May 11th, 2023 Development Update - Microsoft Flight Simulator

This week’s Screenshot Challenge winner is forum user mk89ns, featuring a Cessna 172 and the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. If you’re interested in participating in our weekly Screenshot Challenges, check out the details in the Community section below!

It’s been a very busy week for Microsoft Flight Simulator product updates!

Earlier today, we released the first test build of Aircraft & Avionics Update 2 (AAU_02). You can find the release notes for beta build 1.33.3.0 on the forums here. Players who were previously enrolled in prior beta tests will automatically receive the new pre-release test build. If you aren’t currently enrolled in the beta but would like to help test AAU_02, there are instructions on how to join the beta for all platforms (PC/MS Store, PC/Steam, and Xbox) on our forums here.

Also today, we released updates to three add-on aircraft from our Local Legends and Famous Flyers series: Local Legend VIII: De Havilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou, Famous Flyer IV: Antonov An-2, and Famous Flyer V: Antonov An-225 Mriya. You can find the release notes for each of these planes at the links below.

Last but not least, on Tuesday we released the first update to Expert Series I: ATR 42-600 / 72-600. This update included over 50 fixes and improvements to some of the most common issues reported by the community. You can read the release notes here.

Finally, if you missed last week’s Developer Livestream, the VOD is now available on YouTube here, and a written transcript (compliments of volunteer community moderator N316TS) is on our forums here.

– MSFS Team

Feedback Snapshot

Click here for the web-friendly version of the Feedback Snapshot.

Development Roadmap

Click here for the web-friendly version of the Development Roadmap.

Marketplace Update

Click here for the web-friendly version of the Marketplace Update.

There are 124 new and 53 updated products in today’s Marketplace this week, and 2 new products from earlier this week. Thursday’s Marketplace update generally goes live between the release of this blog post and 5pm PT.

RELEASED TUESDAY, MAY 9 AND THURSDAY, MAY 11
Updated on PC and Xbox	Updated on PC and Xbox	Updated on PC and Xbox
	Updated on PC and Xbox

98 NEW PRODUCTS: 51 ON PC, 47 ON XBOX
New on PC and Xbox	New on PC and Xbox	New on PC and Xbox
New on PC and Xbox	New on PC and Xbox	New on PC and Xbox
New on PC and Xbox	New on PC and Xbox	New on PC and Xbox
New on PC	New on PC and Xbox	New on PC and Xbox
New on PC and Xbox	New on PC and Xbox	New on PC and Xbox
New on PC and Xbox	New on PC and Xbox	New on PC and Xbox
New on PC and Xbox	New on PC and Xbox	New on PC and Xbox
New on PC	New on PC and Xbox	New on PC and Xbox
New on PC and Xbox	New on PC and Xbox	New on PC and Xbox
New on PC and Xbox	New on PC and Xbox	New on PC and Xbox
New on PC and Xbox	New on PC and Xbox	New on PC and Xbox
New on PC and Xbox	New on PC	New on PC and Xbox
New on PC and Xbox	New on PC and Xbox	New on PC and Xbox
New on PC and Xbox	New on Xbox	New on PC and Xbox
New on PC	New on PC and Xbox	New on PC and Xbox
New on PC	New on PC and Xbox	New on PC and Xbox
New on PC and Xbox	New on Xbox	New on PC
New on PC and Xbox		New on PC and Xbox

63 UPDATED PRODUCTS: 36 ON PC, 27 ON XBOX
Updated on PC and Xbox	Updated on PC and Xbox	Updated on PC and Xbox
Updated on PC and Xbox	Updated on PC and Xbox	Updated on PC and Xbox
Updated on PC and Xbox	Updated on PC and Xbox	Updated on PC and Xbox
Updated on PC	Updated on PC and Xbox	Updated on PC and Xbox
Updated on PC and Xbox	Updated on PC and Xbox	Updated on PC and Xbox
Updated on PC and Xbox	Updated on PC and Xbox	Updated on PC and Xbox
Updated on PC and Xbox	Updated on PC and Xbox	Updated on PC and Xbox
Updated on PC and Xbox	Updated on PC and Xbox	Updated on PC
Updated on PC	Updated on PC	Updated on PC
Updated on PC and Xbox	Updated on PC	Updated on PC and Xbox
Updated on PC and Xbox	Updated on PC	Updated on PC and Xbox
Updated on PC and Xbox	Updated on PC	Updated on PC

Marketplace Backlog

Current Backlog: 788 Total

Marketplace submissions are assigned a priority (P1-P4, with P1 being the top priority) based on defined internal processes and metrics. We review and update the priority system regularly to ensure it is best serving both our players and 3rd Party Developers.

BACKLOG: NEW PRODUCTS

CONTENT TYPE	P1	P2	P3	P4	Total
Aircraft	4	7	18	22	51
Mission	0	6	50	0	56
Scenery	2	1	16	223	242
Livery	2	10	38	28	78
Airport	0	5	69	122	196
Other	0	1	25	7	33
Total	8	30	216	402	656

BACKLOG: UPDATED PRODUCTS

CONTENT TYPE	P1	P2	P3	P4	Total
Aircraft	13	3	13	2	31
Mission	0	0	0	0	0
Scenery	4	1	2	32	39
Livery	0	4	0	2	6
Airport	1	12	24	16	53
Other	0	1	2	0	3
Total	18	21	41	52	132

SDK UPDATE

Asobo

No Update this week.

Working Title / MSFS Avionics Framework

MSFS Avionics Framework
- Check out MSFS Avionics Source Code Mirror to access the latest Avionics Framework source code.
- Find documentation about the avionics framework here: MSFS Avionics Frameworks and Instruments.
- Upcoming framework updates:
  - Adding support for map failure flags in SDK map layers component. (AAU_02)
  - Extending autopilot config options to allow avionics to specify whether flight director should automatically turn on when an AP mode is armed or activated. (AAU_02)
  - Extending autopilot publishers and events to support the disengage event more completely to allow additional functionality to be supported on AP disengage, such as silencing/removing alerts on a subsequent disengage event. (AAU_02)
  - Adding additional support for avionics awareness of when AI Copilot is engaged/operating, including support for bypassing certain flight control modes when the AI Copilot is engaged. (AAU_02)
  - Fixing several turn anticipation and edge cases with flight path calculator to improve LNAV behavior. (AAU_02)
  - Fixing minor bug in VNavUtils for calculating an FPA. (AAU_02)
  - Extending autopilot to support localizer-takeoff mode to provide flight director guidance for low visibility takeoff. (AAU_02)

THIRD PARTY UPDATE

As of 05/07, we have now approved 210 (+1) third parties into the in-sim marketplace and – so far 194 (+2) have released 1,953 products on PC (+71) and 1,642 on Xbox (+53).
In total, 3,019products (+54) have already been released in 3^rd party stores and the in-sim marketplace. Beyond that, another 864 products (-25) from 3^rd party developers are in production (348 announced, 516 unannounced). In total, over 3,883 3^rd party products (+31) have either been released or are in development.
Airports:
- 1,940 airports (+17) are either released or are in various stages of development.
  - 1,687 airports (+37) have been released on the platform so far in various stores.
  - 1,126 airports (+79) have been released in the in-sim marketplace.
  - 123 airports (-3) beyond the released airports have been announced.
  - 130 airports (-17) are not announced, but the dev let us know that an airport is in production.
Aircraft:
- 605 aircraft (+2) are either released or are in various stages of development.
  - 237 aircraft (+2) have been released on the platform so far in various stores.
  - 175 aircraft (+2) have been released in the in-sim PC marketplace.
  - 155 aircraft (+7) have been released in the in-sim Xbox marketplace.
  - 204 aircraft (-1) beyond the released aircraft have been announced.
  - 164 aircraft (+1) are not announced, but the dev let us know that an aircraft is in production.
Scenery:
- 908 scenery packs (+2) are either released or are in various stages of development.
  - 787 scenery packs (+6) have been released on the platform so far in various stores.
  - 308 scenery packs (+8) have been released in the in-sim marketplace.
  - 20 scenery packs (+0) beyond the released scenery have been announced.
  - 101 scenery packs (-4) are not announced but the dev let us know that scenery is in production
Mission Packs:
- 175 mission packs (+0) are either released or are in various stages of development.
  - 152 mission packs (+4) have been released on the platform so far in various stores.
  - 91 mission packs (+4) have been released in the in-sim marketplace.
  - 0 mission packs (+0) beyond the released missions have been announced.
  - 23 mission packs (-4) are not announced, but the dev let us know that they are in production.
Livery Packs:
- 222 livery packs (+10) are either released or are in various stages of development.
  - 132 livery packs (+7) have been released on the platform so far in various stores.
  - 127 livery packs (+7) have been released in the in-sim marketplace.
  - 1 livery pack (+0) beyond the released scenery has been announced.
  - 89 livery packs (+3) are not announced, but the dev let us know that scenery is in production.
Ships & Watercraft:
- 33 ships & watercraft (+0) are either released or are in various stages of development.
  - 24 ships & watercraft (+0) have been released on the platform so far in various stores.
  - 13 ships & watercraft (+2) have been released in the in-sim marketplace.
  - 0 ships & watercraft (+0) beyond the released scenery have been announced.
  - 9 ships & watercraft (+0) are not announced, but dev let us know that scenery is in production.

Community Fly-In

In May of 1925, two competing expeditions were attempting to become the first humans to reach the North Pole by air. One expedition, led by the Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen, used the rigid airship Norge (N-1). The other expedition, led by American Richard Byrd, attempted the feat in the Fokker F.VII “Josephine Ford”. The crews of the two expeditions linked up and met each other in Northern Norway in mid May, 1925.

On May 9, Byrd claims to have flown over the North Pole, although the feat has been shrouded in controversy ever since. Historical researchers claim that evidence shows Byrd did not actually reach the pole. Just a few days later, on May 12, Amundsen’s expedition conclusively reached the pole in the Norge.

In recognition of the anniversary of these two adventurous feats from aviation history, this week’s Community Fly-In will be to the beautiful fjords of Northern Norway.

Event details are available here. All are welcome to participate!

Community Video

We know many of you are enjoying Expert Series I: ATR 42-600 / 72-600, which Jorg recently announced in last week’s Developer Livestream as Microsoft Flight Simulator’s fastest-selling add-on aircraft to date.

Over on YouTube, Practically Geek recently uploaded a beautiful cinematic showcase video of the ATR. Check it out!