Laminar Research researched the beta version of the next update for the flight simulator X-Plane 12, numbered 12.1.4.
Teased a few weeks ago and dubbed the “Flightlessons Update” for self-explanatory reasons, it focuses on the onboarding experience, including the titular flight lessons hosted by the simulator’s head honcho Austin Meyer.
It also uses new assets for scenery developers, avionics updates, and even a Safe Mode similar to the one included in Microsoft Flight Simulator.
Here’s a list of the contents of the update.
- New flight lessons with Austin
- Physics-Based Camera
- Barra Airport and Salzburg Airport
- New demo area: Austria
- G1000 SARS
- New gateway assets
- Multiple weather improvements
- Safe Mode
As explained in the detailed blog post, the lessons will span the Cirrus SR-22 and the Lancair Evolution.
Below you can check out how the new physics-based camera works. It does pretty much what it says on the tin, reacting to the forces created by your flight.
Two new airports have been improved with bespoke scenery, Salzburg Airport (LOWS) in Austria and Barra Airport (EGPR) in Scotland, with the latter including the famous working tide.
You can see them in the gallery below.
Interestingly, the Garmin G1000 avionics received the Search and Rescue (SAR) mode that lets you establish and follow predefined search patterns.
More enhancements include the following:
- New Joystick profiles for the VKB S-TECS Throttle Mini
- Adjusted magnetic pole in X-Plane to match real world data
- Fixed an error when resizing the windows using a Wayland session on Linux
- AI aircraft will obey STAR altitude restrictions when on final (XPD-16285)
- Fixed an error when changing audio devices in the sound settings page (XPD-16365)
- Glider Tow crashes when activating TCAS Override (XPD-16422)
- Improved the climb and idle performance to better match those of the real airplane
- This release includes a brand-new manual on how to operate the F-14 Tomcat. You can easily find the manual in the aircraft folder.
- Entering an airport in the flight-plan as waypoint will no longer override the destination airport
- We’ve updated the voice pack to include additional aircraft manufacturers and models
- Don’t allow read-back before the message has been fully heard (XPD-163479)
- Pilot voice says “Ukraine International” instead of “international” at ENGM (XPD-16405)
- Many additional fixes and smaller enhancements
- Added some “Warning Jet Blast Signs” at Princess Juliana International Airport (IATA: SXM, ICAO: TNCM)
- Fixed KDAB ILS7L.HANAV when flying a slow aircraft, such as the Cessna 172
- Boeing 737 autopilot turns to north upon capturing LOC instead of inbound course when flying the ILS32R at EDDK (XPD-16462)
- Pressing the small FMS knob on the MFD will no longer have an effect while being on the map display (XPD-16433)
- Fixed stutters when calculation the mach change-over altitude
- Improved the display of wind directions in the weather map
- Many improvements around the METAR reader, especially the handling of GRIB data
- Added support for calling commands using the Web API. We’ll have more documentation announced on our developer site soon!
If you want to check out the beta, you can do so via the X-Plane Installer or by selecting the option in the properties on Steam.
X-Plane 12 is a flight simulator by Laminar Research, available on PC.
Speaking of betas, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 also launched the beta of its Sim Update 1.