I forgot, we shouldn’t be looking outside. Lol lol
Personal Comments and Observations
AFAIK, in 2013, NASA awarded an T-38N Avionics upgrade via FBO bid NNJ13RA60C to Universal Avionics Systems Corporation. They built and integrated the EFI-890R display (as seen here in Ron Garan’s final flight https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lctWvzep9DM). Among other things it facilitated integration with the UNS1L FMS.
Now the 890R by itself doesn’t have an AP, but it does have the interface requirements to send commands to an AP’s servos - such as a simple 3-axis system. For that, NASA engaged Pagnotta Engineering to create the mechanical connections and modifications to house the AP servos. It’s complicated by the fact that these were all cable and pulley systems and they needed to penetrate the pressurized crew cabin. This involved some pretty convoluted sealing as well as a last ditch override that reverted manual control back to the crew in case the AP had a runaway condition.
This multi-million dollar effort (at least 9M USD) was partly motivated to get RVSM Certification to the N models. It also gave them coupled instrument and AP capability such as LNAV/VNAV, WAAS/LPV.
So it seems like N’s did have an AP. But all of that is moot since that’s not modeled here. It’s true that all other T-38s in existence anywhere outside of NASA don’t have a fully coupled AP.
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‘emaciated’, clearly a reference to the ribbing effect along the spine, rather like an emaciated cow where it’s ribs stand out where the poor neglected animal hasn’t eaten for a long while.
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If we were burning food like this burns fuel we would look like a bag of bones too.
I do like the weathered look but in certain lights its a wee bit ribby.
It does look a bit like a tin can, albeit a very fast one.
Most 38’s, and we’ve seen a lot of them, have lots of panel stress. Do remember, they’re old. Really old. And they fly often, usually several sorties a day.
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I suspect the excess fuel consumption is a consequence of throttle creep … you set it up for cruise but within minutes it’s at full military at twice the flow…
Thank you for the detailed post. It seems Blackbird got this information incorrectly.
Of course it might not make sense to add an AP when only the NASA T-38s have it but at the same time then we are never having the T-38s that NASA flies in the sim.
I would guess registration/tail number and maybe the names of the pilots under the canopy?
How is it incorrect when the variant in reference is the T-38N and Blackbird developed the T-38A?
My mistake I thought Nasa operated the A version with AP.
To be clear… The T-38N (NASA only) does NOT use the “installed” AP because, maintaining the seals became horrendously expensive and time consuming. The UNS is used but not to control the AP.
NASA does, in fact, still use some A’s BUT… again, no updated avionics and no AP….
oh… and we did the T-38A for MS.
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Will this become available in MSFS2020?
On their discord server Blackbird made clear that they have not been contracted to make a 2020 version, so it doesn’t appear so. It’s possible it could get ported in the future as other 2024-native default aircraft have been (and continue to be) but I wouldn’t necessarily count on it.
Why? He hasn’t flown a T38 since Iraq was a dictatorship.
Ask this guy instead. Current pilot, instructor.
I find value in the opinion of anyone who has flown a T-38 no matter how recent. Same is true for any aircraft in the sim.
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He’s also done a NASA version. Both look great. NASA logo on the tail for the Famous Flyer T-38A for Microsoft Flight Simulator | MSFS
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Just out of curiosity. Why was the Boom XB-1 a free plane and the Talon is a paid version.
Is there any rule I did miss?
Both are famous flyers, is it based on sales expectations?
My guess is part of the licensing deal with Boom, a newer name in aviation that is likely more interested in using MSFS as a platform to promote their brand rather than generate revenue.
I also suspect we’ll never know for sure.