REV. 09/2026
SQUAWK REPORTING SYSTEM
Beta Program Application
The Retro Metro beta runs on four specialist testing groups, plus a separate livery artist program producing release-day liveries. This application tells us who you are, where your expertise lives, and how you work. Complete it honestly — we select for demonstrated knowledge, not enthusiasm.
All four fields are required.
Choose the group that matches your strongest expertise — or up to two if you genuinely qualify for both. Only the questions for your selected group(s) will appear below.
This is a production role, not a testing role. Livery artists build release-ready third-party liveries so the Retro Metro launches with real coverage. The work runs on our terms: every livery is built from the provided paint kit, documentation, and livery guidelines, and includes the structuring tasks that keep custom liveries compatible with the aircraft’s customization options.
Production commitment: minimum 6 liveries per week of the beta cycle (expected 2–4 weeks). Artists onboard after the testing pool — your timeline for receiving the aircraft and paint kit differs from the testers’.
A1List your system specs (CPU, GPU, RAM, and VR headset if you fly VR) and the X-Plane 12 rendering settings you typically fly with.
A2Which weather, scenery, traffic, or utility add-ons do you run regularly? Which are the heaviest on your system — and how do you know?
A3An aircraft runs smoothly from the cockpit, but frame rate drops hard in external view. What would you suspect, and how would you confirm it?
A4Describe how you would document a performance problem so a developer can act on it. What data would you capture, and with what tools?
B1Describe your audio background — production, engineering, sound design, live sound, or music — and the tools you have worked with.
B2What monitoring setup (headphones, speakers, interface) would you test on, and why does the monitoring chain matter when reporting audio bugs?
B3What audible artifacts point to a bad loop point in a looping engine sound, and how would you confirm the problem is the loop itself rather than something else?
B4Rewrite this report in language that could actually drive a fix: “The engine sounds weird at cruise.” Invent plausible specifics.
C1List your certificates, ratings, and professional aviation experience (pilot, mechanic, dispatcher, etc.). Any SA227 or Garrett TPE331 time?
C2On the TPE331, what does the NTS system do, and in what situation should you see evidence that it is working?
C3During a normal start, what indications would tell you the start is going wrong, and what is the correct response?
C4How would you verify the sim’s performance against the real aircraft? Name the documents or data you would use, and give one example check you would run.
D1Describe your background in 3D art, texturing, photography, or visual QA — and the reference material you have (or can gather) for the SA227 or similar types.
D2What is z-fighting, and name two places on an aircraft model where you would look for it first.
D3When checking PBR texture work, what do you evaluate — and why must it be checked in more than one lighting condition?
D4Walk through your method for inspecting an animation (for example, gear retraction) from start to finish. What counts as evidence in an art bug report?
E1What software do you use for livery work, and walk us through your workflow from opening a paint kit to a finished, in-sim livery.
E2How do you edit normal maps and MAT maps when a livery calls for it? Describe your process and the tools you use for each.
E3Which X-Plane aircraft have you painted, and roughly how many liveries have you released? Describe your experience working inside a developer’s livery guidelines and file structure.
E4The program requires a minimum of six liveries per week during the beta cycle, built strictly from the provided kit and guidelines. Can you sustain that pace without the quality dropping? Answer honestly — a realistic number beats an optimistic one.
E5Portfolio — paste 2–4 links to images of your best livery work. Not your most recent. Your best. (Imgur, forum posts, X-Plane.org downloads — anywhere we can view them.)
Retro Wings publicly thanks its testers and livery artists at release. Choose one:
Your application is delivered directly to Retro Wings. No printing, no email client needed.
Application Received
Your application is in the system. If your background fits an open seat, we will contact you by email or Discord.