Canadian developer Xtreme Prototypes has released their Version 3 of their appraised Gates Learjet 25 for FSX and Prepar3D V4.5 and V5. The addon reproduces a Learjet 25D and comes with 23 liveries and custom sounds. Compared to the previous V2.1, the aircraft features an overhauled 3D model and virtual cockpit and takes advantage of the latest technology in 3D modeling such dynamic lighting (P3D only). The aircraft has no PBR however. It is also fully compatible with Virtual Reality headsets. The Learjet 25 is compatible with the RealityXP and Flight1 GNS and GTN GPS units, as well as the REX/Milviz radar, but all these require a separate purchase. The full changelog is available below. For those who are curious, the full 330 pages manual is available for free here. The Xtreme Prototypes Learjet 25D is probably one of the most advanced business jet currently available on the market for FSX and P3D.
Dubbed a “fighter jet with passengers”, the Learjet 25 can carry up to 8 passengers. Its range is close to 2000Nm but varies greatly depending on payload. It is notorious for its extreme climb performance, reaching up to 6 to 7000 ft/min on initial climb. Due to the particular handling, it is considered as a challenging aircraft to fly. The regular operations service ceiling is FL450, but the aircraft can go up to FL510. While production ceased in 1982, many examples still fly today.
The Xtreme Prototypes Learjet 25 is available from the developers website for $59.95. An upgrade price of $39.95 is available for the owner of the v2 and 2.1 only. Customers are eligible to this rebate by buying on the Xtreme Prototypes Store with the same account with which they purchased the previous version.
Version 3 Major Improvements
- Classic Cockpit Configuration – Features a classic analog instrument panel from the 1970’s, similar to the original Learjet 25 panel. A GNS 530 and a weather radar are also installed.
- Retrofitted Cockpit Configuration – New radios with yellow VFD displays have been installed in the main instrument panel to replace the original sets with analog displays from the 1970’s. A GNS 530 and a weather radar are also installed.
- GTN 650/750 Cockpit Configuration – Features modern avionics including GTN 650/750 GPS/NAV/COM/ATC multifunction display systems, a weather radar and new radios with yellow VFD displays. This is how some Learjet 25 still in service today have been retrofitted in recent years.
- Dual GTN 750 Cockpit Configuration – Features modern avionics including two GTN 750 GPS/NAV/COM/ATC multifunction display systems, a weather radar and a new ADF radio with a yellow VFD display. This is how some Learjet 25 still in service today have been retrofitted in recent years.
- 23 aircraft variations, inspired from actual and fictitious models and liveries
- Enhanced materials and textures (P3D only)
- Exterior dynamic lights with projected light beams (P3D only)
- Custom GPU (P3D only)
- Clickable hotspots with tooltips on the exterior model (P3D only)
- Enhanced autopilot/flight director
- All models exported using their respective native SDK
Other Fixes and Improvements
- New “Cold and Dark” cockpit reset cycle and “Auto Start” sequence
- One or two recognition lights (user selectable)
- New pilots on the exterior model (three male, one female, user-selectable), complete with headsets and sunglasses (optional)
- New aircraft sound mix, GPU sound effect added
- Engine sync feature added with synchro rotating disc (spinner) in retrofitted panels
- RVSM system added to the retrofitted panels, complete with digital altimeters/altitude preselectors (ADDUs) with blue VFD display, standby altimeter and control panel
- Revised electrical system
- GPWS installed in retrofitted panels
- New radios with yellow VFD displays installed in the retrofitted panels (COM1, COM2, NAV1, NAV2, ADF1/2, ATC/transponder)
- Cabin curtains behind the cockpit (open or close, switchable)
- New paintkit for users to create their own liveries (requires Adobe® Photoshop® CS5 or later)
- An updated 330-page flight manual
- Improved flight model for better performance during takeoff and climb
- Rudder blocked when electric nose gear steering is engaged
- To-From needles added to both HSIs
- Interior shadow added to the ADIs
- The captain and the copilot now appear by default onboard the aircraft (exterior model only) when the addon is loaded in the simulator
- 8-track player optional in the dual GTN 750 cockpit configuration because of changes to the center pedestal
- The thrust reversers control box lights illumination was modified to conform to the real aircraft
- Alternate frequency on COM1 radio can be incremented in steps of 5 KHz instead of 25 KHz (analog radio in the classic panel configuration only)
- Fire extinguisher arm buttons are now white instead of yellow, like in the real aircraft
- COM/NAV/ATC radios and GPS/GNS/GTN now need DC/Avionics power only to operate, like in the real aircraft
- Radar needs AC – inverters ON – to operate, like in the real aircraft
- Cockpit lights and instruments backlights are no longer connected to the hot battery bus, they need a battery switch to be set to ON to function, like in the real aircraft
- Wingtip tanks now have a 2-degree (nose down) inclination like on later Learjet Model 25 aircraft
- RMI needles point to 90 degrees (E) if set to ADF and ADF radio is set to OFF or ANT
- Landing and taxi lights not properly oriented by default in FSX and too dimmed – fixed, lights are now properly oriented by default
- Landing lights illuminating the cockpit in Prepar3D® – fixed (the Prepar3D® version now uses dynamic spotlights that are oriented properly by default)
- Alternate frequency on COM1 jumps to invalid frequencies – fixed (classic panel configuration only)
- Instrument backlighting and lamp posts too bright – fixed
- Aircraft drops nose when the AP is engaged for the first time – fixed (correct pitch angle is captured automatically when the autopilot is engaged)
- Engines shut down when the fuselage tank switch is set to FILL – fixed
- Directional gyro drifts, S/F switch inverted – fixed (the addon now uses a type 3, electro-magnetic slaved compass gyro by default)
- HSI turning in the wrong direction for a brief moment at the beginning of a turn – fixed
- FD bars and airplane symbol colors in the ADI blend with the background color under certain lighting conditions – fixed
- Flaps indicator moves when there is no hydraulic power – fixed
- Yaw damper CTRL+D keyboard shortcut does not work due to the custom dual yaw damping system of this aircraft – fixed
- Flashing textures when panel (instrument) lights are turned on and off with no DC power – fixed
- Analog altimeter not showing the correct altitude when approaching a new FL due to a rounding error with numbers in the simulator – fixed
- Analog altimeter baro knob tooltip with trailing zeros – fixed
- Beacon lights rotation too fast on fast CPUs – fixed
- Illuminated sections of third-party gauges too dim during the day, dawn and dusk – fixed (additive lighting mode is now used for the illuminated section, can be dimmed on most third-party addons such as GTN and radars)
- Gear alarm goes off while the aircraft is first loaded under certain conditions – fixed
- Digital clock DIM switch issue – fixed
- FD bars and inclinometer ball weird behavior under extreme attitude conditions – fixed
- External light effects not showing at certain angles – fixed
- Engine EPR bugs not working – fixed
