can now be used to control the TDS GTNxi in OBS mode.
- Pressing “REPAIR ENGINE” on the weather radar’s engine condition display will now recharge the main aircraft battery.
Bug Fixes:
- Altimeter and OAT LCD screens will no longer appear blank with conflicting Honeycomb bindings. If you ever have switches or avionics that do not seem operable in Black Square aircraft, Honeycomb hardware bindings are very often the culprit.
- Possible fix for intermittent configuration saving between flights. This bug could have affected anyone using hardware peripherals to control the avionics master switch state.
- Green elevator trim takeoff band now corresponds to correct takeoff trim position, center of gravity adjusted, and horizontal stabilizer angle of incidence now matches book value.
- The EFIS power switch code has been modified so that its functionality can be controlled via the L:Var L:var_EFIS_PowerSwitch.
- Added proper L:Var control for the AP/Trims master switch via BKSQ_AutopilotMasterSwitch.
- Fixed rear passenger window geometry, and one polygon on co-pilot’s window.
- The go-around button on the power lever has been fixed, and will now issue the native TOGA command to the autopilot. The behavior of this command may differ depending on which autopilot (GPS software) is in use, but will default to 8 degrees pitch up on the EFIS flight director.
- The PMS50 GTN 750 will now work with ground clearance mode.
- Dynamic registration fixed to allow outline strokes again.
- Changed panel.cfg files to reference new WT GNS 530 to force users away from using outdated default GNS 530 modifications, which are incompatible with this aircraft.
- Fixed crew and passenger oxygen consumption rate payload variable.
- Code change required for PMS50 GTN 750 WTT Mode compatibility.
- Sound volume for autopilot disconnect and altitude alert slightly increased.
- The amber BAT OFF annunciator light will now illuminate when the GPU is selected as a source.
- The main generator will not produce voltage until the starter motor is disconnected.
-Forward baggage compartment payload moment moved closer to centerline.
- Fixed ETM showing positive fuel flow before condition lever was in idle.
- The starter motor relay is now connected to the battery source bus, instead of the hot battery bus, meaning that the crash-bar must be lifted to start the engine.
- Autopilot will now enter pitch holding mode when engaged with no other modes active.
- Spoiler animation corrected to include travel inside of the wing when the opposite aileron is deflected upwards.
- Aileron and rudder trim animations corrected; however, the elevator trim has remained as is. The POH refers to the other trims as “trim tabs”, and the elevator trim as “anti-tabs”. The aileron trim indicator in the cockpit has also been corrected.
- Right hand elevator static wick reconnected to elevator animation.
- Transponder state will now be set to standby when loading in cold-and-dark state.
- The standby radar altimeter decision height annunciator light was rendered inoperative by a previous model change. Its functionality has been restored.
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