Just Flight announces Duchess model 76

  • I'm pretty eagerly awaiting any new information!

    Devons rig

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  • Thanks to everyone that got in touch about beta testing. I wasn't expecting such a great response. We're only looking for a small team so sorry to those of you that weren't selected this time.

    First question about the Duchess : do you plan to release the Duchess with all the liveries lime in P3d ? That would be great, because as a former owner of the aerofly fs1 just flight Duchess, I remember there was only the red/white livery.

    Hi Herve,

    The aircraft will be available with a selection of liveries. Hopefully all of those that are available on the FSX/Prepar3D version, but we'll confirm the exact line up soon.

    Great news. Count me in as a customer. I bet Ray Jetjockey10 was first to email you for testing! FS2's official unofficial test pilot.

    Thanks Spit40. I think that was a bet you would have won :)

    Will there be a more complex engine management than in the default AFS 2 aircraft, like realistic mixture, featured in the Duchess?

    Yep!


    Some new screenshots and expanded specs are over on our in-dev page now.

  • Rich, you got my attention now. Fuel and engine management means that you can run out of fuel with engines failing? The default planes all seem to have unlimited fuel if I'm not mistaken. Does fuel weight influence flight characteristics, take off roll and so on? Does mixture act realistically (change of EGT, need to lean at higher altitudes to get the best performance, effect on fuel consumption)? If all those things work that would make the duchess the first serious GA plane for AFS 2, and even more it would prove that realistic simulation can be achieved by AFS 2,which many people still regard as more of a arcade game than a simulator. With features like this I'd definitely buy the Duchess the day it is released and of course also other GA planes from your catalogue (I loved the piper arrow III and Turbo arrow for P3D)

  • The site has been updated since the last time I checked! Let me copy all info and highlight the interesting parts that weren't there the last time! :) It seems too good to be true...! If this will really all be there in the AFS2 version it will be 1. an absolute must buy and 2. a giant leap forward! This plane alone may transform AFS2 into a real flight sim! Makes you wonder how the heck Just FLight did this... and why none of the default planes have this already.

    Model

    • Accurately modelled Duchess, built using real-world aircraft plans and comprehensive photography of the real aircraft
    • Numerous animations including passenger and baggage doors, storm window, sun visors and engine exhausts
    • HD textures are used to produce the highest possible texture clarity
    • Bump and specular mapping used throughout the aircraft to produce a truly 3D feel
    • Authentic labelling and placards based on those found in the real aircraft


    Cockpit

    • A truly 3D virtual cockpit right down to accurately modelled seat belts and screw heads - every instrument is constructed fully in 3D with smooth animations
    • Authentic RPM gauge needle ‘wobble’
    • Cockpit textures feature wear and tear based on reference photos taken in the real aircraft to produce an authentic environment
    • Aircraft configuration system that will allow you to choose between 'cold & dark' or 'ready for take-off'
    • Fully functional and comprehensive IFR-capable avionics fit including:
      - KX 165 COM/NAV 2 radio
      - KR 87 ADF receiver
      - KT 76A transponder unit
      - Century IV autopilot
      - HSI and ADF gauges
      - KDI DME indicator with HOLD functionality

    Custom-coded aircraft systems

    Engine management
    Electrical system (battery, alternators, functional circuit breakers)
    Fuel system (fuel pumps, selectors, crossfeed)
    Hydraulic/landing gear system (including emergency extension)
    Century IV autopilot
    Environmental (cabin heating/ventilation controls)

  • J van E,

    That is indeed an impressive list of red highlights posted at the JF site today. Some of them are surprising while the ones that did not make this initial list may be even more important to the immersion level of this first 3rd party payware aircraft. I'm not in to making lists without more information that we don't have today, but, I am quite surprised nothing has been mentioned about using popup windows or click (hot) spots for options and selections.

    We all know it is very early in the process so we probably should all back off a bit and read what they would like us know when they would like us to know it. I do know it is going to be difficult to move from say the X-Plane version or even the older FSX/P3D version to AFS2 and not have selection windows and checklists, and such.

    There may be a way around it that I haven't thought of for I really haven't given it much thought. But, even without thinking outside the box, I would think the design team could figure out how to make a popup box inside the aircraft or add the necessary click spots to enable certain features or functions.

    We already have a popup Map window. That should give up some hope that maybe we can have more than one popup. We also have that info box all the way across the top of the screen with active info updated continuously and those cute little icons on the lower right. All this has an off and on with a keystroke so what's the big challenge here?

    Food for thought.

    Regards,

    Ray

    How do they add fuel system to this aircraft since there’s no fuel and payload system in the sim?

    Everything can't be completed in the first two days. Time will tell. I was actually wondering about your call sign. Has anyone mentioned weight and balance? :huh:

    Regards,

    Ray

  • I was also wondering if they implement all those features within the Aerofly core engine or with an external . dll. In FSX / P3D things like mixture control, helicopter physics or turboprop engine simulation are completely unrealistic, but developers like A2A, Dodosim or Majestic use their own external programs to calculate the values and then inject the results into the simulator. Maybe something like this is possible in Aerofly, too?

  • Everything can't be completed in the first two days. Time will tell. I was actually wondering about your call sign. Has anyone mentioned weight and balance? :huh:

    Hi Ray,

    Fuel and weight should come as one because they interact with each other closely. An isolated fuel system will be nothing but some diminishing numbers and will be pointless. I’m sure that’s not the way how IPACS build a new feature.

    By the way I was not complaining about the missing of fuel and payload system in aerofly, just curious about how are they gonna to solve this problem without base in the Simulator.

  • I was also wondering if they implement all those features within the Aerofly core engine or with an external . dll. In FSX / P3D things like mixture control, helicopter physics or turboprop engine simulation are completely unrealistic, but developers like A2A, Dodosim or Majestic use their own external programs to calculate the values and then inject the results into the simulator. Maybe something like this is possible in Aerofly, too?

    Maybe FS2 is a better sim, and this is not needed. There is a good chance that they're getting direct support from the IPACS team.

  • Maybe FS2 is a better sim, and this is not needed. There is a good chance that they're getting direct support from the IPACS team.

    I hope so, but if it is possible to do all this in the core Sim why does none of the default planes have those features? I sometimes think it would have been better to release Aerofly 2 with fewer default aircraft but more complex ones. I also don't understand why a civilian flight Simulator needs two fighter jets and two historic military aircraft as default aircraft. Don't get me wrong I absolutely love Aerofly but some things could have been approached differently IMHO.

  • We already have a popup Map window. That should give up some hope that maybe we can have more than one popup. We also have that info box all the way across the top of the screen with active info updated continuously and those cute little icons on the lower right. All this has an off and on with a keystroke so what's the big challenge here?

    Haha, it's really funny how we all have our personal preferences. :) If there is one thing I hate in flightsims it's popup windows! ^^ The only thing I am missing in the posted list are remarks about sound! I hope Just Flight can bring us the very first stereo sounds in the cockpit! But popups and windows... no, thanks. That awful info box on top of the screen was the first thing I disabled after buying AFS2... But of course it would be nice if this plane would come with windows and what not for those who love using them! ;)


    I was also wondering if they implement all those features within the Aerofly core engine or with an external . dll. In FSX / P3D things like mixture control, helicopter physics or turboprop engine simulation are completely unrealistic, but developers like A2A, Dodosim or Majestic use their own external programs to calculate the values and then inject the results into the simulator. Maybe something like this is possible in Aerofly, too?

    I am hoping for something like that... We'll have to wait and see.


    I hope so, but if it is possible to do all this in the core Sim why does none of the default planes have those features? I sometimes think it would have been better to release Aerofly 2 with fewer default aircraft but more complex ones. I also don't understand why a civilian flight Simulator needs two fighter jets and two historic military aircraft as default aircraft. Don't get me wrong I absolutely love Aerofly but some things could have been approached differently IMHO.

    For a moment I thought I posted something without knowing it. ;) You took the words right out of my mouth. I only fly 2 of the available aircrafts and also wished IPACS would have perfected just a few airplanes instead of adding a lot of very basis ones. And fighter jets plus military planes in a civil sim have always made me frown... In short: AMEN!

  • Pop - up windows. I agree. I like to feel I'm flying these things for real. However, an iPad in the cockpit that could be moved near or close and showed flight plans or double as a similation configuration tool would work for me.

  • This should be interesting. For the Duchess editions for the other 3 sims JF almost all options and controls, checklists, etc. are heavily dependent on selection windows and checklists. The all get started with a click or a keystroke.

    As far as flying the sim just as real as it gets, I have never had the opportunity to start any real airplane with a mouse. When I was flying, it was just the opposite, the more informed you were the safer you were. Duh.

    Regards,

    Ray

  • I sometimes think it would have been better to release Aerofly 2 with fewer default aircraft but more complex ones. I also don't understand why a civilian flight Simulator needs two fighter jets and two historic military aircraft as default aircraft.

    Marketing. Pure and simple. If it had been released with 3 perfect GA aircraft, the initial appeal would be considerably smaller than with a broader selection in which everybody can see the potential from their own perspective.