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Black Square Add-Ons

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  • 144 Topics
    862 Posts
    A
    The A2A Aerostar tablet resides within the MS EFB - I like it very much as I have a button on my yoke to toggle the EFB. I’m not sure if there is a way to toggle the Black Square tablet on Xbox by key command. Don’t think you can? I would very much like my Black Square planes to offer something similar to the Aerostar. The only potential downside I can foresee is perhaps too many icons then being present in the MS EFB. i.e. the Aerostar creates an icon within the MS EFB, so presumably there would be one icon for each plane - where a developer choses to implement their tablets in the same way. I really like the Black Square tablet, but would like it even more if I could toggle it as I can with the MS EFB.
  • 114 Topics
    516 Posts
    Black SquareB
    @MountainMen1167 Hello! Thank you for posting your findings here. Please excuse my delay in responding, I wanted to make sure I gathered my thoughts before writing. I hope you don't mind my lengthy reply, but I thought the amount of work you invested deserved an equally invested response. Before we dig in to your observations, I wanted to say that I am always happy to hear from fellow pilots, engineers, and aircraft owners. Your suggestions always help me design better aircraft! These aircraft are passion projects for me, so my primary goal is to give my users unforgettable moments of virtual flying that have only recently become possible with MSFS. I must admit that I found your accusations of "no evidence of anything being custom" and "a simple repaint of the default aircraft" to be undeniably hurtful. I've dedicated my life to these aircraft since MSFS 2020, as my friends and family can attest. I always try to do my best, and support the community with new features and custom code for their projects. While many of your critiques are perfectly valid, I hope that my extensive manuals might serve as evidence of the many custom features I prioritize during the roughly one year it takes to bring each aircraft to life. I'm sorry that the aircraft did not match your expectations. I'm very sensitive to claims of false advertising, so I'm particular about what I write in my descriptions. I always publish my manuals online and provide the aircraft to video and print reviewers before each release so they can share their honest commentary. This gives the community the opportunity to learn about my aircraft before making a purchase decision. I never claim to be the best, or anywhere close, but I always try to do my best and be honest about my limitations as a one-man-team. With that said, I would much rather discuss the why's and how's of flight simulation from here. Thanks for bearing with me. In theory, you've provided me with an exhaustive list of improvements that I can start working on immediately; however, you will see that a few challenges persist. I hope you won't mind if I don't address every single point by name, because most of them fall into three basic categories: Some of them are oversights in my latest release (after only one hotfix), like positive fuel flow with empty tanks, the starter not circulating oil, the oil pressure while exercising twin engine propellers, and number of compression wells. I have already fixed these oversights for the next update. I've also recently put a lot of time into my own oil temperature modifications to much better approximate the real aircraft, which you can read about here. The unrealistic mixture behavior is the result of deficiencies that have existed in Flight Simulator for ~30 years, and were fixed only recently. I've implemented these new fixes in my Commander 114, and plan to port the changes back to all my other aircraft in future updates. This is my typical workflow, so I can safely test major changes on new aircraft while continuously improving my fleet for existing users. There are also some features that have been on my backburner, and should be pretty simple. Often, it only takes the right suggestion from a user for me to implement these pending features. A few of your other points, I believe, are currently working in the aircraft, though I will have to test them later. For instance, engine performance being degraded by damage, propeller sync, and feathered propellers being affected by apparent wind. As you noted in the bulk of your points, I am not simulating a complete internal combustion engine and all of its accessories to the point where resistance is applied from alternator loads, or the fuel system will falter while flying inverted. While each of your points might seem small, I'm sure you can imagine how combining them into a standalone simulation that plays nicely with the parameters required by the simulator is no small task. Just to achieve most of the custom features you see in my aircraft today, I've had to wage war with the underlying simulation. The originally incorrect turbocharger mixture control, or the lack of fully stopped propeller feathering are two good examples. With each of these features come secondary and tertiary effects that can be hard to predict without the simulator's source code. Aircraft are incredibly complex systems of interconnected systems, as you know! Now, that doesn't mean any of your requests are impossible! I often say, "anything is possible with software." In fact, I would argue that they would all make my aircraft undeniably better. From here, it's only a matter of practicality. I am very lucky that I get to develop these aircraft as my full time job, but I hope you understand that I must consider the economics of development if I want to continue supporting my family. As I often say here, it breaks my heart when I am approached with wonderful ideas for new features that I would love to implement, but the realities of developing these systems by myself often hinders these aspirations. In short, spending a year to develop a feature that might only matter to 1% of simulator pilots could spell the end of Black Square entirely. What can be done about the engine simulation shortcomings you list here? It appears there are essentially two approaches. One can either develop an external simulation and inject the solutions back into the simulator, or you can develop on top of Asobo's platform to add a substantial layer of realism. There are tradeoffs to each method, but the latter is the one I have chosen to specialize in myself. This is the fundamental difference between myself and at least one of the other developers you mention. From the categories above: I have already fixed some of your points for the next updates to my aircraft. I have taken note of your features from this category to explore during upcoming work. Last are the features that would be very difficult to implement without fully separating my aircraft from the underlying simulation. These are the ones that break my heart, because I cannot currently justify the software redesign to bring them to fruition based on how the majority of my users interact with my aircraft. However, I always say that I can be convinced to undertake just about any amount of work if a substantial amount of the community make their desires known. I have also recently been speaking with a third party who might be able to contribute some of the exact features you mention here. I hope this explains some of what you are experiencing, and provides a window into aircraft development for MSFS. While I'm working on some of your points for my future aircraft and updates, I hope you will stay in touch with any further suggestions you might have, because I always want to hear what my users are thinking. Nick C.
  • 501 4k
    501 Topics
    4k Posts
    Black SquareB
    I think page ~89 of the manual might have the information you're looking for When the aircraft is operating at high altitudes where ambient temperatures can approach -85°C (-120°F), it may become necessary to place the bleed air valves rotary selector knob in the “HIGH FLOW” position.
  • 509 Topics
    3k Posts
    C
    Similarly, while programming SPAD as well, I've been trying to understand the CWS/ATT mode further myself and have confused myself with the manual. Should pushing ATT sync the pitch knob/FD to the current pitch of the aircraft? Or should I be pushing CWS first to achieve that? (I suppose that's really an "order of operations" type question perhaps) Thanks!
  • 42 241
    42 Topics
    241 Posts
    M
    I was wrong about the taxi route in Chicago - that wasn't Real Taxiways causing that
  • 452 Topics
    2k Posts
    K
    @Black-Square Hi Nick, thanks for the quick reply. I understand the Analog Caravan situation. I guess I'll be looking forward to the Caravan Professional when that is ready for prime time. Regarding the Duke, the engines were at %100 condition. I'm not sure what's going on either to be honest. Here's a quick, unedited video I made of a climb earlier. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ml0lUdvuWAQ Video starts shortly after take-off at about 5000ft. Weather preset is "clear skies". You can see that throughout the climb the ITT keeps going down and I just keep pushing the throttles more and more forwards (except that one time where I overdid it and had to pull it back after realizing I'm over 760-degrees). By the very end, you can see that I'm fully forward on the throttle with no more space to go and I'm still in the green. Oh and in case it's relevant. I bought the Duke through the MSFS marketplace.
  • 398 2k
    398 Topics
    2k Posts
    Black SquareB
    No worries! Take your time! Oh, I thought you meant during a shutdown. I might have to check exactly what this procedure is supposed to look like in the real aircraft, but I would expect a substantial RPM drop and increase in torque. In know it's common practice to start the TBM in feather, so ground crew are not blasted by the slipstream while they unplug GPU's and remove chocks. What's your understanding of this procedure?
  • King Air in 2024

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    @jmarkows https://community.justflight.com/topic/9588/blacksquare-kingair-professional-for-msfs2024 Looks like you aren't a liar
  • BlackSquare KingAir Professional for MSFS2024

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    @Black-Square Oooh let it slip a little! Although yeah I didn't have any doubt that a Professional quality King Air was coming from you eventually, even if it was still some years off. I'd be pretty stoked if you did a C90, whether it's the first Pro King Air or further down the road.
  • Still no tail numbers in 2024, and no hours saved, in the SU4 Beta

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    L
    I did find the tablet option for the tail numbers, thanks. And best I can tell, it looks like some stuff does save, I'll have to test further. I'm wondering if there's a workaround using a backup state.cfg file, pasted back in after the sim starts but before choosing the aircraft. Probably won't work, but maybe worth a try.
  • It would be possible to publish a preview of the Caravan manual?

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    K
    I hope there will be an option to include the copilot avatar.
  • Suggestion for next aircraft

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  • 2024 BN2 for MSFS2024

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    J
    The problem I am having is on the PC not xBox. I did try it on the xBox tonight and it was there. Same problem as last time I rented it. Main cockpit view was the ceiling. Could not get any other cockpit views with Ctrl-1-Ctrl-0. No I don't use Shift for views. Could not get any views I created to save.
  • Thanks for the updates, Starship 1.2 and Velocity XL 1.4

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    4 Votes
    25 Posts
    2k Views
    E
    repair as expected change nothing. i guess reset won't as well, but i won't check that.
  • Black Square Tablet Features

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    5 Posts
    393 Views
    P
    Just my 2cents on this. I know some other developers have done this like FlightFX with the HondaJet and the VisionJet. The Piper Turbo Arrow also have Navigraph and Simbreif in the tablet which was suprising. I know other do as well in smaller GA aircraft and as someone who is on Xbox this is amazing as we do not have the add ons that PC users to do allow for a pop out or things like that. The other thing to consider would be developing a stand alone pop-out for Navigraph/Simbreif for the marketplace. Similar to what PMS50 just did with the GTN750. Xbox users can now use a pop-out GTN750 like the PC users do. One of the reasons I love this so much is that it now, for the most part, allows every aircraft to have Navigraph and Simbrief intigration through the pop-out unit. Just food for thought.
  • Request - G1000NXI Option For Future Black Square Aircraft In Development

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    S
    Speaking of panel retrofits - I did just find out that there is essentially a G1000 retrofit for the Commander 690B, if you did want to offer a glass cockpit option for it. Info here: [image: 452e6ec3-ada0-48a7-9fc0-5022595770e3.jpg] https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2014/february/pilot/t-twin-commander
  • Turbo Commander Progress

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    S
    @Black-Square I would like to hear a Boris 8 cylinder engine.... a nice io-720 would be cool
  • 0 Votes
    4 Posts
    134 Views
    S
    Ok, the last 5 times I tried it, it wouldn't work. This time I started flight sim to get you that screen shot and it fired right up... I dunno...
  • 0 Votes
    2 Posts
    103 Views
    Black SquareB
    @aeronautorbust said in No option for G430 to be the primary GPS for most Blacksquare aircraft in the avionics selection.: Is there a reason why the G430 STILL isn't an option to be used as the primary GPS? Indeed, there is! As you might have noticed, both the TDS and PMS50 GTN 650's can also operate as the primary source of navigation when no primary GPS is selected. I asked Working Title to provide the same functionality a long time ago, and I was politely told that this would be too difficult. I then proceeded to modify their code to create my own solution for this, and I can confirm that it was very dirty, difficult, and inconsistent. Just as recently as Flight Sim Expo this year (July), I spoke with a WT representative about this again, and referred to it as my most wanted feature. Perhaps the day will still come for this functionality, but in the meantime, we will both be patiently waiting.
  • This topic is deleted!

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  • B350i King Air MSFS2024

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    S
    Almost everything works fine now in MSFS2024 except for the sound. The sound is almost inaudible, unfortunately...
  • KFC150 attitude hold mode?

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    M
    Ok, kind of have a solution for this - When in alt mode if you want to put it back into attitude mode press the VS eng button on the KAS 297B TWICE - first time engages VS mode 2nd time turns it off and leaves you in attitude mode - then you can use the up/down switch on the KFC150 to adjust your pitch attitude. Note that it seems like sometimes you also have to pull out the knob on the KAS 297B to put it into VS mode - still working on figuring out when that is/isn't required.
  • Suggestions for improving Black Square aircraft

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  • ADF suggestions, tweaks, and ideas

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    C
    Some light reading here ADF Attitude-Induced Errors
  • Any news on the Pro Bonanza and Barons?

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    S
    @MiRexer not to rub it in but retirement does have it's perks!
  • Aircraft suggestion

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    R
    It doesn't really seem to be Nick's style, but I'd love a Black Square Beaver!
  • Standard key bindings for Black Square aircraft

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