[Hmm...December 8, 2025...🙂...Noted...! I am expecting some territorial battle on that day within the household...🙂...as I am eyeing the other (and larger) HD TV across in the living room, where PS5 is now running under the ownership of a (certain) younger member of the family...🙂...with full complement of VR capability and a (Play Station) VR headset. I am myself not a big fan of VR...never use it on Xbox, but who knows, I might be flying the PMDG 777 with VR on PS5 post-December 8...🙂...but for that to happen, I must first exercise some head-of-the-family rights on the PS5 system over the youngster...we'll see...]

Here is an aircraft (NAMC YS-11), that popped up suddenly in my Xbox Marketplace this week; thanks (again) to iniBuilds, for keeping pace with the release of their products into Xbox, almost simultaneously with PC release, for my enjoyment. I distinctly recall flying the (AFG) NAMC YS-11 often during my FSX/SE years of bygone days in the SIM. So, it was a delight to acquire and fly it today in MSFS2024. While the PMDG Boeings (and such) will always hold their ground in any SIM; to me, these are the types of a/c that really bring me the unique sense (and flavor) of my old SIMs.

So, here we go, as I fly this (iniBuilds) NAMC YS-11 (Japanese) Turboprop on a test flight, across a short distance in Japan (see MSFS EFB Map in shot#3), from (RJOO) Osaka Itami Airport, over Osaka Bay, to (RJBB) Kansai International Airport that serves the bustling cities of both Osaka and Kyoto. Please note this is a test flight, though I spent some time reading the iniBuilds provided User Manual. My objectives were to evaluate basic functions of an (A -> B) flight with this a/c, such as lift-off, climb & descent, (automated) Flight Plan (GPS) navigation, manual heading and altitude control, and most significantly Localizer and Glideslope guidance for an ILS Approach. Yes, the SIM, passed all these functions satisfactorily, of course, within the limited knowledge of yours truly, the (virtual) aviator...🙂...

I've defined a Flight Plan per the SimBrief output for (RJOO/32L -> RJBB/ILS-Z 06L; see Approach chart on the (inbuilt) iniBuilds EFB Display). The YS-11 is controlled by an archaic and also probably a bit unfamiliar to us (at least to me), the "Brittain B-5C" avionics and autopilot system. And AI (right or wrong) tells me that, "The Brittain B-5C avionics, a pneumatic three-axis autopilot system, was made by Brittain Industries, Inc., a company based out of Tulsa, Oklahoma, that continues to provide service and sales for all its past autopilots". Tulsa, OK...of all places...🙂...? OK, I see, and good to know. In one of my images (shot #10), you can see a close-up of the Autopilot buttons, placed under the pedestal, as was common in the older airliners. Few autopilot peculiarities exist as there is no need to turn "on" a specific Autopilot button here (there is an "off" button, though), but autopilot is automatically enabled when e.g., you press either HDG or TRK. The LOC button will perform both LOC and GS guidance, and it did so rather well, here, for the ILS touchdown into RJBB's Runway 06L.

My destination, the (RJBB) Kansai International Airport represents a structure of true engineering marvel...born out of necessity, built on an artificial (man-made) island in Osaka Bay (see one shot of it, below). However, after 30 years of heavy operation, there are indications that the incredible airport may be sinking into the sea at a faster rate than engineers had predicted e.g., at opening, in 1994, the rate of sinking was more than 19 inches per year. By 2008, this had slowed to 2.8 inches a year. However, the airport remains at risk, with some engineers predicting that sections could be below sea level by 2056.

Anyway, I've lifted off normally from RJOO, northward, enabled TRK/GPS to make an effortless (automated) 180 degrees turn southward, flying past the (SimBrief) Waypoint "NATEN", then enabled Dir-To to the (IF) Fix "MIBIB" of RJBB ILS 06L Approach; manually turning to capture the localizer at "MIBIB", at 2,500 ft, and finally descend down the glideslope, with full lateral and vertical guidance (see the close-up shot of the ILS Gauge in the close-up instruments shot #13, below), for a smooth touchdown onto the Runway; with no (apparent) issues encountered, on my Xbox system.

The YS-11 was powered by the (legendary) Rolls-Royce Dart (Mk.542) turboprop engines (see a close-up in shot #1), the same Dart series that had powered the world's first (commercial) turboprop flight on a Vickers Viscount; with other notable application been on Avro/HS 748 and Fokker F27 etc. 

Please note this (NAMC YS-11) release is concurrent with the (separate) MSFS Release of World Update 20: Japan, so, you might try enabling your PG (which I've not got to do here) and explore the (newly added) hand-crafted cities of Japan, if you're so inclined.

Hope you enjoy this collection of images of this unique a/c from my short trip today...sharing with me a bit of bygone nostalgia from our old SIMs...all over again...in the MSFS World...🙂...

Thanks for viewing and happy flying...!

Edited September 27, 2025Sep 27 by P_7878

Very nice set. Gonna grab this one soon. This and the somewhat similar Convair 580 were among my favorites in FSX. Also looking forward to many hours exploring Japan in the new World Update.

6 minutes ago, John F said:

Very nice set. Gonna grab this one soon. This and the somewhat similar Convair 580 were among my favorites in FSX. Also looking forward to many hours exploring Japan in the new World Update.

Thanks. Appreciated the comment, John.

Yes, go for it...! You'll certainly have fun with it, along with some add-on (freeware) airline liveries from the community, that I don't have access to on Xbox...I would love to fly it in the classic Piedmont livery...

Yes, what I have heard, Japan PG looks great in WU 20...a much-deserved World Update...

Agree, a quality Convair 580 Twin Turboprop, at least, with this quality here, will be most welcome...🙂...

Cheers...!

awesome job!!

4 hours ago, darrenvox said:

awesome job!!

Thank you, Darren…!

It was a fun aircraft for the job …🙂…

Fine shots, this seems a nice AC to fly around with..

Is this made by inibuilds ?

cheers 😉

Edited September 28, 2025Sep 28 by pmplayer

7 hours ago, pmplayer said:

Fine shots, this seems a nice AC to fly around with..

Is this made by inibuilds ?

cheers 😉

Thank you pmplayer.

Indeed, it seems like a nice a/c to fly around regionally...and to think that this short-haul Japanese turboprop was once envisioned to replace the venerable DC-3 goes to show its (historic) heritage...

I have done only one flight so far. Yes, it's developed by iniBuilds as one of Microsoft's Local Legend Series. It's available for both MSFS2020 and MSFS2024 and was simultaneously released into the Marketplace/Xbox, which was a pleasant surprise for me...🙂 ...

Cheers...!