16 January 2024
Thank you all for patiently awaiting an update on the forthcoming Black Square
Piston Duke and
Turbine Duke for MSFS. Here's an update from the developer, Nick Cyganski:
Six months ago, I made the decision to release my
TBM 850 in 2023, in favour of working on the Dukes over the holidays. This has allowed me to spend several months developing countless new features, some of which I believe have never been seen before in Flight Simulator. Many of these new features will also find their way into earlier Black Square releases in future updates. I hope this update will make the wait worthwhile, and that everyone will enjoy flying these two stunning machines as much as I've enjoyed creating them.
I am most proud of my new in-cockpit EFB tablet, which was originally designed to replace the weather radar interface for interacting with the Black Square failure system; however, it quickly became the most complete interface yet for monitoring aircraft systems in MSFS. This includes an options configuration, payload and fuel management, piston and turbine engine visualisers, live electrical schematic, cabin environmental system visualiser and failure options.
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.
The Piston Duke will also feature Black Square's new reciprocating engine simulation, which completely overhauls engine starting and propeller feathering, in addition to the fouling, vapour lock, flooding, backfire and turbocharger simulations featured in previous Black Square aircraft. The crankshaft is now driven by the physics of cylinder compression, fuel ignition, propeller drag and friction throughout. Propeller feathering is now driven by engine oil pressure. Watch cold oil flow slowly into the propeller hub through the lines, or from the unfeathering accumulator on the engine visualiser.
Adhering to Black Square's motto, "Unapologetically Realistic", the Piston Duke will also feature instrument stiction and friction physics, meaning that needles can become temporarily stuck, and unstick with engine vibration. You can even tap on the instrument's glass to free a sticky needle and get a more accurate reading. Although it wasn't advertised heavily in the more digital TBM 850, all gyroscopes in Black Square's aircraft are now also physics based, driven by a coupled quadrature oscillator. Watch the electric and pneumatic gyroscopes behave differently as they spin up and down and precess with the motion of the aircraft.
Black Square is proud to announce a partnership with Boris Audio Works for the entire Duke soundscape and hopefully several future aircraft. We hope that Boris Audio Works' exceptional sound quality, combined with Black Square's system complexity, produces an audiovisual experience that you will not soon forget. As an example, while starting the engines, you're not just hearing a recording of an engine start, you're hearing half a dozen individual layered sounds, each controlled by an underlying simulation. From the starter solenoid to the friction on the flywheel, it's a living sound system. Look out for audio preview videos coming soon!
Black Square is also proud to debut the amazing freeware KLN-90B GPS Navigator, brought to you by Falcon71. The KLN-90B joins the ranks as one of the most impeccably accurate pieces of avionics for MSFS. The Dukes will also support PMS50 GTN 650 and TDS GTNxi 650s, a first for Black Square, for a total of 12 hot-swapping avionics combinations. Avionics selection has also been moved to the tablet interface, which offers more reliable hot-swapping and easier selection for multiple GPS providers.
The wait is almost over! Beta testing will have begun by the time this update is published. The
Piston Duke and
Turbine Duke are planned to release concurrently in March of 2024. The two aircraft will be available separately, and also as a discounted Bundle. For more information on what differentiates these two aircraft, see the PDF
feature comparison sheet or the recently updated product pages. The 150-page manuals for each product will also be made available as the release date approaches. Stay tuned for a series of videos on the Just Flight YouTube channel showcasing the features of the Dukes for Microsoft Flight Simulator!
