The Microsoft Flight Simulator team has just released the highly-awaited Aircraft & Avionics Update 2, delivering a comprehensive set of improvements that target aircraft avionics, flight models, and more. This update, version 1.33.8.0, addresses several bugs and enhances the simulation’s overall quality, focusing heavily on aircraft updates thanks to the talent of the Working Title team.
Aircraft Updates
The aircraft updates form the centerpiece of this release. The Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner and 747-8 Intercontinental have received significant upgrades, including brand-new highly detailed avionics, updated flight models, comprehensive systems, and more. This includes a comprehensive visual overhaul of avionics for accurate font, symbology, look, operation, and feel. The updates to these aircraft extend to advanced flight plan support, including arcs, radius-to-fix, intercepts, holds, procedure turns, and missed approaches. Notably, both aircraft now feature integrated avionics checklists on the MFD, among other advancements.
The Cessna Citation CJ4/WT21 and Cessna Citation Longitude have also received a series of updates and bug fixes. For instance, in the CJ4/WT21, there has been a fix on the wind indicator direction, and the autopilot/flight director LOC mode deactivation bug has been resolved. As for the Cessna Citation Longitude, a plethora of changes has been implemented, such as fixing thrust reverser animations and improving the autothrottle’s airspeed-tracking behavior.
Further, the Daher TBM 930 has also seen improvements, notably the correction of the minimums alerter when using radio minimums.
General Bug Fixes
The new update introduces general bug fixes aimed at improving the overall gameplay experience. For example, the autopilot/flight director HDG mode has been enhanced for a more realistic simulation, and errors related to turn anticipation calculation around AF/RF legs and backcourse localizers have been fixed. Additionally, some error message boxes have been transformed into notifications to make them less intrusive.
Glass Cockpits
The Garmin G3000/G5000, G1000 Nxi, and GNS430W/GNS530W have all received a series of improvements and bug fixes. This includes fixes for edge cases, improvement on VNAV profiles, and additions like the support for third-party developers to provide global plugins for the NXi.
The KAP140 also received a correction to an issue in the default KAP140 template that caused the 100s’ knob animation to be applied to both the 100s’ knob, and the 1000s’.
The full release notes are available below for your convenience.
Working Title has also provided new PDF manuals for the Boeing 747-8i and 787-10 Dreamliner that will be of great help for simmers to get familiar with the much more complex and capable airplanes. Check them out here.
RELEASE NOTES 1.33.8.0
General Bug Fixes
The autopilot/flight director HDG mode now only reverses turn direction if the selected heading is turned past the airplane’s current heading in the direction of the turn reversal (NXI, G3000, GNS, WT21)
Improved the behavior of turn anticipation calculation around AF/RF legs whose start and end points are slightly offset from the arc (NXI, G3000, GNS, WT21)
Fixed an issue where backcourse localizers are not being flown correctly (NXI, G3000, GNS, WT21)
Some error message boxes have been changed into notifications to make them less intrusive.
Glass Cockpits
Garmin G3000 / G5000
Fixed some edge cases where VPATH was not properly disarmed/deactivated after a change to the VNAV state made it so that there was no path to track
Fixed various cases where the VNAV profile would sometimes display incorrect information near the end of an approach depending on if the missed approach was activated
Fixed a bug where the autopilot/flight director would not deactivate LOC mode during ILS/LOC approaches after the active nav source was switched to FMS
Fixed a bug where certain intersections would not be displayed on the map or the GTC Nearest Intersections page
Fixed a bug where removing the traffic and relative terrain indicators from the navigation map would leave behind an empty but visible container
Fixed a bug where TAWS touchdown callouts were not using nearest runway elevation
Fixed a small inaccuracy in the lateral deviation scale above the PFD HSI Map
The autopilot/flight director HDG mode now only reverses turn direction if the selected heading is turned past 330 degrees away from the airplane’s current heading
Fixed a bug where sometimes re-opening a GTC popup using the Back button would cause elements below it to not be correctly hidden or darkened
Fixed a bug where the VNAV profile was not displaying time to TOD when still in the departure segment even if the airplane has reached cruise altitude and sequenced all climb constraints
Reduced the delay of TAWS touchdown callouts when using radio altitude
G1000 Nxi
Added support for third-party developers to provide global plugins for the NXi
Extended MFD rotary knob menu to allow customization by avionics plugins
Fixed a bug where certain intersections would not be displayed on the map or the Nearest Intersections page
Fixed a bug where the autopilot/flight director would not deactivate LOC mode during ILS/LOC approaches after the active nav source was switched to FMS
Fixed B key not syncing barometer to actual pressure
Garmin GNS430W / GNS530W
Fixed some page navigation issues where the right knob push would not close dialogs
Added confirmation dialog for Activate Leg flight plan menu item
Added support for double direct-to on an existing waypoint to activate the leg
Fixed a bug where certain intersections would not be displayed on the map or the Nearest Intersections page
Fixed a bug that could cause the lists in the Nearest pages to become corrupted
Fixed a bug where the autopilot/flight director would not deactivate LOC mode during ILS/LOC approaches after the active nav source was switched to FMS
Fixed an issue that could cause the 430 to not load correctly when hot-swapped in from being inactive
Fixed some page navigation issues where the right knob push would not close dialogs
Fixed bug causing time zone offset to always be treated as positive
KAP140
Corrected an issue in the default KAP140 template that caused the 100s’ knob animation to be applied to both the 100s’ knob, and the 1000s’
Aircraft
Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner / Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental
The Boeing 787-10 and 747-8i have received significant upgrades, with brand new highly detailed avionics, updated flight models, comprehensive systems, and more:
Comprehensive visual overhaul of the avionics for accurate font, symbology, look, operation, and feel
Visually accurate PFD supporting rising runway indication, ILS symbology, FPV and much more
Independent MFD/ND/CDU Screens supporting view pane system management
Full MFD synoptics pages indicating status of their respective systems
Integrated avionics checklists on the MFD
EICAS supporting full engine indication display and a whole suite of CAS messages
CDU supporting advanced flight plan management and performance initialization features
Advanced flight plan support, including arcs, radius-to-fix, intercepts, holds, procedure turns, and missed approaches
Alternate diversions with customizable profiles for the predictions of ETA, distance and fuel remaining to multiple airports
More in-depth Speedbrakes logic (rejected takeoff, arm, reversers, auto down behavior)
Performance based VNAV with idle descent capabilities considering aircraft state, temperature and wind forecast
Advanced VNAV configuration with ECON/selected modes, configuration of speed restrictions and speed transitions
Fully featured autothrottle system with correct AT modes/functionality and communication to and from the FMS
Thrust management system supporting cost index, thrust limitation and assumed temperature derate
Fully featured autopilot including AUTOLAND, FLARE and ROLLOUT modes
Integrated Approach Navigation (IAN) functionality and indications for straight-in non-precision approaches
RNP/ANP indications
TCAS II system supporting traffic advisories and RA indications on the ND
Revised Engine and Flight Model bringing many values closer to book, fuel consumption, engine power settings, climb rates, speeds, and attitudes
Fuel System overhaul supporting correct automation and warning logic
Support for Hydraulic Demand pumps and automation
Air conditioning and basic duct pressure simulation
Pressurization system with FMS (AUTO) and MAN landing altitude capabilities and automatic VNAV based altitude scheduling
Electrical systems with correct bus connection logic and adjusted power consumption
Functional GPS and IRS navigation systems
Adding more functionality to the overhead panels with accurate indications on the electrics, hydraulics, fuel and ECS panels
Adjusted overhead panels logic and lighting accordingly
Extended ingame checklists for both planes which are mostly autocompletetable
787: Revision of the plane’s soundscape
787: Overhauled HUD supporting nearly all real-world symbology, including both Full and Decluttered modes, runway edge lines, FPV acceleration and speed error indications, TOGA and G/S reference lines, and unusual attitudes
787: New fly-by-wire system simulating the authentic C*U law with trim speed unique to Boeing aircraft
787: Flaps system comes with “Load Relief” and “Auto-gap” functionality
Cessna Citation CJ4 / WT21
PFD: Fixed an issue where the wind indicator would spin to the wrong direction
FMS: Fix edge case when inserting waypoint at end of flight plan
FMS: Fix default hold inbound course to match previous leg outbound course
Fixed a bug where the autopilot/flight director would not deactivate LOC mode during ILS/LOC approaches after the active nav source was switched to FMS
Cessna Citation Longitude
The PFD roll indicator is now rendered using the correct “sky pointer” configuration
Fixed thrust reverser animations so that the buckets are only shown as deployed when reverse thrust is actually engaged
Added mitigation to prevent the engine and APU graphics on the Fuel, Hydraulics, ECS, and Anti-Ice Synoptic Panes from rendering incorrectly
The rudder can now be powered by both the A and B hydraulic systems and no longer requires the left engine to be running
Bearing Pointer information is no longer missing when the PFD is in Split mode
Fixed improper placement of the NAV/DME information banner when the PFD was in Split mode
Fixed a bug where Bearing Pointer 2 information was displayed in the incorrect location when Bearing Pointer 1 was turned off
Changing the selected airspeed while autothrottle is on no longer causes the autothrottle to command sudden changes in throttle lever position
Added support for the dual-cue flight director format
The roll spoilers (mid- and outboard) can no longer be extended without hydraulic system pressure
Improved the autothrottle’s airspeed-tracking behavior and improved the responsiveness of the autothrottle when envelope speed protection is active
Reduced the sensitivity of the autothrottle to sudden changes in airspeed
The PFD roll indicator no longer renders the roll scale arc
Daher TBM 930
The minimums alerter now works correctly when using radio minimums
Peripherals
New presets
Added following presets for Yawman Arrow:
Yawman Arrow (General Aviation)
Yawman Arrow (Jets)
Yawman Arrow (Helicopters)
Various peripheral fixes
All device with a joystick can now control the cursor
Fixed the right analog stick in the gamepad default preset not turning/spinning any knobs in aircraft
SDK
SimVars
Fixed crash when requesting some airplane-specific SimVars on helicopters
Aircraft editor
Removed max engine count
Fix Helo-Turbine engine type not selectable when aircraft type is helicopter