Exploring Black Square’s Starship in Microsoft Flight Simulator

Black Square’s announcement of the Starship for Microsoft Flight Simulator news sparked excitement across the flight sim community. This legendary aircraft, known for its bold space-age aesthetics, forward-swept canards, pusher propellers, and composite materials, represents a pinnacle of innovative aviation.

Renowned for their precision, Black Square delivers a faithful rendition of this unique, yet commercially unsuccessful, aircraft, enabling simmers to dive into its intricate systems and distinctive flight behavior. After extensive virtual flights across the Western U.S., here’s an in-depth look at this remarkable Starship. Performance Gaming: trusted by 10,000+ gamers every month.

Starship’s Origins in the 1980s

Designed in the 1980s with input from Burt Rutan’s Scaled Composites, the Starship aimed to replace Beechcraft’s King Air series. This twin-pusher turboprop introduced groundbreaking features: the first certified canard-wing aircraft, the first all-composite business aircraft, the first FAA-approved twin-pusher turboprop, and the first general aviation plane with a fully glass cockpit.

With a service ceiling of 41,000 feet, it remains one of only three civilian turboprops to reach such heights. The prototype, NC-1, took flight on February 15, 1986, with production starting in 1988. Only 53 units were built before production halted in 1995, far below expectations. Its futuristic design, high maintenance costs, and release during an economic slump deterred buyers.

The use of composite materials led to FAA-mandated reinforcements, increasing weight and requiring a specific type rating, further limiting adoption. By 2003, Raytheon, Beechcraft’s parent, repurchased and scrapped most Starships, though a few remain in museums or with private owners.

Black Square Starship Simulation

With only six real-world Starships still airworthy, Black Square’s digital recreation for Microsoft Flight Simulator is a tribute to this rare aircraft. Developer Nick Cyganski notes, “This project preserves the Starship’s legacy for future generations.

Flight simulators allow us to capture not just its appearance but its complex systems and piloting challenges.” This rendition introduces simmers to a revolutionary aircraft, meticulously crafted to reflect its real-world counterpart.

Starship Documentation and Resources

Black Square provides a detailed 190-page manual, accessible via JustFlight.com, covering the Starship’s cockpit, systems, limitations, speeds, warnings, and avionics in normal and reversionary modes.

Additionally, Black Square and JustFlight offer technical video tutorials explaining the aircraft’s aerodynamics, failure systems, environmental controls, and flight planning, ensuring simmers can fully grasp the Starship’s unique features.

Starship Paint Schemes Included

The package includes six liveries, mirroring the original factory designs, with tail numbers matching existing Starships. Black Square’s dynamic registration system allows livery creators to adjust tail number size, position, and font. A known issue in MSFS 2024 affects this feature, but a future Asobo update will resolve it. An all-white livery is also included for custom designs.

Avionics in Black Square Starship

The Starship’s cockpit boasts the Rockwell Collins AMS-850, a pioneering glass cockpit from the 1980s. Black Square’s attention to detail shines, with each instrument designed to mimic its real-world behavior, including responses to environmental factors like temperature.

Instruments are prone to wear-based or scheduled failures, requiring pilots to manage cooling systems or switch to reversionary modes. The 14-tube CRT suite reflects the real aircraft’s quirks, demanding careful temperature management.

The AMS-850 includes:

• ASI-850A Airspeed Indicator

• ALI-850A Altitude/Vertical Speed Indicator

• PFD-870 Primary Flight Display

• ND-870 Navigation Display

• ECD-870 Engine/Caution Display

• MFD-870 Multifunction Display

• CDU-850A Control Display Unit

• SDU-640A Sensor Display Unit

• RTU-870A Radio Tuning Units

• CHP-850 Course/Heading Panel

• AAP-850 Altitude Awareness Panel

• MSP-850A Autopilot Mode Select Panel

• APP-85D Autopilot Panel

• ARINC 429 Digital Clock

• Reversionary & Switching Panel

• Standby Instrumentation

The CDU-850A, with its T9 keypad, feels dated but is functional for flight planning. Black Square simplifies waypoint entry by allowing keyboard input, a welcome addition for simmers.

Navigating the Black Square Starship

Built before GPS, the Starship originally used VLF/Omega navigation, relying on long-wavelength radio signals for positioning. Black Square simulates this, allowing pilots to disable GPS and use VLF/Omega or VOR navigation.

Signal reception may weaken in remote areas or bad weather. For modern navigation, a Working Title GNS-430 is integrated, supporting autopilot-coupled flight plans and approaches. The manual details all navigation options thoroughly.

Flight Dynamics of Starship

Black Square’s Starship features a custom soundset by Boris Audio Works, capturing authentic engine and cockpit sounds, including the Pratt & Whitney PT6A-67A engines and the floppy disk drive in the Database Unit.

The flight model aligns within 2% of the real aircraft’s performance, using canard aerodynamics based on the Velocity XL. Enhanced ground handling and CFD propeller physics ensure realistic taxiing and flight behavior.

Starship Cockpit and Cabin Design

The cabin seats six passengers, a belted lavatory seat, and two cockpit seats. Textures are sharp, with realistic leather grains, though interactivity is limited. Night lighting is adjustable, with individual reading lights and cockpit options like flood, map, and electroluminescent lighting. The immersive cockpit feels dynamic when powered up, reflecting Black Square’s meticulous systems modeling.

Tablet Interface for Starship

Black Square’s tablet interface manages aircraft options, payload, failures, and system monitoring. Tucked beside the pilot’s seat, it offers detailed synoptic pages for engines, electrical systems, and environmental controls. The payload page adjusts passengers, fuel, and cargo, showing real-time center-of-gravity changes. The engine visualizer provides critical data, enhancing pilot awareness.

Flying the Black Square Starship

Available for MSFS 2020 and 2024, the Starship faces minor issues in MSFS 2024, like dynamic registration and model visibility, which don’t affect MSFS 2020. An interactive walk-around in MSFS 2024 lets pilots inspect the aircraft and remove gear pins.

The checklist system includes over 600 items for normal, abnormal, and emergency procedures. Electrical systems, including circuit breakers, are fully simulated, and engine startups reflect real-world challenges, such as tailwind effects or residual heat.

Ground handling uses a custom beta range for smooth taxiing. At max takeoff weight, rotation speed is 101 knots, with realistic acceleration and tracking. The canard wing’s aerodynamics require careful landing, where beta thrust aids in nose control. Autopilot integration enhances IMC operations.

Release & Availability

Black Square’s Starship for MSFS 2020 and 2024 releases on June 19, priced at £39.99/€44.95/$54.99. It’s available initially on JustFlight.com, with third-party stores and the Marketplace to follow.

Preserving Starship’s Legacy

Black Square’s Starship for Microsoft Flight Simulator captures the essence of this groundbreaking aircraft. Its authentic avionics, detailed systems, and precise flight dynamics offer a rare chance to pilot a near-extinct plane. Nick Cyganski’s vision of digital preservation shines, blending historical significance with immersive simulation. From quirky navigation to intricate cockpit details, this Starship delivers a challenging yet rewarding experience, ensuring its legacy endures for simmers worldwide.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Black Square Starship’s design?

The Black Square Starship features a unique canard-wing design, pusher propellers, and an all-composite structure. Developed in the 1980s with Scaled Composites, it was the first certified canard aircraft and twin-pusher turboprop. Its futuristic look, glass cockpit, and 41,000-foot service ceiling set it apart. Black Square’s simulation captures these elements, offering simmers an authentic experience with detailed systems and realistic flight dynamics, preserving the aircraft’s innovative legacy.

How does Starship’s avionics suite work?

The Starship’s Rockwell Collins AMS-850 avionics suite includes a 14-tube CRT setup with instruments like the PFD-870, ND-870, and CDU-850A. Black Square simulates realistic failures, requiring cooling system management. The T9 keypad for data entry is quirky but functional, with keyboard input options. The suite supports VLF/Omega or modern GPS navigation, blending old and new tech for an immersive piloting experience in Microsoft Flight Simulator.

What navigation options does Starship offer?

Black Square’s Starship supports VLF/Omega navigation, using long-wavelength radio signals, or VOR for pre-GPS flying. Pilots can disable GPS for authenticity, though signal strength varies in remote areas. A modern Working Title GNS-430 enables autopilot-coupled navigation. The detailed manual guides simmers through both systems, ensuring versatility in flight planning and execution, making the Starship a unique challenge in Microsoft Flight Simulator.

How realistic is Black Square Starship’s model?

Black Square’s Starship boasts a flight model within 2% of real-world performance, using canard aerodynamics and CFD propeller physics. Engine sounds, cockpit details, and system failures are meticulously crafted. Ground handling and taxiing feel authentic, with beta range control. The immersive cockpit, adjustable lighting, and tablet interface enhance realism, offering simmers a true-to-life experience of this rare aircraft in Microsoft Flight Simulator.

What are Starship’s cockpit and cabin features?

The Starship’s cockpit features the AMS-850 glass cockpit with detailed instruments and realistic failure modeling. The cabin seats six passengers plus a belted lavatory seat, with crisp textures but limited interactivity. Adjustable night lighting, including reading and cockpit lights, adds realism. Black Square’s tablet interface manages systems and payload, making the Starship’s cockpit and cabin a dynamic, immersive environment for simmers in Microsoft Flight Simulator.