Emerald Scenery Design has stepped into the world of aircraft development with the release of its Emerald 1500R Sport for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020/24.
Modelled after its real-world counterpart, the Emerald 1500R Sport is based on the Mini-MAX 1500R Sport, an experimental, amateur-built aircraft originally developed by Team Mini‑Max. The real aircraft is offered as a kit to homebuilders rather than being produced by a large, certified aircraft manufacturer, placing it firmly within the experimental aviation category.
The aircraft is powered by a 40 hp Rotax 447 two-stroke engine, delivering a reported climb rate of around 1,000 feet per minute, a take-off roll of under 100 feet, and a landing roll of approximately 200 feet. These performance characteristics make it well-suited to short-field operations and recreational flying.
In terms of features, the aircraft includes 12 hand-crafted liveries, custom Wwise sound effects, and a simulated two-stroke choke system with optional and persistent flooding behaviour. A breakable propeller system is also included, which can result in engine damage and can be reset using Slew Mode. Additional features include multiplayer smoke, headphone simulation, a toggleable prop spinner, optional tinted glass, chocks, and a pitot cover that will affect airspeed indications if left in place.
You can buy it from Orbx for $22.17 AUD (excluding taxes). You can view the MSFS 2024 version here.
