New month, new update for the E-Jets!
Christmas is just around the corner, and as a gift for your support and loyalty, we’ve packed some new features into this update. Check out what that means below!
In last version, we added a basic custom hydraulic system to the E-Jets. This included separate hydraulic actuators for each control surface. While we didn’t use all the system’s capabilities right away to make debugging easier, this setup gave us a strong foundation to refine the hydraulic system to match the real aircraft more closely.
With version 0.9.34, we’ve made big improvements to the three-circuit hydraulic system. Each circuit is now powered individually by one of the engines or an electric pump. Just like in the real E-Jets, each circuit provides hydraulic power to specific actuators. To make the system work fully, you’ll need to ensure there’s enough pressure in each circuit - if not, only some control surfaces will move. We’ve also applied this logic to the thrust reversers on both engines. These changes required a major update to the Hydraulic and Flight Control Pages on the MFD to show the new functionality.
Our addon has had an Engine FADEC Simulation for some time now. With version 0.9.34, the FADEC system has been expanded to also control reverse thrust operations. This makes using the thrust reversers feel more dynamic and realistic. Additionally, we’ve reworked the engine parameters to fix bugs and improve the overall experience, especially when using the autothrust system.
The E-Jets now perform a three-minute Electrical and Hydraulic Power-Up Built-in Test (PBIT). This includes showing the proper EICAS messages and the testing process on the corresponding MFD pages. After a successful test, the elapsed time of the last PBIT is updated. You can also manually start the test whenever needed.
We updated the autothrottle disconnect logic to match the real system. The PFD will dipslay GREEN BLINK AT warning after normal disconnect and AMBER BLINK AT warning after non normal disconnect until second push on any of the A/T glareshield or throttle disconnect switches.
The E-Jets now feature a more realistic taxi behavior. Typically, only 40-45% N1 is required to initiate movement, even near maximum ramp weight, with idle thrust sufficient to maintain 15-20 knots ground speed. For slopes or turns, additional thrust may be necessary, but idle thrust generally keeps the aircraft rolling once above 5-10 knots. In lighter configurations, the aircraft might even begin rolling without thrust input.
With both engines running, minimal power is needed - 30% N1 is usually enough to start moving, and idle thrust maintains the roll. Braking is often required to control taxi speed, except when navigating slopes or exiting turns.
We’ve added GSX automation to make ground handling easier, including boarding, deboarding, and pushback from the parking spot. However, due to our custom Weight & Balance system, please only load the aircraft through our EFB and don't use the MSFS default or GSX menu. For more details about our new GSX feature please check out our GSX automation guide.
A community request that was still on our list was the landing distance calculator. Originally, we wanted to include it in the EFB, but aside from the calculations themselves, it would have required a lot of UI work. Since we’re focusing on more important features like the MCDU, autopilot, and custom LNAV/VNAV, we had to make some compromises. However, we still want to fulfill your requests as best as possible, so we’re now offering a standalone application that calculates the landing distance for all E-Jet variants based on real performance data. By the way, these match pretty well in the simulator too!
Get it here
If you have experience with serverless hosting and could help us integrate this app into a proper website, we’d really appreciate your support. Just reach out to us on Discord or via email. This is exactly why we love our community! ❤️
Our progress in adapting the E-Jets for MSFS 2024 is going well. We hope to provide you with a free compatibility update within this year.