JustFlight have gifted their followers a Christmas treat in the form of multiple development updates for some of their upcoming projects across Microsoft Flight Simulator and XPlane-11/12.
The post starts by thanking the community for all of their support this year. It has been a busy year for Just Flight, having released multiple aircraft across several different platforms, most recently the lauded Avro Vulcan for Microsoft Flight Simulator.
The team do concede that they have spent more time this year on updating and improving their recent MSFS addons than anticipated, but feel that the time investment was worthwhile as the userbase get what they’re anticipating. However, this has necessarily lead to less time being spent on the exciting new projects we’re all looking forward to seeing.
The team say that they have a “full schedule” of in-house releases coming for 2024 and enclose the updates below will give us greater insight on the progress that has been made thus far.
Additionally, the team look forward to a number of new aircraft from the studio’s partners. Mentioned in the post explicitly are the upcoming Black Square Piston Duke and Turbine Duke, which are nearing completion at the time of writing. Perhaps the most anticipated partner release however is the Bluebird Simulations 757-200/300, and Just Flight tell us the developers on that project are “incredibly busy”.
Finally, before launching into the specific updates, the team re-affirm their commitment to bringing their product line into the upcoming Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, and look forward to learning how they “can take full advantage of any new features MSFS 2024 has to offer once we have access to this new simulator”.
A300B4 Professional (MSFS)
Readers with long memories will remember that the A300B4 Professional was originally announced shortly before FSExpo 2023. Since then, the artist team have been busy with the “mammoth” task of building the textures and model for the flight deck and plane exterior. The team speak proudly of the level of detail they have been able to achieve here, and to be honest the screenshots really do speak for themselves.
The majority of the fuselage modelling is now done, with the nose section having gone through a rework to add in additional details. Brand new models are also coming for flap track mechanisms and the CF6 and JT9D engine options which will ship with the product at launch.
Additionally, the team say they have made “excellent” progress with systems coding. The electrical, air bleed, air conditioning and pressurisation, APU and fuel systems are all complete and the team now have their sights set on the hydraulics of the retro widebody.
Tornado GR1 (MSFS)
This upcoming military jet for the simulator is being developed by the same in-house team at Just Flight who developed the Avro Vulcan addon. The team apparently have an equal passion for the Tornado, so we can expect Just Flight’s next military aircraft to be equally as special!
Since the last time we heard about this project, significant improvements have been made to the model and textures. We now see the plane with newly remodelled cockpit sections and exterior modelling enhancements. Textures on the interior and exterior have also been upscaled from 4k to 8k for the maximum possible fidelity.
Next on the development team’s radar is transferring the code from the P3D version of the Tornado over into MSFS, and making improvements to the accuracy of this code as well as adding new features available for developers in MSFS to make sure the virtual replica of the warbird performs as accurately as possible to the real deal.
24 paint schemes are confirmed to be included, including several RAF GR1 squadron colours as well as German, Italian, and Saudi IDS squadrons.
PA-38 Tomahawk (MSFS)
Development on the Tomahawk has admittedly been slow. Just Flight say that it stalled over the past year, but now is the centre of the team’s attention and the plane will be the next GA aircraft release.
The in-house team is currently upgrading interior and exterior modelling and textures to bring the addon into line with the high standard that Just Flight hold themselves to. Code systems coding is now most of the way there, and an EFB is being integrated which will contain a number of improvements and new features over previous versions we have seen in other Just Flight aircraft.
We get a first-look in this update at the avionics stack which will come with the plane. This includes a GMA340 audio panel, SL30 and SL40 NAV/COM receivers and a GTX328 transponder. All of these avionics are now completely functional in the addon and function true to their real world counterparts.
GPS options will also be made available to the end user, although this will be something which can be toggled through the EFB. Other options for customisation and quality-of-life additions will be made available through the EFB.
RJ Professional (MSFS)
In this post, the Just Flight team confirm that the RJ Pro is set to be the company’s next airliner release. A dedicated team of coders is now said to be making “significant progress” on the airplane.
Many of the systems, including air conditioning, fuel and hydraulics are already completed. Work continues at present on the ADC system and integrating these computers with the various autopilot modes.
Although this work is impossible to convey in text and thus invisible, we do get treated in this post to a look at the modelled cabin. It features a high-density 3-3 layout for all RJ operators, which according to Just Flight was the standard config for the majority of RJ operators. Animated doors which you can open and close from the forward galley, retractable airstairs, cabin lights and chimes are all present in the product. A paint kit will also be included for creators which enables the customisation of colours within the cabin so that we can match this with specific operators.
F70/100 (MSFS)
The last update to the F70/100’s progress focussed mostly on the exterior and cabin modelling. This time around, we get a better look at the cockpit. Just Flight say they have sourced reference images from a real in-service aircraft to rework the entire cockpit with brand new high resolution textures all around. Just Flight even go as far as to say that the plane will feature an “unprecedented” level of detail. A lot of time has been put into getting the colours just right here, to give the end user the most authentic feeling of this retro aircraft.
Dozens of switches and knobs have had their textures and models improved, and additional detailing has been added as well to the CRT screens to give them their distinctive curved appearance. Work continues on the crucial systems that make this aircraft unique, and this update doesn’t contain much on that front, suggesting that a release may well still be some way off.
146 Professional (MSFS) Update
Taking advantage of the new high-detail cabin that has been developed for the RJ professional, Just Flight announce here that they plan to update the 146 Professional to include this plushy new interior. The all new UNS-1 FMS is also now in the later stages of beta testing, and more information will be provided closer to release.
Duchess Model 76 and X-Plane 12 Aircraft Updates
The update is finally rounded out with Just Flight saying that they are working with Thranda Design team to upgrade their X-Plane 11 fleet to the new X-Plane 12 standard.
The first aircraft in line to benefit from this is the Duchess Model 76. The upgrade will add 8k textures to the interior and exterior of the twin-piston general aviation aircraft, as well as PBR materials and real-time reflections, as well as numerous new custom animations for actions such as passenger doors, which will now respond to air resistance and G-forces while they are opened.
The EFB which is present in Just Flight’s MSFS offerings will also be making it’s way over to the Duchess, with an all-new “Dynamic livery” feature which will allow the user to customise the colour scheme of their livery in real time, without needing to re-load the flight.
The screenshots here are comparatively low-res, but still give you a flavour of what the Just Flight team have been up to.
FSElite will keep you abreast of future updates and product launches from Just Flight in the near future!
