Third-party developer Blackbird Simulations announced today the release date for the paid alpha of its upcoming Lockheed C-130 Hercules for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024.
The alpha version, which will basically be an early access, will become available on May 1 in limited quantities, although Blackbird has not mentioned specific numbers.
The price to gain access to the alpha (and following versions, of course) is $24.99. Those who wait for the full release will have to pay more. It won’t be available on Xbox or on Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020.
Blackbird claims that this will be “the most advanced simulation of this aircraft ever created,” setting a benchmark for complexity and realism on Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024.
The Hercules is built on the technology used to create simulators for real-world clients, including the USAF itself and SOCOM. On top of that, the developer has pushed the level of the simulations further with the feedback of seasoned C-130 pilots. This includes flight dynamics, systems logic, avionics, and performance.
The aircraft simulated is a Block 6.5 C-130J-30 Super Hercules. The product will actually be called “Dirty 30,” likely due to trademark reasons.
Here’s what you can expect from the aircraft in terms of features:
- Deeply accurate avionics, flight, and engine systems
- True-to-life fuel, electrical, and hydraulic modeling
- High-detail 3D models and ultra-crisp textures
- Performance tuned to match real-world data
- Custom hardware input system allowing control of hundreds of parameters unique to this aircraft through the built-in tablet
- For advanced cockpit builders, there is an SDK through which any switch in the cockpit may be read or set directly
- Custom Ground Power Unit
- Multiple cargo configurations & payload types
- Two fuselage options: Long and Short
- 3 rear cockpit variants for different roles
- 10 stunning liveries
- System-driven failures for high-stakes realism
- Gorgeous night lighting inside and out
- Animated extras—including a galley with working microwave (seriously)
- Fully animated doors, ramps, and access points
- Highly complex radar system including ground mapping with terrain shadows, beam width and tilt, offset, expand, freeze and more, as well as air-to-air (skin paint) and weather modes
- (Note: ground mapping will not pick up buildings or moving objects)
- Digital Map display with worldwide coverage using Navigraph VFR charts (Navigraph subscription required)
- Custom Terrain Awareness and Warning System (TAWS) display
- Exceptionally realistic Kalman filter-based dual Inertial Navigation System with fully modeled Schuler errors, earth rotation effects, four different alignment modes, GPS and VOR/TACAN updating
- Common Cursor system enabling GPS-out position updates for the INS using the ground-mapping radar and HUD
- TCAS TA/RA system integrated with the HUD and navigation displays and implemented using the real algorithms per the TCAS standard.
- Full-featured HUD, including ground references and Common Cursor integration
- Up to 16 (depending on variant) avionics screens/MFD with hundreds of pages
- Over 120 fully working Manual Circuit Breakers (MCBs) accessible in the cockpit
- Over 900 Electronic Circuit Breakers (ECBs) controllable through the avionics system
- Over 100 cockpit lighting parameters adjustable through the avionics system
- Custom Flight Director/Autopilot with 4 lateral modes, 6 vertical modes, and autothrottle
Currently, according to Blackbird, the aircraft is 96% feature complete and will receive regular updates leading to the full release. Here’s a list of what is still missing, directly from the store page.
- Sounds – basic sounds are in but need more detail
- Engine and aircraft performance – needs refining
- Autopilot – needs refining
- Throttle calibration system – incomplete
- Fire Handle system – incomplete
- Fire detection and test – incomplete
- APU – working but needs realism improved
- Fuel – fuel transfer is buggy
- Some CNI-MU soft panels buggy
- Holding patterns – buggy
- Single Point Refueling using tablet – incomplete
- FLCV test – incomplete
- Failures – some failures work, some don’t, and failure list is incomplete
- Ice Protection – incomplete
- Effects of ECBUs and BAUs failing or being taken offline
- BIU BACKUP mode – needs work (and to be added to failures list)
- Defensive systems including flares and chaff – incomplete
- IPRA – incomplete
- CARP – incomplete
- CAPS – planned
- TIME NAV – incomplete
- BUS STATUS, SW QUERY, and MAINTENANCE pages – incomplete
- TAWS warnings – incomplete
- CNI-MU TOLD and W/B auto-fill from tablet – planned
- Manual/backup extension of gear and flaps from tablet – planned
We also get a trailer and a gallery of rather impressive screenshots of the Hercules. Especially the avionics look pristine.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is also available for PC and Xbox Series X|S. If you want to see the massive visual difference against Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020, you can enjoy our video and screenshot comparison.
A few weeks ago, we published an extensive interview with Head of Microsoft Flight Simulator Jorg Neumann about the present situation of the sim and the plans for the future
You can also check out our in-depth analysis of how much data the simulator downloads from the cloud, clearing the air from some widespread misinformation that has made the rounds over the past few months.
