BeyondATC sets course for Early Access, AI Traffic injection coming later
The BeyondATC team has announced a new phase in their plan to bring a revolutionary AI-powered ATC add-on to Microsoft Flight Simulator. After a year of dedicated development, BeyondATC is now finally preparing for an early access release of the software!
This decision comes after a period of intense work focused on enhancing the program’s core functionalities, particularly the core IFR experience, which has now reached a level of stability thanks to contributions from beta testers.
BeyondATC’s journey from concept to near-completion has been fueled by the community’s enthusiasm and invaluable feedback. Recognizing the importance of this support, the project team recently sought the community’s guidance on whether to release a core version of the software that focuses on the core IFR experience or to wait until the comprehensive AI traffic injection and management system could be included. The response was unequivocal, with a resounding majority favoring an earlier release.
The Early Access plan
Responding to the community’s call, BeyondATC is set to enter the MSFS add-on market as an early access product, focusing initially on delivering a robust IFR experience for virtual pilots. This phase will allow users to navigate the skies alone, with the promise of the traffic management component being added as a free update within the following 2 to 4 months.
The introduction of the “alone in the sky” IFR experience will definitely represent a huge milestone for BeyondATC. However, the team is fully aware of the challenges that lie ahead, particularly regarding the integration of the traffic management system, which they deem to be an absolute necessity to implement as part of the software’s capabilities. With that in mind, this essential feature for a fully immersive ATC environment remains a top priority for the developers, who are keen to implement it without compromising on quality or performance.
An ambitious roadmap
As BeyondATC moves towards its early access release, the team remains focused on refining the software while also planning for the integration of the traffic management system. But there’s a whole lot more in the pipeline for BeyondATC’s future, including support for VFR flying and emergency procedures, all while continuing to refine the core experience and the AI traffic component.
The enthusiasm shown by the flight simulation community has been a key driver of the project’s progress over the last year, and this support will continue to be crucial as BeyondATC evolves. There have been some hiccups along the way, but the development team has shown they are able to listen to feedback and carefully steer the project toward its ambitious goals.
With the release plans now outlined and pricing strategy laid out, all that remains is for a date to be set for the software to be unleashed to the community. This shouldn’t take long now, so stay tuned for further updates as BeyondATC gears up for its early access launch and continues to work towards delivering a comprehensive ATC and AI traffic management solution for Microsoft Flight Simulator!
