The SZD-56-2 Diana 2 is one of the most respected competition gliders in the world. Designed by the Polish manufacturer Avionic and first flown in the late 1990s, the Diana 2 was built to compete at the highest levels of open-class soaring, where pilots race cross-country routes using nothing but rising air and razor-sharp aerodynamic efficiency. With a glide ratio exceeding 60:1 and an elegantly slim fuselage, the Diana 2 represents the pinnacle of what unpowered flight engineering can achieve. It has been flown in World Gliding Championships and remains a benchmark for performance sailplane design. Now, solo developer Robi of 61tree Studio has brought this aircraft to Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024.
At the heart of the Diana 2 add-on is its avionics suite. 61tree Studio has implemented the LX9050 and SxHawk navigation system — developed with permission from LXNAV, the real-world manufacturer — bringing a moving map, task planning tools, a final-glide calculator, route optimisation, and pilot profile management into the cockpit. The system includes a built-in flight recorder and logbook, polar and ballast configuration, FLARM traffic display, and a full variometer with audio, speed-to-fly guidance, and thermal assistance. For those who prefer an alternative instrumentation approach, the add-on also integrates the GotFriends/B21 LX Suite, featuring the LX9070 navigation computer and V80 variometer. The cockpit is further populated with a Trig TY91/TY92 VHF COM radio and a Trig TT21/TT22 Mode S transponder.
The flight model includes a five-position flap system, full airbrake and spoiler simulation, and a water ballast system for cross-country weight optimisation — all features that are integral to how the real Diana 2 is flown. Aerotow launch is supported in conjunction with the Rans S6S tow plane by Flyboy Simulations, providing one of the most natural ways to get airborne in the simulator without a powered aircraft of your own. Thirty-one liveries are included, spanning both real-world competition schemes and fictional designs, with a fully repaintable base for those who want to create custom paint jobs. The cockpit itself offers both analog and digital front panel configurations, adjustable glass tint, and a canopy cover option.
A custom layout system allows you to design, save, and share instrument panel configurations with other pilots, and a full hotkey system with customisable keyboard shortcuts is managed through the dedicated 61tree Installer application, which also provides access to regularly updated manuals for all instruments and features. The add-on is under active development, with new features and fixes added regularly. For MSFS 2024 pilots interested in competitive soaring or simply exploring what unpowered flight can offer in the simulator, the 🔗 SZD-56-2 Diana 2 from 61tree Studio is available now on the Flightsim.to Store.