EMERGENCY LANDING
Mini-500 Coming Soon to MSFS
More Photos, Information, Dates, and Previews to come!
We are currently in Alpha Phase and transitioning to Beta Phase soon!
- Got Friends
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I am SO ready for this. The sim needs more choppers and this one will be more than welcome in my hangarâŠor should I say, out and about OUTSIDE of my hangar. 
#BUYGOTFRIENDS
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Ive been excited about this once since we started development over half a year ago. Wilga was a fantastic sidetrack but Im so glad helicopters are here now and we can properly finish the Mini500 and turn it into everyoneâs private little scouting bird.
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I love anything 500 related. Question will it use the native FM or custom?
Fully Native flight model, will be available on PC and Xbox.
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Count me in!
Thx for the Update!
Easter is getting closer, so another egg will be welcome 
!
Mini-500 Development Update:
We are in the final stages of closed beta testing
Enjoy some more previews from our team! Thank you for following.
6 Likes
Jonesing for this one, still. Hopefully, Cowanâs âBigger Brotherâ releases in the Marketplace this week, then Iâll be waiting for âLittle, Littlebird.â
Mini-500 Background & Features:
Background:
The Mini-500 is a 1990s single-seat light helicopter. The helicopter was deliverable in a kit to enthusiasts around the world for a unique homebuilding experience. Originally designed to be powered by a single Rotax 582 piston engine, the two stroke engine proved to be underpowered in application and failed many times in-flight. The engineâs vibration levels proved to be a problem as they, combined with excessive rotor vibrations, lead to cracked frames and other component failures. In 2003, plans were put into place that provided replacement engines to existing Mini-500s that replaced the under-powered Rotax 582. This would allow owners to shift to a more reliable Solar T62 Turbine Engine. To this day, there is no indication that a T62 turbine kit was delivered with any aircraft kits. However, some owners have incorporated the proposed design and you can find a few Mini-500s with the turbine engine modification.
Our rendition is heavily inspired by the design of the original kit produced by the Revolution Helicopter Corporation. However, we have adopted the Stitt Industriesâ proposed plans and installed the T62 Turbine Engine. Our Mini-500 has all the amenities of a great single seater helicopter with modified systems to ensure maximum stability, safety, and enjoyment.
Notable Features List:
- T62 Turbine Engine Flight Model
- Sophisticated Flight Model using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) for Rotorcraft
- MSFS Assists for Helicopters Supported
- 4k High Quality Texures & Paint Kit
- Optimized 3D Model for Maximum Performance
- Custom WWise Soundpack / Engine Sounds
- Hideable Accessories and Doors
- Safety Awareness Lights and Warning Indicators
- MGL Avionics with Custom Page Selections
- Attached Tablet and Aera Navigation System
- Swappable Avionics Suites (GTR 220/GNS 530)
- Custom Lighting Effects
- Ground Skid Effects (All Surfaces) & Sparks
- Downwash Effects (All Surfaces)
- Engine Starting Effects
- Heat Blur Effects
- Frost and Rain Effects
- Multiplayer Compatibility with Rotor Animations
- Animated Pilot with Various Cockpit Controls
- Animated Rotor and Tail Rotor Components
- Animated Skid Flexing with Landing
- In-Game Checklist
- Multiple High Quality Livery Options
- Flying with an Xbox Controller? No Sweat!
Current Stage:
- Final Beta Testing
Release Details:
- $14.99 (USD) Payware
- Got Friendsâ Website Release (February)
- In-Game Release on PC/Xbox (March)
*Estimated
We are excited to unveil this project once again to the Microsoft Flight Simulation community. To our original project followers, we thank you for your patience and understanding as we chose to delay this project in favor of Asoboâs 40th Anniversary Helicopter Update. Soon you will all be cruising through the skies experiencing a Got Friendâs experience like no other!
- Got Friends
12 Likes
Looks Killer! Iâm stoked!
I love this quote on the wikipedia page for this chopper:
The president of the International Experimental Helicopter Association, the Mini-500 aircraft type club, Bill Phillips, who completed a kit, but did not fly it stated: âYou can tell it is junk just by looking at itâ and described Revolution Helicopter Corporation president Dennis Fetters as âone of the biggest cons thatâs ever hit the kit industryâ.
LOL. Of course thatâs not the under-powered and cheap Mini-500 weâre getting. If anyone can polish a đ©, and make it great fun in the sim, itâs Got Friends. I look forward to some good times in this.
Checking out Willyâs preview flight today @ 4:45 CT.
edit: Apparently the naughty word filter on this forum is ridiculously overzealous. Well, a picture is worth 1000 words, and they didnât block that emoji.
3 Likes
Looking forward to this, preview pictures look awesome
Yeah Iâm excited for this one also! Canât wait to see the GF take on helicopters!
Are you gonna add a helipad to Forwood Farms, or perhaps something somewhere else? Like you needed another job 
â but you guys donât seem to need sleep so youâll have it done by any ânormal personsâ morning
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Mini-500 | Official Trailer
The Mini-500 is an exciting add-on coming to Microsoft Flight Simulator. Developed by Got Friends, this home-built helicopter is definitely an experience you donât want to miss!
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We initially had a custom FM that was a standalone .WASM based on Airland Fredâs work but we eventually opted to go full Microsoft Flight Sim Native so both PC / Xbox could enjoy the project, as well as show confidence that Asoboâs work would improve update-to-update as they have already shown with their existing aircraft flightmodel.
Of course, as with any GotFriends flight model, our flight dynamics expert GotGravel has done his best to exploit existing limitations and capabilities and provide the best he had to offer with the tools given. There are a few limitations Asobo have publicly mentioned such as govener switch not working on Turbine simulations* that are coming in SimUpdate 12. Naturally, RM500 will receive these fixes as soon as they are available.
*Our RM5 is experimental communities modification that uses a Chinook APU ((turbine)) as its engine
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Mini-500 | Release Details
The Mini-500 is in the final beta build. If everything goes well, we are going to announce the release date tomorrow! Hope everyone is enjoying the previews! Initial release will be on PC followed closely by the In-Game Marketplace & Xbox.
- Cheers!
6 Likes
Yeah, Iâm gonna take my 500 to the old town road
Iâm gonna fly 'til I canât no more
Iâm gonna take my 500 to the old town road
Iâm gonna fly 'til I canât no more
I got the tents in the back
skid tack is attached
collective is matte black
Got the pedals thatâs black to match
flying on a mini 500, ha
You can whip your 407B
I been in the valley
You ainât been up off the ground, now
Canât nobody tell me nothing
You canât tell me nothing
Canât nobody tell me nothing
You canât tell me nothing
haha I cant waitâŠ
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Hype!
Next time include the chopper in your photos though. This is just a nice little camp site in a forest.
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Mini-500 | Official Release Date & Information
Release Date, Previews, Features, Liveries and Exclusive Website Only Content!
First of all, we would like to thank all of our supporters who have been testing, commenting, and sharing this project with the rest of the community. Without your support, we would not be able to have this opportunity to develop the Mini-500. We are so humbled by our incredible followers and the passion they have for our products.
Release Details:
Date: February 12th, 2023 (Website Only) | 23:59 Zulu (GMT)
Marketplace: 2-5 Weeks (Estimate) 
Price: $15 USD
File Size: 1.55Gb Required | 782Mb Download
Release Date is Determined by Microsoft
Special Previews:
Information & Features:
The Mini-500 is a 1990s single-seat light helicopter. The helicopter was deliverable in a kit by Revolution Helicopter Corporation to enthusiasts around the world for a unique home building experience. This rendition is heavily inspired by the design of the original kit helicopter. However, we have adopted the Stitt Industriesâ proposed plans and modified our kit with the Solar T-62 Turbine Engine. The Mini-500 has all the amenities of a great single seater helicopter with modified systems to ensure maximum stability, safety, speed and enjoyment.
This Mini-500 Package Includes:
» Realistic Solar T-62 Engine Flight Dynamics and Native Rotorcraft Flight Model
» Computational Fluid Dynamics
» Custom WWISE Soundpack
» 4K High Quality Textures
» 20 Included Liveries
» Visual Effects: Downwash, Landing, Sparks, Combustion, Heat, Precipitation and Icing
» System Persistence (Flight-To-Flight)
» Animated Main Rotor and Tail Rotor Components
» Multiplayer Compatible Rotor Animations
» Animated Skid Animations and Flexing
» Custom MGL Avionics with 7 Monitoring Pages
» Exchangable Avionics Suites In-Flight
» Virtual Cockpit Vibrations based on Engine Values
» Virtual Cockpit Vibration Percentage Settings
» Adjustable Trim for Hands-Free Flying
» Removable Doors with Sound Design in Mind
» Custom Lighting Effects with Accurate Electrical System Simulation
» Working Headphone Simulation with Toggleable Audio Jack
» Animated Pilot Fully Compatible with Default Asobo Characters
» Toggleable Tablet with Aera Navigation Installed
» Safety Awareness Lights and Warning Indicators including NR Low/High Warnings
» Removable Magnetic Compass for Greater Forward Visibility
» In-Game Checklist with Evaluation Compatibility and Highlights
» Xbox Controller Support with In-Game Assistance Compatibility
Liveries & Website Only Exclusives:
Previews of Website Only Stealth & Hunter Liveries:
Where to Buy?
Our Official Website: https://www.got-friends.com
12 Likes
Looks so great! And coming from a developer I trust 100% after the awesome experience Iâve had with the Wilga. I guess itâs finally time for me to try flying some helicopters! Woohooo!
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