Rotate (Rotate Simulation / Rotatesim) has rolled out an exciting update to MD-80 Pro, v1.51 for X-Plane 12, bringing fresh capabilities to this classic airliner simulation. It was announced via email by Ivan Arroyo, one of the key developers at Rotate, on March 26, 2025. This latest release is now available to users, delivering a refined experience tailored to the latest advancements in X-Plane 12.
The MD-80 Pro aims to replicate the McDonnell Douglas MD-88 variant, a narrow-body jet that first flew in 1987 and quickly became a workhorse for airlines like Delta and American in the USA and Iberia and SAS within Europe. Rotate’s rendition, priced at $59.95 / €67.80 on the X-Plane.org store, replicates its twin Pratt & Whitney JT8D-219 engines, EFIS-equipped cockpit, and dual FMS setup.
Update to V 1.51 Available Now
For existing owners, the update is accessible through the SkunkCrafts Updater (with the beta option enabled). This version introduces significant features like Autoland mode, Terrain display, and native support for Apple Silicon architecture, showcasing Rotate’s commitment to keeping pace with the simulator’s evolution.
This update enhances the aircraft with an Autoland mode, enabling fully automated landings – a feature tied to the real MD-80’s Category III capabilities for low-visibility operations. The Terrain display integrates a MAP mode into the weather radar, providing pilots with detailed ground visuals.
In addition, the newer Apple Silicon support ensures compatibility with modern Mac hardware like the M1 and M2 chips. Alongside these, Rotate has tuned the performance model and predictions to align with X-Plane 12’s updated physics engine, addressing user-reported issues from prior iterations.
Rotate MD-80 V1.51 Changelog:
In full, the changelog of the latest version is:
- Added AUTO LAND mode to autopilot
- Added AUTO LAND test
- Added AUTO G/A mode and annunciators
- Added MAP mode with terrain display to the WX instrument
- Added compatibility with Apple Silicon architecture
- Added PUSH position for altitude control in FGCP
- Added compatibility of lights for NewSky and other third party addons
- Added compatibility with improved X-Plane de-icing system
- Improved outflow valve wheel behavior
- Improved autobrake friction to match landing distances
- Improved brake temperatures logic
- Tuned engine performance and fuel burn
- Tuned aerodynamics
- Tuned localizer guidance
- Improved FMC performance predictions
- Fixed CTD when xPilot or other addons write to multiplayer plane’s datarefs
- Fixed RTO triggered with aircraft stopped
- Fixed transmission for MIC selection in Audio Control Panel
- Fixed vertical speed control wheel actuator in VR
- Fine tuned some sounds
- Fixed pressurization loss when descending in idle
- Fixed a bug in vertical deviation indication
- Fixed a bug in VVI display
- Fixed autopilot mode transition from FMS-EPR to EPR-LIM
- Fixed geometry in IRS annunciator
- Added commands to control lights
- Fixed minor bug in OpenAL initialization
- Fixed a memory leak in VR when floating windows are resized
- Fixed a bug in navaids processing during initialization
A Continuing Evolution
The MD-80 has evolved significantly since Rotate’s initial release in 2016 for X-Plane 10. Version 1.50, a public beta launched in May 2023, marked its transition to X-Plane 12, introducing VR support, rain and ice effects, and upgraded cockpit textures.
Earlier updates, like v1.3, added TCAS II v7 functionality and refined flight dynamics based on real MD-80 pilot input. The v1.51 release builds on this foundation, incorporating fixes for bugs such as pressurization loss during idle descents and vertical deviation errors, as noted in Rotate’s changelog history.
Community feedback on forums like X-Plane.org has often highlighted the aircraft’s immersive sound design – sourced from real cockpit recordings – and detailed 4K exterior textures, both elements that have been further optimised for X-Plane 12’s rendering improvements.
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