black square
Black Square Simulations, renowned in the MSFS community for high-quality addons like Real Taxiways and Analog Steam Gauge Overhaul, continues to impress with its dedication to detailed aircraft models. Led by Nick Cyganski, a passionate real-world pilot with roots in Worcester, Massachusetts, the company combines deep aviation knowledge with cutting-edge simulation technology. Their upcoming release, the B60 Duke, promises to further solidify their position as top creators in the Microsoft Flight Simulator ecosystem.
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TBM 850
Black Square’s TBM 850 brings you one of the most technically advanced aircraft simulations for Microsoft Flight Simulator, with nearly 100 possible failures, including new turbine engine failures, hot-swappable radio configurations and the most advanced pressurisation and cabin temperature simulations in MSFS.
Black Square’s new tablet interface lets you configure all options, manage payload, control failures, and monitor engines, electrical schematics and environmental control systems,... Black Square’s TBM 850 brings you one of the most technically advanced aircraft simulations for Microsoft Flight Simulator, with nearly 100 possible failures, including new turbine engine failures, hot-swappable radio configurations and the most advanced pressurisation and cabin temperature simulations in MSFS.
Black Square’s new tablet interface lets you configure all options, manage payload, control failures, and monitor engines, electrical schematics and environmental control systems, all from within the simulator. The failure system allows for persistent wear, MTBF and scheduled failures for nearly every component in the aircraft, many with multiple different failure modes. Experience real-world failures from popular YouTube videos, including generator failure, propeller governor failure, fuel control failure and compressor surging.
The 3D gauges are modelled and coded to meticulously match their real-world counterparts, with reference to real-world manuals. No piece of equipment appears in a Black Square aircraft without a real-world unit as reference.
Radio navigation systems are available from several eras of the aircraft’s history, so users can fly without GPS via a Bendix KNS-80 RNAV system or with the convenience of a Garmin GTN 750 (PMS50 or TDS). Other radio equipment includes EFS 40 EADI & EHSI, KX-155 NAV/COM radios, dual GNS 530, KR 87 ADF, KDI 572 DME, GTX 327 Transponder, and a Bendix RDR1150XL Weather Radar.
A 100+ page manual provides instruction on all equipment and 55 in-game checklists with control/instrument highlighting are included for normal and emergency procedures.
Primarily analogue instrumentation augmented with modern radio navigation equipment is still the most common aircraft panel configuration in the world. Challenge your piloting skills by flying IFR to minimums with a fully analogue panel and no GPS. You’ll be amazed at the level of skill and proficiency you can achieve to conquer such adversity and how it will translate to all your other flying. You also may find the analogue instrumentation much easier to read with the limited number of pixels available on a computer monitor, and even more so in VR.
For more information on this product’s capabilities and a list of all included avionics and equipment, see the Detailed Description below and the extensive PDF operating manual.
FEATURES OVERVIEW
Systems
This Black Square aircraft will challenge you with unapologetically realistic systems such as…
- Tablet Interface for configuring options, payload settings, failure management and real-time visualisers for engines, electrical schematics and environmental systems.
- Improved turbine dynamics (ITT, TRQ, Ng, Fuel Flow, Inertial Separator) and hot starts, with the unique '850 Mode' torque limiter, and new beta range implementation.
- Turbine engine failures, such as compressor stall and surging, and fuel control failures. Engine limit excursions that decrease engine health and will eventually lead to failure.
- Gyroscope physics simulation for electric and pneumatic gyroscopes with precession, partial failures, based on a coupled quadrature oscillator
- Turbine bleed air-driven pressurisation system and cabin climate system
- Completely intractable electrical system with 15 buses and 85+ circuits
- EFS 40 EADI & EHSI Electronic Flight Instrumentation System and Engine Trend Monitor
- State saving for fuel, radio selection, radio frequency memory, cabin aesthetics etc.
- 95+ system failures, set via in-cockpit interface. Either random, based on settable MTBF, or schedulable with optional time acceleration.
- Cabin environmental control system for heating, air conditioning, ventilation, ram air cooling. Cool things off by opening a door or watch the aircraft heat up in the sun.
- Crew/Passenger oxygen system that depletes according to pressure altitude, passenger occupancy and their weight
- Mathematically accurate VOR and ADF signal attenuation and noise, and remote compass
- FOD ingestion damage demands use of inertial separators and ice protection systems
Checklists
Over 600 checklist items are provided for 55 Normal, Abnormal, and Emergency procedures in textual form in the manual, and in-game, using the MSFS native checklist system with control and instrument highlighting. If it’s in the checklist, it’s settable in the aircraft!
Sounds
Black Square’s TBM 850 features a highly customised version of the MSFS-native (Wwise) 3D TBM 930 sound package, with many new handmade sounds added for warnings, environmental control systems, electronics and more. The default sounds have been carefully assigned to all interactable cockpit elements for an authentic 3D spatial audio experience and engine sounds have been integrated with Black Square’s turbine engine and propeller simulation.
Model
- Accurately modelled TBM 850 created from hundreds of reference photos and technical documentation with the help of real TBM 850 operators and maintenance technicians
- Engine visual model, opening cabin and passenger doors and baggage compartment
- 100% MSFS native animation code for the smoothest animations and cockpit interactions using either legacy or new cockpit interaction modes
- PBR (Physically Based Rendering) materials with real-time environment reflections for superb quality and realism, and vector-graphic-like decal quality
- Detailed normal mapping for leather, fabric, plastic, stitches, scratches, carpet and tooling marks, resulting in a texture resolution of 10,000 pixels per square inch (90. 0kB)
Cockpit
- Faithfully recreated interior and cockpit with Black Square’s hyper-realistic art style
- Custom-coded steam gauges with low-pass filtering, needle bounce and physics provide ultra-realistic and silky smooth animations like you’ve never seen before. New stiction, friction and gyroscopic simulation make analogue instruments more realistic than ever!
- Carefully modelled components match the depth and character of the real instrumentation, based on reference photos, schematics and real-world measurements. Unlike other expensive Flight Sim aircraft, every piece of equipment that appears in a Black Square aircraft is modelled after a real piece of aircraft equipment and will behave the same way in its primary functionality.
- Every knob, switch and button is interactable and implemented, along with its respective electrical circuitry. Turn systems on and off or pull circuit breakers to see the impact it has on your generators and battery via the analogue meters. Alternating current inverters and bus ties are correctly simulated. Many pieces of equipment respond correctly to electrical configurations with warning messages and diagnostic codes.
- Fully 3D cockpit lighting technology for every gauge and panel, with ambient bounce lighting, and all lights dim with battery voltage and load - an immediately recognisable effect for night-time pilots. Strobe lights now cause disorienting light bounce in clouds.
- Experience the rare St. Elmo’s Fire effect while flying through intense thunderstorms!
- 4096x4096 (4K) PBR textures on cockpit and panel for crisp instrumentation. Even see the fingerprints on instrument glass!
- Hideable yokes, adjustable sun visors and other cockpit aesthetics
Flight dynamics
Black Square’s TBM 850 features a flight model with performance to match the real-world aircraft based on real TBM 850 in-flight data. The flight model uses the most up-to-date features available in MSFS, such as CFD propeller and stall physics and improved ground handling.
Takeoff, climb, and cruise performance matches POH values within 2%.
Paint schemes
The Black Square TBM 850 comes with seven paint schemes, including one blank white scheme for livery makers to modify. This product makes use of Black Square’s highly customisable dynamic tail number system, which can also be configured by livery makers. See the 'Custom Dynamic Tail Numbers' section of the operating manual for more information.
There are also two interior schemes that can be incorporated into any livery mod: black, and tan.
INSTRUMENTATION/EQUIPMENT LIST
Main panel
- Master Warning/Caution
- Annunciator Panel
- Airspeed Indicator
- EFIS Control Panel
- Bendix/King EFS 40 EADI
- Bendix/King EFS 40 EHSI
- Honeywell AM-250 Altimeter
- Vertical Speed Indicator
- Bendix/King KI 206 Localizer
- Bendix/King KI 229 Radio Magnetic Indicator (RMI)
- Engine Instrumentation
- Fuel Control Panel
- Duplicate Co-pilot Instrumentation
- Bendix/King KI 525A Horizontal Situation Indicator (HSI)
- Collins ALI-55 Radar Altimeter
Avionics
- Garmin GMA 340 Audio Panel
- Garmin GTN 750 (COM 1 / COM 2)
- Garmin GNS 530/430 (COM 1/ COM 2)
- Bendix/King KX-155B (COM 1/ COM 2)
- Bendix/King KNS-80 RNAV Navigation System
- Bendix/King KR 87 ADF
- Bendix/King KDI 572R DME
- Bendix/King KFC 325 Autopilot (KMC 321 Mode Controller)
- Bendix/King KAS 297B Altitude Selector
- ETM Engine Trend Monitor
- Bendix RDR 1150XL Colour Weather Radar
- Garmin GTX 327 Transponder
Electrical/Miscellaneous
- Voltmeter and Ammeters
- Bendix/King KA 51B Remote Compass Synchroscope
- Gyro Suction Indicator
- Terrain Warning System
- Oxygen Pressure Gauge
- LC-2 Digital Chronometer and Tach Timers
- Davtron Outside Air Temperature Display
Turbine Duke
Black Square’s Turbine Duke brings you one of the most technically advanced aircraft simulations for Microsoft Flight Simulator, with over 130 possible failures including new turbine engine failures, 12 hot-swappable radio configurations and the most advanced pressurisation and cabin temperature simulations in MSFS.
Black Square’s new tablet interface lets you configure all options, manage payload, control failures and monitor engines, electrical schematics and environmental control syst... Black Square’s Turbine Duke brings you one of the most technically advanced aircraft simulations for Microsoft Flight Simulator, with over 130 possible failures including new turbine engine failures, 12 hot-swappable radio configurations and the most advanced pressurisation and cabin temperature simulations in MSFS.
Black Square’s new tablet interface lets you configure all options, manage payload, control failures and monitor engines, electrical schematics and environmental control systems, all from within the simulator. The failure system allows for persistent wear, MTBF and scheduled failures for nearly every component in the aircraft. The Turbine Duke’s electrical system is the most accurate yet for Black Square, featuring a battery temperature monitor, over-voltage protection, over-current protection and AC inverters. The 3D gauges are modelled and coded to meticulously match their real-world counterparts, with reference to real-world manuals. No piece of equipment appears in a Black Square aircraft without a real-world unit as reference.
Radio navigation systems are available from several eras of the Duke’s history, so users can fly without GPS via a Bendix KNS-81 RNAV system or with the convenience of a Garmin GTN 750 (PMS50 or TDS). Other radio equipment includes KX-155 NAV/COM radios, KLN-90B, GTN 650, KR 87 ADF, KDI 572 DME, GTX 327 Transponder, Century IV Autopilot and a Bendix RDR1150XL Weather Radar.
A 160+ page manual provides instruction on all equipment and 56 in-game checklists with control/instrument highlighting are included for normal and emergency procedures. The Turbine Duke conversion incorporates the 'Grand Duke' performance package (winglets, vortex generators, strakes, extra fuel, increased speeds and increased MGTOW).
Three distinctive interiors and six paint schemes are included from three decades of flying.
Primarily analogue instrumentation augmented with modern radio navigation equipment is still the most common aircraft panel configuration in the world. Challenge your piloting skills by flying IFR to minimums with a fully analogue panel and no GPS. You’ll be amazed at the level of skill and proficiency you can achieve to conquer such adversity and how it will translate to all your other flying. You may also find the analogue instrumentation much easier to read with the limited number of pixels available on a computer monitor, and even more so in VR.
For more information on the aircraft's capabilities and a list of all included avionics and equipment, see the Detailed Description below and the extensive PDF Operating Manual.
If you'd like to know the differences between the Turbine Duke and the Piston Duke models, this summary lists all the main features.
SHARED FEATURES
Black Square’s best aircraft yet will challenge you with unapologetically realistic systems such as:
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160-page manual with your complete guide to flying the Black Square Dukes, including systems guide, tutorials, operating limitations, performance tables and electrical schematics.
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NEW TABLET INTERFACE! for configuring options, payload settings, failure management and real-time visualisers for engines, electrical schematics and environmental systems.
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12 hot-swappable radio configurations, configurable via tablet interface. Inc. PMS & TDS.
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130+ random, scheduled or performance-triggered failures, settable via the tablet interface, including engine damage, compatible with third party UIs and instructor stations.
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Fully simulated environmental control and pressurisation system for heating, air conditioning, ventilation and ram air cooling. Cool things off by opening a door or watch the aircraft heat up in the sun. Monitor via the new tablet interface.
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NEW engine preheating required for cold starts, with heater and ground power cart.
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NEW voltage-based light dimming, an immediately recognisable effect to night-time pilots.
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NEW gyroscope physics simulation for electric and pneumatic gyroscopes with precession and partial failures, based on a coupled quadrature oscillator.
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NEW KLN-90B vintage GPS. Download from https://github. com/falcon71/kln90b/releases
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NEW strobe light system causes realistic distracting flashes in clouds.
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NEW St. Elmo’s Fire and static discharge on static wicks and windshields in severe weather.
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NEW KNS-81 RNAV now supports autopilot with No-GPS configuration.
- Mathematically accurate VOR and ADF signal attenuation and noise degradation.
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Physics-based instrument needles bounce and respond to aerodynamic forces.
- Improper engine management will slowly damage engines to failure.
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Completely simulated electrical system, with 100+ circuit breakers and failures.
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Functional exterior elements: chocks, pitot covers, engine covers, propane preheater and external power cart. Pitot cover flags blow in the wind.
- Carbon Monoxide leaks are possible and can be detected with the CO detector.
- State saving for fuel, radio selection, radio frequency memory, cabin aesthetics etc.
- Crew/Passenger oxygen depletes according to pressure altitude, passenger occupancy.
- Ultra-custom dynamic registration number system for livery creators.
TURBINE DUKE SPECIFIC FEATURES
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NEW improved turboprop dynamics, including (ITT, TRQ, Ng, FF, FP), hot starts, residual heat and exhaust back pressure, P2. 5 HP and LP valve simulation, and oil cooler doors.
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NEW turbine engine failures, such as compressor stall and surging, fuel control failure, fuel filter clogs, propeller governors and fire suppression systems.
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NEW FOD damage based on surface type. Use the inertial separators to avoid engine damage. Tablet interface displays type and intensity of FOD.
- NEW turbine engine propeller and feathering physics-driven simulation.
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NEW beta range simulation - an improvement upon the Black Square TBM beta range.
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ETM Engine Trend Monitor. Dual Battery temperature monitor and AC inverter logic.
CHECKLISTS
Over 500 checklist items are provided for 56 Normal, Abnormal and Emergency procedures in textual form in the manual, and in-game, using the MSFS native checklist system with control and instrument highlighting. If it’s in the checklist, it’s settable in the aircraft!
SOUNDS
Black Square’s Duke features a custom sound set created by Boris Audio Works with care to the unique operating aspects of this classic aircraft. High quality engine and cockpit sounds will immerse you in the simulation. Sounds such as engine starting are not mere recordings, but are instead many layered sounds, constructed based on the underlying simulation.
FLIGHT DYNAMICS
The Turbine Duke features a flight model with performance to match the real-world aircraft based on real Duke owner feedback and in-flight data. Engine and aerodynamic performance should be within 2% of POH values, though no two engines are ever the same. The flight model uses the most up-to-date features available in MSFS, such as CFD propeller and stall physics, and SU15 improved ground handling and flexible tyre physics. Engine damage and fouling produces a rough-running engine and decreased performance.
INSTRUMENTATION/EQUIPMENT LIST
Main Panel
- Master Warning/Caution
- Annunciator Panel
- True Airspeed Indicator
- Century 1U367 Steering Attitude Indicator
- Century NSD-360 Horizontal Situation Indicator (HSI)
- Bendix/King KEA-346 Encoding Altimeter
- Collins RMI-30 Radio Magnetic Indicator (RMI)
- Vertical Speed Indicator
- Bendix/King KI 206 Localizer
- Mid-Continent Turn Coordinator
- Bendix/King KRA-10 Radar Altimeter
- Digital Engine Instrumentation
- Digital Fuel Quantity Indicators
- Bendix/King KI-227 ADF Indicator
- BTI-600 Dual Battery Temperature Monitor
- Duplicate Co-pilot Instrumentation
Avionics
- Garmin GMA 340 Audio Panel
- Bendix/King KMA 24 Audio Panel
- Garmin GTN 750/650 (COM1/COM2)
- Bendix/King KLN-90B
- Mid-Continent MD41-328 GPS Annunciator Control Unit
- Bendix/King KX-155B (COM1/COM2)
- Bendix/King KNS-81 RNAV Navigation System
- Bendix/King KR 87 ADF
- Bendix/King KDI 572R DME
- Century IV Autopilot
- Collins PRE-80C Altitude Preselector
- ETM Engine Trend Monitor
- Bendix RDR 1150XL Colour Weather Radar
- Garmin GTX 327 Transponder
Electrical/Miscellaneous
- 80+ Circuit Breakers
- Voltmeter and Ammeters
- Fire Detector and Extinguishers
- Instrument Air Indicator
- De-icing Boot Pressure Indicator
- Oxygen Pressure Gauge
- Yoke-Mounted Digital Chronometers
- Tach Timers
- Carbon Monoxide Detector
- Cabin Pressurisation Controller
- Cabin Environmental Control System
Velocity XL
The Velocity is a family of home-built, high-performance, composite construction, single-engine aircraft. Notably, the Velocity has canard-style airfoils rather than a conventional main wing for lift, and counteracting tail surfaces for control and stability. The most advantageous feature of the canard design is its resistance to deep stalls and spins. On a canard aircraft, the forward wing is designed to stall prior to the main wing, thereby pitching the aircraft down and restoringlift to the m... The Velocity is a family of home-built, high-performance, composite construction, single-engine aircraft. Notably, the Velocity has canard-style airfoils rather than a conventional main wing for lift, and counteracting tail surfaces for control and stability. The most advantageous feature of the canard design is its resistance to deep stalls and spins. On a canard aircraft, the forward wing is designed to stall prior to the main wing, thereby pitching the aircraft down and restoringlift to the main wing. Nearly 1,000 proud Velocity owners have assembled and fabricated parts to complete the aircraft of their dreams in a process that takes around 2,000 hours of work. The builder is rewarded with one of the highest performance piston singles on the market, and an aircraft that meets their exact specifications. The original Velocity was designed by Danny Maher, and debuted at the 1986 Sun-N-Fun Aerospace Expo in Lakeland, Florida, USA. The modern Velocity models are the result of several redesigns by the current owners, Scott and Duane Swing. Black Square's Velocity XL is modelled after a top-end Velocity build, with an upgraded 400HP Continental TSIO-550 fitted with dual turbochargers, giving the aircraft a critical altitude of 24,000 feet and ground speeds of over 400 MPH. With a range of over 1,600 miles and single-engine efficiency, the Velocity is a real contender when compared with small turboprop business aircraft that operate at 5-10 times the cost. Model
Accurately modelled Velocity TXL-RG, inside and out, created from hundreds of reference photos from Velocity aircraft builders
100% MSFS native animation code for the smoothest animations and cockpit interactions using either legacy or new cockpit interaction modes
4096x4096 (4K) textures are used to produce the highest possible texture clarity
PBR (Physically Based Rendering) materials with real-time environment reflections for superb quality and realism
Detailed normal mapping for leather, fabric, plastic, stitches, scratches, carpet, tooling marks, and even embroidered logos, resulting in a texture resolution of 10,000 pixels per square inch (90. 0kB)
Extensive use of new MSFS decal system for nearly vector-graphic quality of labels, arrows and exterior detail features
Ground services support (marshaller and fuel truck)
Full support for MSFS visual icing effects
Cockpit
Fully featured IFR-capable panel with dual G3X Touch (Working Title G3X freeware mod recommended), GTN 750 (requires freeware PMS-50 GTN 750 mod), and GFC500 autopilot controller, all with cross-fill, and synchronised autopilot controls
Every knob, switch and button is interactable and implemented, along with its respective electrical circuit
Lighted standby instruments for worst case scenario failures
Hideable side-sticks
Placarded reference speeds for easy reference while learning the aircraft
Developed using the latest MSFS standards, including intuitive and easy-to-use controls for rotary knobs, multi-position switches and levers
SystemsExperience the power of one of the world’s fastest, highest flying, piston-driven light aircraft. From the beginning, Black Square’s Velocity XL was designed to deliver the raw excitement of operating a home-built, four-seat aircraft in the flight levels, travelling at over half the speed of sound. Enjoy features such as:
Twin, turbo-normalised engine with exhaust vibration and tailpipes that glow accurately with turbine inlet temperature
Fully realised electrical system with every circuit breaker functioning
Challenging push-prop engine temperature management monitored via custom G3X engine instrumentation
Unique 'two green' retractable landing gear system, fully implemented gear warning and electric hydraulic system, with back-up gear release valve logic
Hear the ambient noise difference the inflatable door seal system makes to the comfort of your cruise, with door ajar warning
Dimmable interior lighting with backlit panels, standby instrument lighting, glareshield glow, and cozy cabin dome lighting
Unusual fuel management system with combining header tank logic
Working ELT and Hobbs meter to track your flying hours
SoundsThe Velocity XL features a MSFS-native (Wwise) 3D sound package taking full advantage of the new capabilities. Based on the default MSFS Extra 330, the Velocity XL’s sound set includes added sounds and custom code to create a fully featured soundscape inside and out to give the feel of the real aircraft’s power and construction.
Rich audio for every switch, button, lever and electrical system
Detailed physics-based effects on engine and wind noise
Accurately positioned 3D sound sources (best enjoyed in VR!)
Crash and scraping effects for composite airframe
Authentic retractable gear sounds and whistle
Flight dynamicsThe Velocity XL features realistic and accurate flight dynamics, designed to work with MSFS’s new aerodynamics simulation. The aerodynamics take advantage of new canard aerodynamics options that have only recently become available in MSFS. Users can expect the docile stall and spin-resistant characteristics of real canard aircraft with this add-on. LiveriesThe Velocity XL comes with six paint schemes based on real-world aircraft:
N285VL (USA)
N467AK (USA)
N516K (USA)
N750C (USA)
N7075J (USA)
G-IRTI (UK)
All textures are 4096x4096 (4K) resolution with MSFS native PBR (Physically Based Rendering) properties across nine channels of surface detail information, resulting in a whopping 1,600 pixels (14. 4kB) per square inch on the interior model. A blank (plain white paint scheme) is included for users to easily create their own paint schemes. 'Experimental' placards on the cabin doors, required by real-world laws, can be easily removed in a separate texture if the user prefers that for aesthetics. ManualA comprehensive PDF manual with panel guide and checklists is included as well as an Operating Data Manual with performance data. In-game checklists are also included with control highlighting and custom camera locations.