Hot Start has recently updated their popular Challenger 650 to version 1.7, adding X-Plane 12 support, a two-pilot shared cockpit, and a huge list of bug fixes and improvements. The “update highlights” follow down below:

• Implemented two-pilot shared cockpit

    Please review the included CL650 Shared Cockpit Quick Start Guide PDF

• Added support for X-Plane 12 for all platforms
• VHF COM frequency formats shouldn't allow omitting leading '1' digit 

    You will now need to enter the leading '1' digit in radio frequency entries on the TUNE page. Leaving out the decimal point is still allowed though.

• DES ADVISORY

If the flight plan doesn't contain any suitable descent constraints from which the FMS could anchor a descent, it will no longer give you a "TOD" point. It will instead give you a green "DES" circle on the flight plan, with a green "DES ADVISORY" in the MFD VNAV window. This is just the FMS taking a rough stab at guessing approximately where you should start your descent, so that you end up 1,500 ft AGL at 10nm from the destination airport. It will not:

give you a vertical deviation from this path,

capture VPATH

give you a TOD indication, or aural vertical track alert

This is it basically taking a guess, in absence of more accurate data

• Remove custom atmospheric model on XP12

On X-Plane 12, the custom CL650 atmospheric model has been removed, since X-Plane 12 now implements temperature effects on altimetry natively. Consequently, there is no option to disable temperature effects in X-Plane 12 when flying online anymore. These effects are always on. Be sure to use the latest xPilot betas when flying XP12 on Vatsim to make sure your altimeter is being reported correctly.

• MIC selector should enable audio even if monitoring pushbutton is deselected

    Even when you didn't push in the volume control knob on a radio, if your MIC selector is set to that radio, you will still hear the audio.

• HUD shouldn’t show selected speed in FLC or FPM in VS

    The HUD FMAs will no longer show the speed target for FLC or the FPM target for VS. The real HUD doesn't show them, so we removed them.

• Don't show ACT FPLN on EFIS when CDU is on SEC FPLN pages

When SEC FPLN, SEC LEGS or any secondary flight plan-related path is displayed on the CDU, the on-side PFD & MFD will show the secondary flight plan on their map displays only.

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Please refer to the update announcement post, where you can find the full changelog with all the bug fixes and new features.

The Challenger 650 is part of the Challenger 600 family of business jets, introduced in the mid-70s, with its first flight in late 1978 and eventual certification in August 1980. Since then, many variants were created, with the 650 being the newest, dating back to 2015. It features a redesigned interior cabin, Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 avionics, and an increase in take-off thrust. In real-life, the total cost nears 33 million usd (as of 2021). The X-Plane 11/12 version, on the other hand, can be yours for roughly $115. 

The CL650 add-on features a high fidelity rendition of the real-world aircraft, with a complex simulation of its intricacies, along with a simulated FBO and all the things that go hand in hand such as full pre-flight duties, aiming for an unparalleled level of immersion. 

It’s available on X-Aviation for $114.95, requiring a minimum of an i5 (or a quad-core equivalent), GTX 970 or similar, and 16 GB of RAM to function properly. An i7 or an octa-core equivalent, RTX 2070 or equivalent is recommended for optimal performance. 

Shout out to Vinniethegreat on Discord for the news scoop! Stay tuned to Threshold for more flight simulation news!

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