Black Square’s Piston Duke brings you one of the most technically advanced aircraft simulations for Microsoft Flight Simulator, with an advanced reciprocating engine simulation, over 120 possible failures, 12 hot-swappable radio configurations and the most advanced turbocharger, 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 Piston Duke’s electrical system is highly accurate, featuring a battery temperature monitor, over-voltage protection and AC inverters. The 3D gauges are modelled and coded to meticulously match their real-world counterparts. 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 50 in-game checklists with control/instrument highlighting are included for normal and emergency procedures. This product includes two versions of the 1974 B60 Duke: with and without the 'Grand Duke' performance package (winglets, vortex generators, strakes, extra fuel, increased speeds and increased MGTOW).
Four distinctive interiors and seven paint schemes are included from four 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 Piston Duke and the Turbine 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:
160-page manual with your complete guide to flying the Black Square Dukes, including systems guide, tutorials, operating limitations, performance tables and electrical schematics.
NEW TABLET INTERFACE! for configuring options, payload settings, failure management and real-time visualisers for engines, electrical schematics and environmental systems.
12 hot-swappable radio configurations, configurable via tablet interface. Inc. PMS & TDS.
130+ random, scheduled or performance-triggered failures, settable via the tablet interface, including engine damage, compatible with third party UIs and instructor stations.
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.
NEW engine preheating required for cold starts, with heater and ground power cart.
NEW voltage-based light dimming, an immediately recognisable effect to night-time pilots.
NEW gyroscope physics simulation for electric and pneumatic gyroscopes with precession and partial failures, based on a coupled quadrature oscillator.
NEW KLN-90B vintage GPS. Download from https://github.com/falcon71/kln90b/releases
NEW strobe light system causes realistic distracting flashes in clouds.
NEW St. Elmo’s Fire and static discharge on static wicks and windshields in severe weather.
NEW KNS-81 RNAV now supports autopilot with No-GPS configuration.
Mathematically accurate VOR and ADF signal attenuation and noise degradation.
Physics-based instrument needles bounce and respond to aerodynamic forces.
Improper engine management will slowly damage engines to failure.
Completely simulated electrical system, with 100+ circuit breakers and failures
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.
PISTON DUKE SPECIFIC FEATURES
Two aircraft in one: the factory B60 Duke, and the 'Grand Duke' performance package.
NEW physics-based engine simulation with compression, magneto impulse couplings, blade angle, oil temperature and pressure, cylinder head temperatures and preheating.
NEW propeller hub and unfeathering accumulator, with feather locking pins.
NEW physics-based sound system. Sounds such as engine starting are not mere recordings, but are instead many layered sounds, constructed based on the underlying simulation.
NEW instrument needle stiction and friction. Analogue instruments can become sticky without engines running. Tap the glass to free the needles and get a more accurate reading!
The most advanced turbocharger simulation in MSFS. Turbocharger sounds reflect the simulated turbine RPM and pressurisation is dependent on turbocharger performance.
Fuel injected engine simulation with fouling, vapour lock, flooding and backfires. Even the magneto impulse couplings are simulated (clicking when the propeller rotates).
JPI EDM-760 Engine Monitor with engine leaning optimization 'Lean Find'.
CHECKLISTS
Over 500 checklist items are provided for 50 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 produce a rough-running engine and decreased performance.
INSTRUMENTATION/EQUIPMENT
Main Panel
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
Engine Instrumentation
Fuel Quantity Indicators
BTI-600 Battery Temperature Monitor
Duplicate Co-pilot Instrumentation
I didn’t think anybody could come close to being as good and deep as A2A. I saw the reviews, videos etc and finally chose to get this piston version. Here on SimMarket it’s about $10 less than the Microsoft store sells it. So that’s a nice deal. It’s still a real expensive plane but after a few flights in these I’m a believer in Black Square. The system depth is amazing and brings us a complete aircraft simulation that excels on all counts. Nothing was left out or dumbed down. It’s not the same as an A2A as they have more of a plane ownership aspect, but I wouldn’t say that’s totally left out here, it’s just a slightly different focus that will definitely keep your hands full.
It goes without saying that appearances inside and out have been modeled down to the very last detail in extreme quality.
How you treat this plane will determine how difficult it becomes to operate. Follow the books and you’ll mostly be fine. But like with any real world plane there’s no such thing as a perfect machine and you can bet that no start up or flight will be the same. There’s always some unpredictability and that’s so cool.
Flying this Duke even while trying to follow the procedures carefully can and likely come with some surprises. So many things can fail, or go wrong. Just like the real world. These planes will degrade over time based on a great many factors but if you don’t want to be surprised you can force a failure with the EFB tablet. You can expedite the wear and tear making possible problems occur still at random but over a shorter period of time. I’ve owned every single plane A2A made and loved them all. Black Square is on par with them easily. I might add that Black Square is even a little better with somethings like textures for example. This plane looks so good. I can’t find anything to complain about at all. So if you want that extreme realism with incredible appearances and unpredictability then do get this. It may be the piston variant but it’s not underpowered at all. Plus you don’t just get the piston Duke version but also the turbo charged Grand Duke. Both are very similar in design but not the same machines. Amazing effort by Black Square. This may be the best add on plane over ever had. Don’t miss out.