Supercritical Simulations Group, also known as SSG, has recently announced via the Facebook page, that a major update for their Boeing 747 rendition has entered beta testing. Based on the post, the exterior modelling has been finished, texturing is close to being done and cockpit and systems changes are in progress.
The new version, v2.2, will mainly feature a Freighter version of the aircraft which has been teased for some time now, and as you might have guessed, that is not the only thing that will be featured in the new version, and the current changelog has been included in the post. It has been made clear, that the changelog might change slightly.
For example, approach speed will be precalculated in the LEGS page, new standby magnetic compass modelled, fixed V1, V2, VR callouts on landing issue or APU now requires battery to start. As usual, the complete changelog can be found below.
Changelog
News and Improvements:
- New standby magnetic compass modeled on the one in the real aircraft
- Engine fan spool down and windmilling effect animations are now implemented.
- Various external model and texture enhancements with corrected and added details (i.e. rivets around APU tailcone area)
- Improved yoke handling in VR-Yaw damper switches now separated into upper and lower with associated EICAS messages
- COM radios now have 8.33 kHz spacing and will allow tuning frequencies 3 digits after decimal (e.g. 118.015)
- ATC Transponder code entering improved and made more realistic-GBAS Landing System (GLS) approaches now implemented.
- Integrated Approach Navigation (IAN) Approaches (RNAV, VOR, LOC) are also now implemented.
- Thrust reduction altitude will take entries below 1,000 feet AGL
- Now the selection of the SIDs and STARs are previewed on the ND as white dash lines, like in the real aircraft.
- Fixed bug where the FMC seemed frozen, which was because it was waiting for the EXEC key to be pressed or “Activate” selected. The light on the EXEC key was not coming on.
- VOR and ILS frequencies can now be entered in both XXX.YY and XXXYY format.-Can now enter any valid VOR frequency.
- FMC step climb values can now be entered directly via the scratchpad.
- Approach speeds are now precomputed for the approach waypoints in the LEGS Page.
Bug fixes:
- Some EICAS messages corrected or deleted
- APU now requires battery power to be on in order to start
- Now you can add an airport as a waypoint. In which case the ND will draw a track line from the departure airport to the arrival airport.
- If an AIRAC navigation database is not installed, the FMC will show a message to this effect in the scratchpad.
- Sometimes a hold waypoint did not indicate HOLD in the LEGS Page. Now fixed.
- There are no more V1, Vr and V2 calls on landing.
- CLB-3 setting on THRUST LIM page removed as it does not apply.
- During periods of high acceleration, the selected speed is not exceeded anymore.
- DEL key now works in the right CDU.
- No more triangles where circles are supposed to be in SIDs/STARs.
- MCP altitude is not bypassed anymore (except in Glideslope mode).
- Fixed bug when sometimes selected SIDs would be deleted.
