Today Blackbird Simulations aired a livestream about its upcoming projects, mostly focusing on Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024.
During the broadcast, Creative Director Colin Pearson started with the SR-71 Blackbird, mentioning that it’s going to be a “premier” product. Work on the flight model has started and it’s easy in the supersonic phase but challenging in the transonic and sub-sonic phases as the aircraft is not designed to fly slow.
Interestingly, it’ll be required to perform aerial refueling after take-off, unless you cheat by simply filling up the fuel tanks. The aircraft had an 80% washout rate due to the challenge of aerial refueling, which was mostly done in radio silence.
The hope is for a Christmas 2024 release. It’ll definitely be for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 and probably not for the 2020 version of the sim unless it can be easily backported. It’s worth mentioning that during the stream, Pearson mistakenly mentioned Christmas 2025, but then this was clarified on the developer’s Discord server.
We also hear that the aircraft will be tested by original Blackbird pilots, which is pretty impressive.
Next Friday, Blackbird will release a Dev Diary video focusing on the model of the SR-71.
Moving on to the Lockheed C-130 Hercules, implementing it on Microsoft Flight Simulator has proven challenging but it’s coming. It’s definitely going to be for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 and not 2020.
The model has been remade from scratch and there are four different cockpit variations. You can fly from the pilot or copilot seats. The HUDs are working and the FMS is exactly like the real one.
There will be over 30 liveries, but unfortunately, there won’t be an AC-130J due to legal reasons. The long version of the aircraft will come within the same package and won’t be sold separately, albeit it may not be available at release.
The developers have managed to find a solution so that the aircraft will not require an external program, so it should be released on the marketplace if everything works correctly. That being said, Pearson can’t guarantee that the aircraft will work on Xbox.
Framerates are “quite good” (35-45 FPS on an Nvidia RTX 2080, 68 FPS on a 3090, and 90 FPS on a 4090).
The developer doesn’t have a timeline for the aircraft but a Dev Diary video is coming fairly soon.
Development on the Northrop T-38 Talon has been paused while the flight profile is being redone and the developer works through some legal issues.
Development of the Bell UH-1 Iroquois is continuing, albeit the developer can’t commit to a release date. It’ll also come with weapons (not in the official marketplace) and the features are very similar to the simulator that Blackbird has created for the military.
It’ll come for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 and it’s going to have a “Fortunate Son” button. If you know, you know.
The Douglas A-1 Skyraider’s model has been sold to another developer and hopefully will come in 2025.
The de Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter and the DHC-3-T Turbo Otter will come for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. They have been remodeled with the same technique used for the T-6 Texan and they look great. The developer hopes to release them by Christmas or Valentine’s Day.
The developer has finally decided which version of the 737-200. it’ll be the one with the Nolinor upgraded avionics package and for now, the analogue version won’t be made. The model is being redone from scratch and work has started on the avionics.
Next, we take a look at the Mitsubishi A6M-5 Zero fighter and the developer is going “all the way” with it. Once again, they hope for a release before Christmas.
The developer is also doing a new Vought F4U Corsair, and it’ll be a separate product from the existing one, with a completely new model and code. The developers would like to be able to implement a combat system with the Zero and they’re talking with external developers to implement their guns system.
The Rockwell B-1 Lancer is still being worked on, but it’s such an extensive aircraft with so many capabilities that Blackbird needs to figure out how some systems work.
The F-16C Block 552 is still being worked on, and the developer hopes to release it by Valentine’s Day 2025. Incidentally, one of the coders of Falcon BMS is working on it.
Development on the F-15 has been paused because the modeling team needed to work on something else, but it’s still coming. The flight profile needs to be redone with the assistance of a real F-15 pilot.
Some of the products may be released within the Shrike sub-brand. The C-130, the Otter and Turbo Otter, the Boeing 737-200, and the SR-71 will definitely be released within the Blackbird Simulations brand.
Incidentally, if you’re interested in scenery, the developer is working on Randolph Air Force Base, but they don’t know when it’ll released.
Pearson isn’t ready to say whether Blackbird will provide free updates of its past projects for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 or not, as they don’t yet know enough about the new simulator. It’ll depend on how difficult the implementation will be and how much development time it’ll require.
As a final note of color, Pearson discussed the possibility of making aircraft for DCS World. He mentioned that Eagle Dynamics isn’t taking Blackbird’s calls, possibly due to past “angst.” The developer has knocked on ED’s door several times over the past few years but has not received an answer. That being said, they’d like to work on DCS World, but it’s not their decision.
If you haven’t yet tried flight simulation and you’re a bit intimidated by its apparent complexity, you can start with our introductory guide. It will be followed by weekly articles tackling specific topics that will provide guidance on how to master the genre.
You can also keep up to date with the flight simulation news via our recap articles which we publish every day here on Simulation Daily.
