New details revealed about Black Square’s ambitious Turbine Duke for MSFS
Black Square surprised us a few weeks ago with the announcement of the B60 Turbine Duke, a new project built from scratch that makes a departure from the developer’s most typical Steam Gauge Overhauls for default MSFS airplanes. At the time, there were only a few known details about the project, shared by the developer in an interview with Just Flight, but we’ve since noticed that there is new information available on Just Flight’s website, which offer a more detailed outlook into the scope of the project and the airplane’s features. Needless to say, it sounds highly promising and impressive!
For starters, Black Square says that this will be “one of the most technically advanced aircraft simulations for Microsoft Flight Simulator“, a bold claim that sets high expectations. The Turbine Duke will boast over 120 possible failures, including new turbine engine failures, 12 hot-swappable radio configurations, and advanced pressurization and cabin temperature simulations.
One of the most impressive features that Black Square is fitting into its Turbine Duke is the comprehensive failure system, which allows for persistent wear and tear, MTBF (mean time between failures), and scheduled failures for virtually every component in the aircraft.
The electrical system is the most precise yet from Black Square, featuring a battery temperature monitor, over-voltage protection, over-current protection, and AC inverters. Every gauge is claimed to have been meticulously modelled and coded to match real-world counterparts, assuring authenticity. The developer is setting a high standard with this complexity, seemingly raising the bar compared to the already impressive custom systems fitted in his previous releases such as the Baron and the Bonanza!
Simmers will also be able to take a trip down memory lane with the various radio navigation systems from different eras of the Duke’s history. There will be plenty of choices in terms of avionics, including the classic Bendix KNS-81 RNAV system or the more modern Garmin GTN 750 (from PMS50 or TDS). The aircraft also boasts an extensive list of additional radio equipment, such as KX-155 NAV/COM radios, KLN-90B, GTN 650, GNS 530, GNS 430, KR 87 ADF, KDI 572 DME, GTX 327 Transponder, Century IV Autopilot, and a Bendix RDR1150XL Weather Radar.
Accompanying the airplane will be a comprehensive 100+ page manual, providing instructions on all equipment, and 56 in-sim checklists with control/instrument highlighting for both normal and emergency procedures. It will also include several unique interiors that reflect real-world examples from four decades of flying.
The Turbine Duke will also feature a custom 3D sound package, with details to be announced later. For realism, the Turbine Duke is modelled from hundreds of reference photos and technical documentation with the help of real Turbine Duke owners. The aircraft also uses 100% MSFS native animation code for the smoothest animations and cockpit interactions.
Clearly, the Turbine Duke for Microsoft Flight Simulator promises to deliver an impressively realistic and in-depth flight experience. Black Square has offered us some of the most engrossing airplanes yet in MSFS, with impeccable attention to detail in how the aircraft operates and how to use all the systems properly. By all indications, the Turbine Duke is set to expand this philosophy even further!
Learn more about all of these details and more on Just Flight’s page devoted to this project. We should hear more details soon about the current status of the Black Square Turbine Duke and the release plans around it. Stay tuned!
