Beechcraft Starship

The Starship centres on the AMS-850 avionics suite, including display reversion, cooling and temperature-related instrument behaviour. Black Square also documents the pressurisation and environmental model and optional navigation integrations.

Black Square Starship · PDF p.9; introduction and avionics overview

Black Square's AMS-850 implementation can estimate position from its initial location, VOR/DME reception and VLF/Omega sources. GNSS augmentation is selectable, so the simulation can also represent navigation using the original equipment. The moving map can therefore use the original navigation sources as well as GNSS. The manual explains initialization and position updates separately from importing a route.

Black Square Starship User Guide (2025) · PDF p.122 · No GPS navigation and position estimation

The simulated avionics occupy cooled equipment spaces, with airflow and blower operation affecting temperature. The manual describes overheating and equipment failures when cooling becomes inadequate, with an avionics-status view on the multifunction display. It also models the behaviour of the period CRT displays: cold displays can take time to brighten, while excessive heat can make the image fade. A blank or dim display can therefore have a simulated system explanation beyond its brightness control.

Black Square Starship User Guide (2025) · PDF pp.108,110 · Avionics cooling and CRT displays

State saving is selective. The guide identifies radio settings, stored routes and user waypoints, engine health and oxygen pressure among the items retained. Some primary operating switches are instead initialized from the flight's starting position. Fuel restoration also has a condition: it applies when the next flight loads with the default fuel levels. The guide records a payload-restoration limitation and notes that the simulator must shut down normally for its native saving mechanism to retain changes. The tablet adds system visualizers and failure management.

Black Square Starship User Guide (2025) · PDF pp.87,128,151 · State saving, tablet and failures

Scherer describes flying his own Starship as a surprisingly familiar activity despite the aircraft's unusual outline. In his owner-written FAQ, he says the control inputs work as they do in a conventional aeroplane and praises the spacious flight deck. His strongest impressions concern the ride and sound: he recalls a gentle rocking motion in turbulence and a cabin quiet enough for ordinary conversation.

Robert Scherer

Carr's recollections come from unusually broad experience of the Starship programme. In Huber's 2004 report, the Beech test pilot says he flew 30 of the 53 airframes and spent hundreds of hours training customers. He remembers the first full-scale aircraft's February 1986 flight with Bud Francis, including a Valentine's decoration intended for Olive Ann Beech. Those memories place the aircraft alongside the people trying to bring it into service. His assessment of the programme is candid.

Tom Carr, interviewed by Mark Huber