Flight Simulation developers shared news today, focusing on airports and aircraft for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, MSFS 2020, and X-Plane.
Simulation Daily publishes a roundup every day for all the news across the flight simulation field, helping you keep up to date with the ins and outs of the industry.
Without further ado, I leave you with the news.
Cessna Caravan Professional for MSFS 2024 and MSFS 2020 by Black Square Gets New Screenshots and Details
Just Flight revealed the store pages of the upcoming Cessna Caravan, including the Passenger version (with and without the cargo pod) and the Amphibian and Cargo version, on top of a bundle.
The former can be seen in the gallery above and the latter in the gallery below.
Below you can find an extensive descriptionn with plenty of details.
FEATURE OVERVIEW
- IMPROVED – 145+ page Operating Manual with your complete guide to flying the Black Square Caravan Professional, including systems guide, tutorials, operating limitations, performance tables and electrical schematics.
- NEW – Tablet Interface for configuring options, payload settings, failure management, and real-time visualisers for engines, electrical schematics and environmental systems.
- NEW – 12 hot-swappable radios, configurable via tablet interface. Includes PMS & TDS.
- IMPROVED – 100+ random, scheduled or performance-triggered failures, settable via the tablet, including engine damage, compatible with third party UIs and instructor stations.
- IMPROVED – Fully simulated environmental control for heating, air conditioning, ventilation and ram air cooling. Cool things off by opening a door, or watch the aircraft heat up in the sun. Monitor via the new tablet interface.
- Completely simulated electrical system, with 80+ circuit breakers and failures.
- IMPROVED – Turboprop dynamics, including (ITT, TRQ, Ng, FF, FP), hot starts, residual heat, exhaust back pressure, P2.5 HP & LP valve simulation, and fuel-oil heat exchanger.
- NEW – Turbine engine failures, such as compressor stall and surging, fuel control failure, fuel filter clogs, propeller governors and fire detection system.
- NEW – FOD damage based on surface type. Use the inertial separator to avoid engine damage. Tablet interface displays the type and intensity of FOD.
- NEW – Physics-driven propeller governor and feathering simulation and beta range from the Black Square Duke & Starship.
- NEW – KLN-90B vintage GPS.
- IMPROVED – KNS-80 RNAV now supports autopilot coupling with No-GPS configuration.
- NEW – Gyroscope physics simulation for electric and pneumatic gyroscopes with precession and partial failures, based on a coupled quadrature oscillator.
- NEW – Magnetic compass effects, including fields from onboard circuits.
- NEW – Functional exterior elements (interactive in MSFS 2024) and control locks: chocks, pitot covers, engine covers, rudder lock and ground power cart. Pitot flags blow in the wind.
- NEW – Performance tables reflect fine-tuned aerodynamic and engine cruise performance.
- NEW – Fuel imbalance and inadvertent cross-feeding based on terrain and acceleration.
- NEW – Voltage-based light dimming, an immediately recognisable effect to night-time pilots.
- NEW – Strobe light system causes realistic distracting flashes in clouds.
- Mathematically accurate VOR and ADF signal attenuation and noise degradation.
- Physics based instrument needles bounce and respond to aerodynamic forces.
- Improper engine management will slowly damage engines to failure.
- State saving for fuel, radio selection, radio frequency memory, cabin aesthetics etc.
- Crew/Passenger oxygen depletes according to pressure altitude and passenger occupancy.
- Ultra-custom dynamic registration number system for livery creators.
- CHECKLISTS
- Over 430 checklist items are provided for 42+ Normal, Abnormal and Emergency procedures in textual form in the manual, and in-game, using the MSFS native checklist system with control and instrument highlighting. If it’s in the checklist, it’s settable in the aircraft!
- SOUNDS
- Black Square’s Caravan Professional features a custom sound set, created by Boris Audio Works and recorded from the real aircraft. High quality engine and cockpit sounds will immerse you in the simulation. Sounds such as engine starting are not mere recordings, but are instead many layered sounds, constructed based on the underlying simulation.
- FLIGHT DYNAMICS
- The Caravan Professional features a flight model with performance to match the real-world aircraft, based on real Caravan pilot feedback and in-flight data. Engine and aerodynamic performance should be within 2% of POH values, though no two engines are ever the same. The flight model uses the most up-to-date features available in MSFS 2020 & 2024, such as the new voxel CFD aerodynamics, CFD propeller, adverse yaw and stall parameters, and flexible tyre physics. Engine damage produces a rough-running engine and decreased performance.
- PAINT SCHEMES
- The Black Square Caravan Professional comes with twelve paint schemes across all variants and also with five interior upholstery packages. This product makes use of Black Square’s highly customisable dynamic tail number system, which can be configured by livery makers.
Daher Kodiak 100 Improvements for MSFS 2024 Revealed
SimWorks Studios released details on what we can expect from the improvements of the Daher Kodiak 100 for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 over the MSFS 2020 version.
We also hear that we’re in the “very final days of development,” and a release date will be announced soon.
VISUAL & IMMERSION ENHANCEMENTS
- The MSFS 2024 Kodiak adds several platform-native features, including:
- Native FS2024 passengers in the cabin
- Variant-based cargo and baggage configurations
- Dynamic dirt effects (dust, mud, bugs, water splats)
- A fully remodelled cargo pod with visible baggage
- Full walkaround capability, including accessible cargo pod & engine bay
- A working external power receptacle that can receive a portable external battery
- Additional interior and exterior modelling refinements
- An integrated FS2024 EFB that can be mounted on the pilot’s yoke or stowed via the leg pouch, providing direct access to checklists, charts, flight planning, and weight and balance from within the cockpit
- Career Mode compatibility (Marketplace version)
SYSTEMS – SIGNIFICANTLY REWORKED
- Beyond visuals, the MSFS 2024 version features a major systems rewrite:
- Smart AutoStart: the engine can now be started using CTRL+E without risking damage. The system monitors ITT during start and will automatically motor the engine to cool it if needed. In case of a hot start or fire, it transitions into shutdown mode.
- Smart AutoStop: shortcut shutdowns now adapt depending on whether it’s a normal or emergency situation.
- Expanded G1000 suite with the full set of screens and options found in the real Kodiak 100.
- Rewritten electrical system with improved load handling and previously inactive circuit breakers now functional.
- Reworked Environmental Control System.
- Improved lighting states for more accurate day and night starts.
Santiago Mariño Caribbean International Airport Released for MSFS 2020
Fssdesigner released Santiago Mariño Caribbean International Airport (SVMG) for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020.
It’s available on Simmarket for $26.56, and you can see what it looks like in the gallery above.
Newark Liberty International Airport for X-Plane 12 Released
Drzewiecki Design released Newark Liberty International Airport for X-Plane 12. It can be purchased on Orbx Direct and X-Plane.org, starting at $23.94.
It includes the following features.
- High-quality rendition of KEWR Newark Liberty International Airport for X-Plane 12, featuring the latest airport layout with extensive detail across the entire airfield.
- Optimized for performance, with X-Plane 12 native materials, full PBR texturing, advanced night lighting, and weather-responsive surface effects.
- Detailed terminal interiors in selected areas, fully modeled control towers, maintenance facilities, and hangars, all designed with performance efficiency in mind.
- Accurate runway and taxiway lighting systems, including ALSF approach lighting, PAPIs, REILs, stop bars, and high-intensity edge lighting.
- Fully animated jetways using SAM, custom Visual Docking Guidance Systems (VGDS), animated marshallers, and custom animated ground service vehicles.
- Custom ground textures featuring realistic surface wear, rubber deposits, high-resolution apron markings, and up-to-date taxiway geometry and signage.
- Optional static aircraft placement optimized for performance.
If you’d like to read more flight simulation news, you can find plenty in our previous roundup article from yesterday.
If you want to go further back, we have a handy overview video of the major flight simulation news in the past week. You can watch it below. As usual, leaving a like and a comment and subscribing to our growing YouTube channel is extremely helpful.
