Flight Simulation developers shared news today, including aircraft and airports for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 and MSFS 2020.
You can check out the news below.
Gates Learjet 25 Released for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and MSFS 2024
Xtreme Prototypes released a Gates Learjet 25, built natively for MSFS 2020 and compatible with MSFS 2024. It’s available on the developer’s own store for $49.95.
You can read the extensive list of features below.
General Features
14 aircraft variations inspired by actual and fictitious models and liveries:
- (USA Demo) White, Black, Gray and Red (fictitious tail number N25XP)
- (AUS) Gray, White and Black (fictitious tail number VH-KVXP)
- (BRA) Green, Yellow and Blue (fictitious tail number PR-KBHXP)
- (CAN) White, Turquoise and Red (fictitious tail number C-KJVXP)
- (CHL) Blue, Gray and Yellow (fictitious tail number CC-KFGXP)
- (DEU) White, Gray and Turquoise (fictitious tail number D-GFXP)
- (FRA) White, Blue, Red and Gray (fictitious tail number F-QAXP)
- (GBR) White, Blue and Red (fictitious tail number G-AGXP)
- (MEX) White, Brown and Black (fictitious tail number XA-KZXP)
- (NASA Research) White and Blue (fictitious tail number N617XP)
- (USA) Black, Orange and White (fictitious tail number N384XP)
- (USA Charter) Red, White and Blue (fictitious tail number N256XP)
- (USA) Red, White, Blue and Gold (fictitious tail number N958XP)
- (US Army) Green Camo (fictitious tail number 68076XP)
Flight Model Features
Optimized 20 Series flight dynamics to simulate the performance of a high-powered civilian jet aircraft, within the present limitations and capabilities of the available simulation platforms:
- Two General Electric CJ610-8A single-spool turbojet engines (2,950-pound static thrust at sea level)
- Service ceiling: 45,000 ft.
- Absolute ceiling: 51,000 ft.
- Maximum speed: 359 KIAS
- Maximum Mach: Mach 0.82 (at 24,000 ft.)
20 Series Aircraft Systems
The following Learjet 20 Series aircraft systems are simulated to conform as closely as possible to the operation of the real airplane, within the present limitations and capabilities of the available simulation platforms:
- Flight controls
- Stall/overspeed warning systems with stick nudger/puller and stick shaker
- Electrical system (can be connected to a GPU available in the simulator)
- Cockpit and cabin lighting systems with independent controls and dimmers, including emergency lighting
- Emergency batteries
- Hydraulic system (including an electric auxiliary hydraulic pump)
- Landing gear, anti-skid system, differential brakes
- Fuel system (including cross-feeding, and wingtip tanks fuel jettison system)
- CJ610-8A power plant
- Fire detection and suppression system
- Pneumatic (high pressure), bleed air, pressurization, and environmental control systems
- Air conditioning and cabin temperature (H-valve) system
- Anti-ice system (simulated within the limitations of the of the available simulation platforms), with ice effects on the windshield, windows, and exterior aircraft surfaces
- Automatic flight control system (AFCS) with autopilot, flight director, dual yaw damper, and speed hold mode (the Lear J.E.T. autopilot is retrofitted to be fully functional in GPS/GNS mode and compatible with the default autopilot available in the simulator)
- RVSM system, complete with digital altimeters/altitude preselectors (ADDUs) with blue VFD display, analog standby altimeter, and control panel
- Caution and warning system (annunciator panel)
- Avionics, radios, and classic navigation systems: COM1, COM2, NAV1, NAV2, ADF1, ADF2, transponder, DME, marker beacons
- Generic GNS 530 navigation system (see “Aircraft Interior 3D Model Features”, below)
- Generic weather radar 3D model (see “Aircraft Interior 3D Model Features”, below)
- Custom ground proximity warning system (GPWS) with aural alerts
- Emergency gear extension system
- Passenger and crew oxygen system
- Main entry door (fully animated)
Aircraft Exterior Model Features
Fully animated exterior 3D model, inspired by the real Gates Learjet Model 25D aircraft (optimized for MSFS):
- 7 levels of details (LODs) to improve performance in multiplayer and AI modes
- 4096 x 4096 high resolution PBR textures
- High resolution decals and markings
- Unique livery for each aircraft variation (14 liveries in total)
- Movable aerodynamic control surfaces:
- Horizontal stabilizer (moving tail)
- Elevator
- Ailerons with trim and balance tabs
- Flaps
- Vertical stabilizer/rudder with trim tab
- Spoilers
- Fully animated landing gear, complete with flexible hoses, landing and taxi lights, anti-skid system, snubbers, and more
- Fully animated main (passenger and crew) door lower and upper sections
- Detailed CJ610-8A power plant with animated (compressor and turbine) blades and inlet guide vanes
- Fully animated and highly detailed thrust reverser on both engines
- Dynamic lights with real projected light beams:
- Independent left/right 2-intensity landing and taxi lights
- Animated rotating beacon lights (belly, tail)
- Right wing inspection light
- Recognition lights (optional on the left wingtip tank)
- Navigation lights (wing, tail)
- Strobe lights (wing, tail)
- Animated stall vanes on the nose
- Optional nose boom with animated vanes
- Three user-selectable pilots (with headset and optional sunglasses)
- “Remove before flight” (parking) items
Aircraft Interior Model Features
Fully animated interior 3D model of the classic retrofitted GNS 530 cockpit and cabin (optimized for MSFS):
- 8 levels of details (LODs) to improve performance in multiplayer and AI modes
- High resolution virtual cockpit with retrofitted instrument panels
- Full-3D animated “steam” gauges, switches, knobs, levers, light indicators, and flight instruments with localized tooltips in both English and French
- New radios with yellow digital VFD front displays and standby frequencies to replace the original sets with analog displays from the 1960s: COM1, COM2, NAV1, NAV2, ADF1, ADF2, ATC/XPDR
- Fully animated 3D model of a generic GNS 530 navigation system, pre-programmed for the basic GNS 530 that comes with MSFS. Screen, light, buttons and knobs can be programmed to work with most existing and future third-party navigation systems*. Experimentation may be required.
- Fully animated 3D model of a generic weather radar. Dummy radar screen included. Screen, light, buttons and knobs can be programmed to work with most existing and future third-party radars*. Experimentation may be required.
*: Optional third-party GPS/GNS navigation systems and radars are not included and must be purchased separately. - Highly detailed instrument panels:
- Captain’s panel
- Center panel
- Copilot’s panel
- Annunciator panel
- Thrust reverser control panel
- Center pedestal
- 4096 x 4096 high resolution PBR textures
- Advanced cockpit lighting system:
- Dimmable cockpit/cabin ceiling lights (0-100 % brightness)
- Dimmable map lights (captain’s, copilot’s, controlled independently, 0-100 % brightness)
- Dimmable glareshield yellow flood lights (captain’s side, copilot’s side, controlled independently, 0-100 % brightness)
- Dimmable backlit panels (0-100 % brightness)
- Dimmable annunciators and other panel lights (0-100 % brightness)
- Dimmable landing gear status lights (0-100 % brightness)
- Dimmable instrument lights and post lights with independent controls for captain/center/copilot instrument panels (0-100 % brightness)
- Cockpit/cabin emergency lighting
- Cabin lighting system (ceiling lights, signs, entry lights, refrigerator blue light, passenger reading lights with individual switches)
Note: Cockpit and cabin environment lights, panel instrument lights, panel post lights and flood lights are true dynamic lights, like in the real world.
- Animated control columns and yokes (hidable, user-selectable), with functional autopilot remote buttons
- Stick nudger/puller and stick shaker with animation and sound
- Animated rudder pedals with differential brakes
- RVSM system, complete with digital altimeters/altitude preselectors (ADDUs) with blue VFD display, analog standby altimeter, and control panel
- Automatic flight control system (AFCS) with autopilot, flight director, yaw damper and speed hold mode
- NAV1 or GPS/GNS navigation modes
- DME head
- Custom ground proximity warning system (GPWS) with aural alerts
- Lear engine sync spinner
- Analog and digital clocks with stopwatch
- Lear Jet Stereo “Jetstar 8” 8-track tape player that plays selected music tracks (a tribute to the inventive genius of Bill Lear)
- Oxygen valves and fan control knob
- Pilot seats with adjustable/retractable armrests
- Optional sheepskin pilot seat covers
- Animated sun visors (foldable, slidable)
- Hidable throttle quadrant
- Thrust reverser subthrottles
- Black leather interior with dark honey beech wood cabinets
- Fully modeled passenger seats, cabin tables with props, cabin toilet, front and rear cabin curtains
- Cabin refrigerator with light, animated door and props
- Cabin TV
Dynamic Lights and Visual Effects
- Cockpit/cabin lights*: panel yellow flood lights, ceiling lights, map lights, instrument lights, panel post lights, passenger reading lights, entry lights, refrigerator light, bounce and ambient lights
*: Cockpit instruments and all interior objects are illuminated with real dynamic lights, like in the real world. - Aircraft lights, some animated: landing, taxi, recognition, navigation, strobes, rotating beacon, wing inspection
- Engine smoke effect
- Engine exhaust heat effect
- Engine contrail effect
- Fuel jettison effect
- Wing vortices and vapor trails
- Windshield and windows rain effect
- Windshield, windows and structural ice effects
Sound Effects
- Genuine interactive sound package entirely authored in Audiokinetic Wwise (soundbank)
- 20 Series 3D sound set, including starter and engine sounds recorded from the real aircraft and positioned in the 3D space
- Over 80 additional cockpit stereo sound effects, many from the real aircraft: switches, knobs and levers, pneumatic valves, blower fan, alerts and horns, Learjet unique brake sounds, nose wheel steering sound, cabin door, music for the tape player
- More than 100 sounds in total
Miscellaneous
- Easy MSFS method of installation (“Community Folder”)
- 8 basic cockpit presets (*.flt) for the different phases of the flight, including “Cold and Dark” (hangar and parking/apron) and “Auto Start” (taxi, runway, climb, cruise, approach, final)
- 24 interior camera views
- 14 exterior camera views
- A 300-page flight manual available in English or French (printable PDF format, requires Adobe Reader)
- Advanced MSFS localized instrument tooltips in English or French
- Customization Kit, including a Paintkit for creating your own aircraft liveries
B-17 Flying Fortress for MSFS 2024 and MSFS 2020 Gets New Trailer and Details
MicroProse released a new trailer showcasing its upcoming Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, which will come for both MSFS 2024 and MSFS 2020.
According to the developer, we can expect “a high-fidelity flight model, hand-crafted 4K PBR textures, authentic sounds recorded from real aircraft, complex electrical systems, realistic crew, and visible wear and tear.”
Albuquerque International Sunport Announced for MSFS 2024 and MSFS 2020
Pacific Islands Simulation announced Albuquerque International Sunport (KABQ) in New Mexico, United States.
While we get a single screenshot, the airport has been in the works for a while, and the developer expects to release it before the end of 2025.
Kota Bharu Sultan Ismail Petra Airport Announced for Microsoft Flight Simulator
Shadescene announced another airport in Malaysia, Sultan Ismail Petra Airport (WMKC) serving Kota Bharu.
We get to see two images, and we learn that the initial release won’t include the current Phase 2 renovation, which is greatly expanding the terminal area and addihg several new gates.
That will be added with an update when the expansion work is completed in the real world.
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.
