Blackbird Simulations C-130J Reaches v1.0.0 After Extended Early Access
The study-level Super Hercules officially exits early access with a massive update spanning multiplayer sync, fuel systems, avionics, and performance improvements.
There's something satisfying about watching a complex add-on cross the finish line properly. Blackbird Simulations' C-130J ADV, affectionately known as the "Dirty 30", has officially reached version 1.0.0 — a full release milestone earned through months of early access development and community feedback.
A Proper 1.0 Release
For those who weren't following along during development, Blackbird launched the aircraft into paid alpha back in May 2025 at $24.99, with progressive price increases through beta and into final release. The developer described it as a complex, ambitious reimagining of the C-130J-30 Super Hercules, shaped by real-world military simulation and refined with input from U.S. Air Force personnel and actual pilots.
The depth of the v1.0.0 changelog is evidence of how much ground was covered during early access.
What v1.0.0 Delivers
Multiplayer
The update addresses a long-standing frustration for multiplayer pilots. Radar and TCAS now detect multiplayer aircraft, and an extensive list of animations and effects — including cockpit windows, crew doors, APU doors, cargo ramps, landing lights, formation lights, and fuel dumps — now sync properly across sessions.
CNI-SP Flight Management
The flight management system received substantial attention. Changes to leg data now require EXEC confirmation across the board. VNAV altitude and airspeed constraint logic has been fixed and reworked, and several bugs in SID/STAR handling, airway processing, and conditional procedure legs have been resolved. Cursor targets and inhibited navaids are now saved to file, and the PROGRESS and PERF pages have had formatting and behavioral corrections applied throughout.
Fuel System
The fuel system gains defueling capability through transfer pumps and the SPR (single point refueling) system. Several edge cases involving crossfeed, FLCV valve behavior, and tank overflow have been corrected. Maximum fill level now responds to wing flex — a nice touch of systems depth.
Exterior and Effects
On the visual and effects side, the update brings refined landing gear animations, improved lighting, and performance optimizations. The attention to detail that's made this one of the most anticipated military aircraft for MSFS 2024 is evident throughout.
Pricing
With the transition to full release, pricing has increased from the early access tiers. The C-130J ADV is available from the Blackbird Simulations store.
