Q4XP Coming Soon!

Its time to get those flight plans ready cause the Q4XP is on its way.

The Q4XP is our answer to the aging Q400 Legacy that was FlyJSim’s first product, now over ten years old. The Q4XP is a brand new product, built from the ground up over the past two-and-a-half years with a team of talented developers, using new technology, with the endeavor to push the limit over our previous releases. That journey is ending, and with that we would like to share further details on what we have made so you may look forward to flying it soon.

Exterior

Let’s start with the outside and work our way inwards. The Q400 Legacy has a reasonably well made exterior model when it was released, however as time has marched on its age has shown through. Working from this, it quickly became apparent that a completely new aircraft was in order. In fact, the only thing we kept in the end is the propellers model. The Q4XP that we will present soon is not a v2, but an entirely new aircraft, rebuilt and redesigned in totality. Briefly, here are some of the most important features in this aircraft:

The texturing takes advantage of X-Plane 11’s lighting model, using plenty of 4k texture maps to fill in a lot of details.

The propeller and spinner have been retextured, and additionally we have included engine intake covers and prop tie downs for those extended stays.

We have modeled the wing details to the extreme, flaps extend and retract, and there is even a jack screw moving if you care to look that close. Also included are inflating de-ice boots and, of course, wingflex.

The landing gear has about as much detail modeled as the rest of the exterior, giving it a strikingly sharp look.

The tail is included with its million and one rivets, and a shiny apu exhaust port.

We have included all the exterior lighting, this includes all your normal lighting, plus the logo light and wing inspection lights.

You may open all the doors, main cabin door, L2, R1, R2, and main cargo door. Following the airstair theme from the 732 we have included the airstairs for the rear boarding door, which is optional in real Q400.

A ground scene included that reveals the chocks, cones, and other items present when the aircraft is parked on the ramp. Also a GPU will appear for you.

10 liveries will be provided with the default aircraft, they are

• Air Baltic

• Air Canada

• Air Iceland

• Alaska

• Austrian

• Eurowings

• FlyBe Purple

• FlyBe White

• Horizon

• Porter

• Qantas

• WestJet

• Wideroe

We have teamed up with the most talented painters in the community to help bring to you a whole set of liveries to choose from come release time. We have already added over 20 additional liveries that will be available for download on release, with more being worked on every day.

Cabin

On the Q400 Legacy, the cabin was more of an afterthought than a plan executed. This time we wanted to fully realize it so let's show you what we had executed for the Q4XP.

We now have a fully realized cabin interior complete with 78 seats and each overhead bin fully animated. You will note the inclusion of passenger signage over each seat.

The main cabin door can be opened from the inside as well as through the menu, with a fancy falling animation.

The Flight Attendant control panel allows you to adjust the cabin lighting as well as temperature settings

The cabin lighting includes fluorescent panels running along the windows and ceiling.

Each cabin shade is adjustable and randomly positioned.

The forward cargo bay is included, with entry from inside the cabin or from the exterior.

The main cargo bay is fully modeled as well with its massive door.

And to top if off, you can forget to put the seat down.

Cockpit

The place you will spend most of your time is of course the cockpit, and we have given it the attention that it deserves. Just as with the exterior, we built the cockpit from scratch, using the most accurate dimension information available, as well as all our knowledge from previous developments poured in. What came out is a pure work of art; all textures are PBR, much of the surface detail hand crafted by our amazing texture artist. One major change over our previous work is how we implement our animations. You will see fluid movements throughout the cockpit and the rest of the plane. Just about everything and anything that can be animated, was animated. To highlight for you some major features:

The cockpit seats are just as detailed as in the original, but this time we added a few things extra, as well as moving arm rests.

Each EFIS display operates and is configurable like the real aircraft. We have the real fonts, and a better color palette. Even the correct bevel on the displays has been painstakingly modeled.

You will have a jumpseat, along with its own radio panel just in case your invisible friend shows up and wants to tag along.

We also saw fit to model the escape hatch, which can be opened up either just slightly, or all the way so you can get out.

The Q400 legacy had few lighting options, so this time we included all the lighting options. Everything from dome to storm and pane lighting, to reading lights, to map lights, to ice detection lights, and even breaker lights. We hope we can give you as good of a night flying experience as we have given you in the 732 and 727.

Wiper animations used to be the staple of what made a good flight sim product, so of course we had to add them in. They include a three speed switch, and we included the alternate wiper switch which turns on the pilot’s wiper independently of the knob on the overhead.

Sometimes we get feedback saying users couldn’t read the placards in the cockpits, due to low resolution. This time we have given each placard a texture just for them, so they are high resolution and readable at all times. Isn't technological advancement amazing!

The Breaker panels are modeled with all 360 breakers included, each with readable text.

Under the breaker panels are the avionics equipment bays, which house most of the avionics and electrical equipment and are fully modeled.

We also include items like the hatchet and fire extinguisher, which are modeled in detail.

You will feel right at home here.

Systems

We believe we have created one of the most detailed cockpits to come to flight sim. What really makes the cockpit and aircraft complete are the systems. We rebuilt the systems from scratch, continuing the high level of systems accuracy you have come to expect from our 727 and 737. Truly, the meat of the Q4XP is here, and we’d love to show it off to you.

The first step in modeling any aircraft’s systems correctly is the electrical system, and we have surely taken it to a new level. We have created a system that accounts for each battery, bus, bus connector, transformer, generator, and other electrical components. Each is connected and relays power as they should, and obviously not when they shouldn’t. This takes into account feeders vs distribution busses, and the breakers on them. The result is a system that properly simulates at any time various states the electrical system may be in, nominal or otherwise.

Similar in execution and just as important to the foundation of the plane is the hydraulics simulation. This as well was built from the ground up, accounting for all three hydraulic reservoirs, and all 4 hydraulic pumps, plus the PTU. Our hydraulic system faithfully and accurately simulates the Q400s hydraulics. You will also be able to operate the alternate landing gear extension, so get ready to pump.

Closely related to the hydraulic system are the flight controls. The Q400 has a hydraulic rudder, elevator, flaps, and spoilers, but the ailerons are good old fashioned cables. Naturally, the entire flight control system is faithfully and accurately modeled in the Q4XP. As a cable system, the ailerons have their own gust lock. Of special note, you will be able to use the pitch and roll disconnect, and the side of the cockpit you are flying from will change which yoke you are using. Everything is working just as you would expect.

As a propeller driven aircraft, the Q has its own unique power management settings that may not always translate well to your hardware. To this end, we have created an on screen visualization that appears on the bottom right of the screen to show you the positions of your engine and propeller levers when a control input is made. This will help guide you as the power and prop controls are linear, however, you must get the power lever into just the right spot for the FADEC to take over. We hope you will find this feature very helpful. This was described in more detail in development update #6

The ARCDU radio system that the Q400 uses is fully simulated here with dual and separate interfaces, and all buttons and volume selectors workings, all sub pages and their functions there-in. It really is a neat little radio that stands out as something wholly unique to the Q400.

Certainly the most unique and highly visible system in our Q4XP is the FMS, the UNS-1Ew . A significant amount of development time has been spent working to make the most accurate representation of the real unit in the aircraft.

We are excited to be entering the final phase of development and look very much to having all of our fans enjoy a new flight sim experience.