Laminar Research has released a large update for their X-Plane 12 simulator today. The update has introduced various new features, as well as improvements to existing content.
Weather Engine
This update is quite extensive, with improvements made to numerous aspects of the simulator. The most notable new feature is weather radar, which will be available in the default aircraft, including the 737-800, A330, Cessna Citation X, MD-82, and Cirrus Vision. The weather radar can be manually tilted, includes multi-scan modes, predictive windshear and ground clutter suppression. The modes also include WX, WX + T and TURB. A simulated test is also included. Full API is available for developers to utilise in their own planes.
Airbus A330 Overhaul
Speaking of the Airbus A330, that has also received a major overhaul in the X-Plane 12.3.0 update. There is a completely new navigation system, now supporting secondary flight plan option, functional step climbs and improved climb and descent predictions. These predictions correlate to the enhanced VNAV logic, which now includes a better descent path and smooth deceleration.
The autopilot on the A330 now includes accurate alpha floor protection under fly-by-wire. There is also a more realistic auto-trim reset, better deceleration logic, and it includes managed climb and descent during the missed approach phase. The systems have also received better V-speed suggestions, improved fuel prediction logic, alongside new ECAM messages. Fuel burn and climb thrust were also changed to better reflect the aircraft’s real counterpart.
The visual aspect of the Airbus A330 in X-Plane 12.3.0 is also changed, with major improvements to the decals, dirt details, and even the entire dynamic cabin and cockpit lighting. The cabin now features 3D dynamic lights, which adjust based on the phase of the flight and altitude of the aircraft. In the cockpit, the instruments have new backlighting and the light bounces off more realistically off the surfaces, making the night flying experience even more impressive.
Dubai Airport (OMDB) Overhaul
The scenery of Dubai, found on the X-Plane Scenery Gateway, has been completely overhauled, too. This will include new buildings, signage, textures and custom-made airport vehicles that are specific to this major international airport. The scenery will also include a detailed landside, with various landmarks surrounding the airport.
In addition, the team has improved other Scenery Gateway sceneries that have not been specified. The sceneries will also be more realistic now, as Laminar Research has created a new library of objects that include European ambulances, new airport barricades, and the issue with missing drivers in vehicles has been fixed, too.
Improvements to Simulator
The simulator now supports a feature called “Engine Health”, which you can enable in settings. This allows aircraft to simulate wear and tear on engines, and simulated wear can be on many parts of the engines, including cylinders, bearings or compressors. This is going to influence your flights, and you will need to maintain the aircraft properly.
The avionics screens can now be assigned to a dedicated hardware screen individually, meaning that you don’t have to pop up the windows of them. This makes setting up a home cockpit much easier in the long run, as the displays will be loaded into your desired screens any time you load into the scenario.
Furthermore, the Laminar Research team has done improvements to aircraft in general as well, improving vertical navigation, reverse thrust detection on physical hardware, AOC menu ATC connection, and even ATIS support is added, which you can receive via the aircraft’s flight management computer. Some of the minor improvements to individual planes include better instrument artwork on the Boeing 737-800, improved VNAV in Citation X, better flap handling in the Super Cub, and much more.
For more information, you can visit the full official changelog of this update on the X-Plane website. The update is now available to be downloaded for every X-Plane user who has purchased the simulator through their website. The Steam version is going to come a bit later.
You can also read more about X-Plane in more of our articles here.
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