Category: X-PLANE 12
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X-Plane 12.3 Beta: New Features, Current Progress, and Upcoming 12.4
X-Plane 12.3 is a weather-and-cockpit-focused update built to refine the sim’s visual weather systems (including near-aircraft volumetric cloud behavior and radar), cockpit rendering, and a raft of aircraft and system fixes. Laminar has been releasing 12.3 as a public beta so the broader community can exercise many hardware/software combinations and report issues before a final…
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X-Plane in Screenshots: 50 Realistic Moments Captured
X-Plane 12 has quickly established itself as one of the most visually and technically impressive flight simulators available today, and nothing highlights that better than the work of its community. The following collection of 50 screenshots captures the sheer diversity of experiences made possible by the sim — from misty early morning departures to dramatic…
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⭐ Ten Free X-Plane 12 Essentials: Mods, Tweaks, and Enhancements for Realism
X-Plane 12 is already one of the most realistic flight simulators on the market, but every simmer knows that the real magic happens once you start customizing it. The base sim gives you a great foundation — accurate flight models, stunning new weather, and a modern rendering engine — but it’s the addons and tweaks…
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⭐ From Stutters to Smooth Skies: Performance Boost Tricks for X-Plane 12
Next planned article update for new tricks on Tuesday, October 28, 2025. This article will be updated regularly as new tricks to improve X-Plane 12 performance are discovered, so stay tuned. Tweaking graphics and power settings in Windows 11 plays a major role. Setting your power plan to “High Performance” ensures your CPU and GPU…
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VATSIM or IVAO: Real-World Pilot’s Deep Dive
When I first discovered online flight simulation networks, my sim experience changed forever. Suddenly, I wasn’t flying through a sterile, empty world anymore — I was sharing the sky with hundreds of other pilots and live air traffic controllers. I was listening to real phraseology, following real clearances, waiting in virtual holds, and dealing with…
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Keeping It Real: Why Navdata Matters in Simulators
Navdata (navigation data) is the standardized digital database that provides the essential information an aircraft’s navigation systems need to operate safely and efficiently. It contains details such as waypoints, airways, airports, runways, Standard Instrument Departures (SIDs), Standard Terminal Arrival Routes (STARs), instrument approach procedures, and restricted or controlled airspace. Without accurate navdata, aircraft could deviate…
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Two Runways, One Mission: MSFS 2024 and X-Plane 12
As a current, real-world pilot who spends my off-duty hours in the virtual cockpit, I’m often asked which simulator is “better” for someone who actually flies for a living. The short answer: there’s no single winner — but there is a clear best choice depending on your training objective. Below I compare Microsoft Flight Simulator…
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Pilot’s Log Entry: X-Plane 12.2.1
Don’t forget to study one of our most-read articles, Performance Boost Tricks for X-Plane 12, to gain smoother flying. Another popular one is Ten Free X-Plane 12 Essentials, including addons and tweaks that transform the sim into a truly immersive experience. I’ve flown a lot of hours in the real world and even more in…
