Start here
A few places to begin, from the aircraft’s story to the people who fly it.
Aircraft and configuration
Top Mach Studios' B-2A has four jet engines, retractable landing gear and no conventional wing flaps. Automatic elevons and the beaver-tail surface provide its simulated control functions. The developer uses small simulated tail and rudder surfaces and simplified pitch and bank limits in the flight model.
B-2A Spirit
Top Mach Studios · Read more ↗Meet B-2A Spirit
Top Mach Studios' B-2A has four jet engines, retractable landing gear and no conventional wing flaps. Automatic elevons and the beaver-tail surface provide its simulated control functions. The developer uses small simulated tail and rudder surfaces and simplified pitch and bank limits in the flight model.
History & design
A flying wing takes to the air
The B-2 first flew on 17 July 1989, leaving Palmdale for Edwards Air Force Base. Northrop test pilot Bruce Hinds commanded a flight lasting just over two hours, beginning the flight-test programme for the low-observable flying wing.
Northrop Grumman · B-2 first-flight anniversary ↗Manufacturer anniversary account, July 2014
Remembering the first flight
For the twenty-fifth anniversary in 2014, Northrop Grumman and the US Air Force recreated that first-flight departure. The event linked the operational aircraft back to the test team and manufacturing programme that brought it into service.
Northrop Grumman · B-2 first-flight anniversary ↗Manufacturer anniversary account, July 2014
Systems & details
Controls and equipment
The radar-altitude hold does not sense terrain ahead. Optional autothrottle is a simulator convenience. The Lite version reduces visual and performance demands.
Automatic flight in the virtual flying wing
Top Mach distinguishes the add-on’s optional autothrottle from its description of the real aircraft. The simulated system uses the simulator’s autothrottle and can differ slightly from the custom Mach indication at high speed. Its radar-altitude hold also lacks forward-looking terrain sensing. These are useful boundaries when exploring the virtual aircraft’s automatic-flight controls: neither feature should be treated as a reproduction of an operational B-2 terrain-following system.
In your simulator
No released simulator product is listed for this aircraft in the developers reviewed. Announced products are excluded.
Manuals & resources
Find your next read
Choose a topic for a short introduction and a link to the original source. Simulator references identify the developer and edition they cover.
Simulator documentation
Controls and equipmentB-2A Spirit
The radar-altitude hold does not sense terrain ahead. Optional autothrottle is a simulator convenience. The Lite version reduces visual and performance demands.
Spirit manual · pages 1, 19, 23–24 and 67–70
Top Mach Studios · Read the source ↗Read the original documentation from the people who created it. Manuals open on their publisher’s website.
Simulator documentation
B-2A Spirit — simulator documentationTop Mach Studios · Spirit manual · pages 1, 19, 23–24 and 67–70Aircraft history
B-2 first-flight anniversaryNorthrop Grumman · Manufacturer anniversary account, July 2014Built-in force-feedback profiles
Read the documentary basis, editable starting settings and remaining questions for the aircraft you fly. Each explanation refers to the exact profile revision shown.
Catalogue programme-20261011-v3 · 1 profile choice
Top Mach Studios B-2A Spirit
Top Mach Studios · Free and Pro · Revision 1 · Inherited starting point
MSFS 2020 · MSFS 2024
The B-2A Spirit flying wing, represented with developer-defined flight controls.
Top Mach Studios B-2A Spirit
The B-2A Spirit flying wing, represented with developer-defined flight controls.
Aircraft and simulator scope
- Top Mach Studios B-2A Spirit · Top Mach Studios · MSFS 2020 · Add-on starting point
- Top Mach Studios B-2A Spirit · Top Mach Studios · MSFS 2024 · Add-on starting point
The simulator model and controls
Top Mach Studios B-2A Spirit is the selected Top Mach Studios configuration.
How this profile feels
The spring stays independent of airspeed. Directed aerodynamic loading is omitted.
Pitch-trim relief is off. Autopilot following is off.
Aircraft and configuration
Top Mach Studios' B-2A has four jet engines, retractable landing gear and no conventional wing flaps. Automatic elevons and the beaver-tail surface provide its simulated control functions. The developer uses small simulated tail and rudder surfaces and simplified pitch and bank limits in the flight model.
Controls and equipment
The radar-altitude hold does not sense terrain ahead. Optional autothrottle is a simulator convenience. The Lite version reduces visual and performance demands.
About the values
Strengths are normalized hardware-feel settings. They set the effect balance; hand force depends on the device and its limits. The IAS reference is a tuning value.
Documentary review and sources
These decisions describe the documentary basis and remaining gaps for this revision. Aircraft documentation and a starting setting describe different kinds of evidence.
Aircraft and variant
InheritedTop Mach Studios B-2A Spirit is the selected Top Mach Studios configuration.
Flight controls
InheritedThe B-2A Spirit flying wing, represented with developer-defined flight controls.
Trim
InheritedThe profile uses the trim behaviour configured below. Pitch relief is off, with stored authority 0; roll authority is 0.
Autopilot and stability
InheritedAutopilot following is off; the configured spring and load retain the hardware feel.
Equipment
InheritedTop Mach Studios' B-2A has four jet engines, retractable landing gear and no conventional wing flaps. Automatic elevons and the beaver-tail surface provide its simulated control functions. The developer uses small simulated tail and rudder surfaces and simplified pitch and bank limits in the flight model.
Speeds and limits
InheritedThe indicated-speed references set the profile response scale; they are separate from aircraft operating limits.
Simulator integration
InheritedThe profile targets msfs2020, msfs2024. Add-on-specific controls use only the supported references configured by this profile.
Force-feedback settings
InheritedThe settings define the profile’s effect balance. Device output limits affect physical hand force.
Starting settings and their rationale
These configured values are starting estimates. The explanations describe what each setting controls; physical validation appears separately below.
| Setting | Starting value | What it controls and why |
|---|---|---|
| Spring strength | Starting value0.62 | What it controls and whyThe radar-altitude hold does not sense terrain ahead. The baseline spring is 0.62. Low-speed spring blending is off. |
| Master force gain | Starting value0.85 | What it controls and whyScales overall profile strength while preserving effect balance, subject to device and output limits. |
| Profile force gain | Starting value0.46 | What it controls and whyThe stored 0.46 aerodynamic-load gain is inactive under the fixed-centre control law. |
| Force tuning speed/reference | Starting value280 kt | What it controls and whySets the IAS reference for aerodynamic loading. It is an estimate, not published cruise TAS or a flight limit. |
| Spring response reference speed | Starting value70 kt | What it controls and whySets the IAS where the low-speed blend reaches baseline strength; high-speed stiffening also uses it. |
| Aileron force scale | Starting value0.74 | What it controls and whyRoll and pitch aerodynamic scales are 0.74 and 0.86, respectively. These stored weights do not create directed aerodynamic loading while that term is inactive. No custom spring-travel curve is enabled. |
| Elevator force scale | Starting value0.86 | What it controls and whyScales pitch aerodynamic loading; pitch spring travel and trim responses are separate settings. |
| Trim feel | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyRetained for compatibility and group membership. Trim relief, rather than this flag, controls centre movement. |
| Trim relief | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyAllows trim relief with supported control law and valid telemetry. Axis authorities set its amount. |
| Autopilot follow | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyAutopilot following is off; the configured spring and load retain the hardware feel. |
| Autopilot neutral hold | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyPermits centering hold during a supported AP state, separate from following a moving target. |
| Output force limit | Starting value0.55 | What it controls and whyCaps directed-force output. Native spring effects and device limits remain separate. |
All 44 starting settings and their rationale
The settings define the profile’s effect balance. Device output limits affect physical hand force.
| Setting | Starting value | What it controls and why |
|---|---|---|
| Spring strength | Starting value0.62 | What it controls and whyThe radar-altitude hold does not sense terrain ahead. The baseline spring is 0.62. Low-speed spring blending is off. |
| Spring deadband | Starting value0.04 | What it controls and whySets travel around the centre before the baseline spring resists. Smaller values engage it sooner. |
| Profile force gain | Starting value0.46 | What it controls and whyThe stored 0.46 aerodynamic-load gain is inactive under the fixed-centre control law. |
| Master force gain | Starting value0.85 | What it controls and whyScales overall profile strength while preserving effect balance, subject to device and output limits. |
| QBlend Enabled | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyAllows baseline spring strength to rise with indicated airspeed where the control law permits it. |
| QSpring Minimum Factor | Starting value0.55 | What it controls and whySets low-speed spring strength as a fraction of baseline when blending is enabled. One keeps full strength. |
| QSpring Start Knots | Starting value20 kt | What it controls and whySets the IAS where the low-speed spring blend starts rising. This is a feel threshold, not a flight limit. |
| Spring response reference speed | Starting value70 kt | What it controls and whySets the IAS where the low-speed blend reaches baseline strength; high-speed stiffening also uses it. |
| Force tuning speed/reference | Starting value280 kt | What it controls and whySets the IAS reference for aerodynamic loading. It is an estimate, not published cruise TAS or a flight limit. |
| Airspeed spring stiffening gain | Starting value0 | What it controls and whyAdds permitted spring resistance above the full-blend speed. Zero removes this high-speed increase. |
| Airspeed spring stiffening limit | Starting value2 | What it controls and whyLimits the squared airspeed ratio used for high-speed spring stiffening; it is not a device-force cap. |
| Aileron force scale | Starting value0.74 | What it controls and whyRoll and pitch aerodynamic scales are 0.74 and 0.86, respectively. These stored weights do not create directed aerodynamic loading while that term is inactive. No custom spring-travel curve is enabled. |
| Elevator force scale | Starting value0.86 | What it controls and whyScales pitch aerodynamic loading; pitch spring travel and trim responses are separate settings. |
| Output force limit | Starting value0.55 | What it controls and whyCaps directed-force output. Native spring effects and device limits remain separate. |
| Trim feel | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyRetained for compatibility and group membership. Trim relief, rather than this flag, controls centre movement. |
| Trim relief | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyAllows trim relief with supported control law and valid telemetry. Axis authorities set its amount. |
| Elevator Authority | Starting value0 | What it controls and whyThe profile uses the trim behaviour configured below. Pitch relief is off, with stored authority 0; roll authority is 0. |
| Aileron Authority | Starting value0 | What it controls and whyScales supported roll-trim relief and permitted centre movement. Zero removes roll response. |
| Force Trim Enabled | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyEnables local force trim, separate from aircraft-owned trim and add-on integration qualification. |
| GLoad Enabled | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyAllows load-factor changes to modify permitted spring laws. Passive fly-by-wire feel can suppress it. |
| Rate Damping Enabled | Starting valueEnabled | What it controls and whyEnables rate damping with the configured coefficients and control law. |
| Autopilot follow | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyAutopilot following is off; the configured spring and load retain the hardware feel. |
| Autopilot follow authority | Starting value0.1 | What it controls and whySets admitted AP-follow gain, not a percentage of travel. Runtime ownership and input limits still apply. |
| Autopilot neutral hold | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyPermits centering hold during a supported AP state, separate from following a moving target. |
| Autopilot neutral hold strength | Starting value0.6 | What it controls and whySets admitted AP neutral-hold strength; inactive while neutral hold is disabled. |
| Enabled | Starting valueEnabled | What it controls and whyEnables aerodynamic cues; each still needs nonzero strength and its simulator conditions. |
| Gain | Starting value0 | What it controls and whySets stall-buffet strength. Zero removes the cue without changing simulator stalls or warnings. |
| Gain | Starting value0 | What it controls and whySets high-Mach buffet strength; onset and full-strength thresholds are separate. |
| Gain | Starting value0 | What it controls and whySets flap buffet at the configured position and speed gates. Flap movement texture is separate. |
| Maximum flap index | Starting value2 | What it controls and whySets the final flap index for detent normalization. UP plus three detents uses maximum index3. |
| Minimum flap index | Starting value2 | What it controls and whySets the first flap detent that admits buffet; this is a handle index, not degrees. |
| Gain | Starting value0 | What it controls and whySets gear aerodynamic buffet; movement and ground-contact cues are separate. |
| Shaker Enabled | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyPermits shaker at supported warning conditions; the switch does not establish aircraft equipment. |
| Stick shaker amplitude | Starting value0.5 | What it controls and whySets triggered shaker strength; inactive while the shaker feature is disabled. |
| Enabled | Starting valueEnabled | What it controls and whyEnables ground effects; each still needs its own strength and contact or motion telemetry. |
| Gain | Starting value0.24 | What it controls and whySets rolling texture strength, modified by speed, surface and undercarriage configuration. |
| Gain | Starting value0.18 | What it controls and whySets gear-bump texture during ground motion, separate from touchdown impact. |
| Gain | Starting value0.32 | What it controls and whySets landing-impact strength; landing telemetry and response shape determine the pulse. |
| Gain | Starting value0 | What it controls and whySets reverse-thrust vibration with valid reverser and engine conditions. Zero removes the cue. |
| Enabled | Starting valueEnabled | What it controls and whyEnables engine cues with nonzero settings and valid running-engine telemetry. |
| Gain | Starting value0.018 | What it controls and whySets estimated engine vibration using configured telemetry and response, not measured cockpit vibration. |
| Enabled | Starting valueEnabled | What it controls and whyEnables accessory cues with configured strengths and observed accessory movement. |
| Gain | Starting value0 | What it controls and whySets texture from observed flap movement; a command without movement does not establish the cue. |
| Gain | Starting value0.025 | What it controls and whySets texture from observed gear movement, separate from aerodynamic and touchdown effects. |
Limits and open questions
- Radar-altitude hold lacks forward terrain sensing. Penetration mode locks roll for differential thrust; no force lock without qualified state. Optional autothrottle is a simulator convenience. Estimated525KIAS/M.96 limits do not calibrate FFB.
- Force magnitudes and IAS references are estimates. Installed telemetry and physical acceptance remain deferred.
- No exact axis gearing, law/failure scheduling or calibrated inceptor force is implemented. AP following stays disabled.
Physical validation
No physical force validation is recorded in this public catalogue for this revision. Documentary review and software checks do not establish how a particular device feels.
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