May 18th, 2023 Development Update - Microsoft Flight Simulator

This week’s Screenshot Challenge winner is forum user ScenicAtol37419. If you’re interested in participating in our weekly Screenshot Challenges, check out the details in the Community section below!

Public testing continues for Microsoft Flight Simulator’s next major release, Aircraft & Avionics Update 02 (AAU_02). Earlier today, we released a new beta build, 1.33.5.0. You can read the release notes here. If you are not participating in the beta and would like to help test this new build, you can find instructions on how to join the beta on our forums. The pre-release test for AAU_02 is available for both PC and Xbox.

Earlier this week, we released a PDF manual for Famous Flyer V: Antonov An-2. You can find the manual for the An-2 and several other planes from our Local Legends and Famous Flyers series on our website here.

– MSFS Team

Feedback Snapshot

See our most recent Feedback Snapshot here. 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 94 new and 53 updated products in the Marketplace this week. Thursday’s Marketplace update generally goes live between the release of this blog post and 5pm PT.

94 NEW PRODUCTS: 46 ON PC, 48 ON 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 Xbox
New on PC and Xbox	New 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 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 Xbox	New on Xbox	New on PC and Xbox
New 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
New on PC and Xbox	New on PC and Xbox	New on PC
New on Xbox	New on PC	New on 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

47 UPDATED PRODUCTS: 25 ON PC, 22 ON XBOX
Updated on PC and Xbox	Updated on PC and Xbox	Updated on PC and Xbox
Updated on PC and Xbox	Updated on Xbox	Updated on PC and Xbox
Updated on PC and Xbox	Updated on 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
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 Xbox

Marketplace Backlog

Current Backlog: 780 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	5	1	21	18	45
Mission	0	10	59	0	69
Scenery	0	0	17	201	218
Livery	0	8	38	39	85
Airport	0	6	70	115	191
Other	0	2	18	7	27
Total	5	27	223	380	635

BACKLOG: UPDATED PRODUCTS

CONTENT TYPE	P1	P2	P3	P4	Total
Aircraft	11	4	10	0	25
Mission	0	0	29	2	31
Scenery	2	0	0	29	31
Livery	0	4	4	2	10
Airport	1	5	15	23	44
Other	0	1	3	0	4
Total	14	14	61	56	145

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:
  - Improving performance of Smoothing Path Calculator and adding capability to await completion of LNAV computations before beginning vertical path computations. (AAU_02)
  - Improving Autopilot VNAV Path Director by clamping the maximum path intercept angle. (AAU_02)
  - Adding new MultiExpSmoother utility class to provide an exponential moving average to be used with estimated velocity and acceleration. (AAU_02)
  - Adding generic and optional error messages to the SDK FMC Framework. (AAU_02)
  - Adding PAYLOAD WEIGHT STATION to the Weight and Balance simvar publisher. (AAU_02)
  - Adding new MapSubject and SubscribableMap interface to the SDK; a MapSubject is a subscribable map whose key-value pairs can be freely added and removed. (AAU_02)

THIRD PARTY UPDATE

As of 05/14, we have now approved 210 (+0) third parties into the in-sim marketplace and – so far 194 (+0) have released 2,004 products on PC (+51) and 1,689 on Xbox (+47).
In total, 3,068products (+49) have already been released in 3^rd party stores and the in-sim marketplace. Beyond that, another 839 products (-25) from 3^rd party developers are in production (351 announced, 488 unannounced). In total, over 3,907 3^rd party products (+24) have either been released or are in development.
Airports:
- 1,949airports (+9) are either released or are in various stages of development.
  - 1,701 airports (+14) have been released on the platform so far in various stores.
  - 1,144 airports (+18) have been released in the in-sim marketplace.
  - 121 airports (-2) beyond the released airports have been announced.
  - 127 airports (-3) are not announced, but the dev let us know that an airport is in production.
Aircraft:
- 609 aircraft (+4) are either released or are in various stages of development.
  - 240 aircraft (+3) have been released on the platform so far in various stores.
  - 179 aircraft (+4) have been released in the in-sim PC marketplace.
  - 159 aircraft (+4) have been released in the in-sim Xbox marketplace.
  - 208 aircraft (+4) beyond the released aircraft have been announced.
  - 161 aircraft (-3) are not announced, but the dev let us know that an aircraft is in production.
Scenery:
- 911 scenery packs (+3) are either released or are in various stages of development.
  - 802 scenery packs (+15) have been released on the platform so far in various stores.
  - 324 scenery packs (+16) have been released in the in-sim marketplace.
  - 21 scenery packs (+1) beyond the released scenery have been announced.
  - 88 scenery packs (-13) are not announced but the dev let us know that scenery is in production
Mission Packs:
- 180 mission packs (+5) are either released or are in various stages of development.
  - 157 mission packs (+5) have been released on the platform so far in various stores.
  - 96 mission packs (+5) have been released in the in-sim marketplace.
  - 0 mission packs (+0) beyond the released missions have been announced.
  - 23 mission packs (+0) are not announced, but the dev let us know that they are in production.
Livery Packs:
- 225 livery packs (+3) are either released or are in various stages of development.
  - 144 livery packs (+12) have been released on the platform so far in various stores.
  - 139 livery packs (+12) have been released in the in-sim marketplace.
  - 1 livery pack (+0) beyond the released scenery has been announced.
  - 80 livery packs (-9) 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

Standards are an integral part of aviation safety, whether it’s using standard phraseology when communicating on the radio or adhering to international standards for air regulations.

On May 20, 1875, one of the most important standards was established. Representations from several nations met in Paris, France to sign the Treaty of the Metre, the convention that established metric units as the international standard for mass and length. Subsequent developments led to the creation of the SI system, international standards that govern all major weights and measures.

In recognition of this world-changing event, this week’s flight will depart from Paris-Le Bourget and fly over many famous Parisian landmarks such as Sacré-Cœur, the Louvre, the Arc de Triomphe, the Eiffel Tower, and the home of the International Bureau of Weights and Measures in Saint-Cloud, France.

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

Community Video

The sport of air racing has existed for almost as long as airplanes have been flying. The world’s first air race was held in France in 1909, less than six years after the Wright Brothers’ first flight at Kitty Hawk in 1903. Over the ensuing years, there have been air racing events all over the world, including the National Championship Air Races which have been hosted in Reno, NV since 1964 (and now virtually in Microsoft Flight Simulator).

Third party developers Got Friends have re-imagined the sport of air racing and concocted a futuristic roller coaster-inspired race course for Microsoft Flight Simulator featuring glowing neon lights, robots, and more! This course is included with the Astro One add-on aircraft from Got Friends, available in the Marketplace for both PC and Xbox.

Recently on YouTube, cgaviator completed the course in 2:24.05. Can you beat this time?