Sim Update 1 Beta now available for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 has just launched its first significant update since its release, and it’s a big one. Sim Update 1 (SU1) is now available in public beta form, bringing a host of fixes, performance improvements, and new features. Let’s check it out!

Joining the Beta: Key Considerations

Before diving into the update, it’s important to note that SU1 is currently in beta. This means the update is still a work in progress, and there are inherent risks involved in participating. You may even have to reinstall the entire simulator when moving between builds. So, read this carefully before jumping in.

The beta is available for PC (via Steam and the Microsoft Store) and Xbox. If you’re interested in joining, be sure to follow the detailed instructions provided by Microsoft to ensure a smooth setup.

What’s New in Sim Update 1?

SU1 is much more than a simple patch. It’s an extensive update aimed at addressing a wide range of issues the community has been having with MSFS 2024 since its troubled launch back in November. The list of changes is a long one (check it out at the bottom of this post), but here are the major highlights:

Marketplace: Coming with Full Release

The in-sim Marketplace will finally become available when SU1 exits beta and launches fully. This is a long-awaited feature for MSFS 2024 users. For now, during the beta, the Marketplace remains inaccessible. However, existing content can still be managed via the “My Library” menu.

Stability and Performance Improvements

MSFS 2024 has been marred by instability and performance issues, and Sim Update 1 aims to address these head-on. The changelog reveals several improvements, including CTD fixes, optimized texture memory for WASM gauges (potentially paving the way for add-ons like PMDG’s airliners to function smoothly on the platform), and various other fixes.

Notable Fixes and Adjustments

Generally, simmers can expect many fixes across the board. For example, the aircraft icon on the G1000 now appears as a proper airplane symbol instead of a generic dot. Additionally, the infamous giant trees found in corrupted TIN areas have been removed, bringing relief to players who were puzzled by their oversized presence.

Visual fidelity should also see a notable boost with aerial textures now sharper and less blurry, ensuring a cleaner view during flights. Lastly, there’s added transparency for MSFS 2020 legacy content, with unapproved items clearly marked in user inventories for better clarity.

Improvements for Developers

SU1 introduces numerous fixes designed to streamline the development process for third-party content creators. These include better handling of WASM crashes and expanded tools in the SDK. This focus on compatibility and reliability bodes well for future add-ons.

Career Mode Overhaul

Career Mode is one of the standout features of MSFS 2024, and it’s receiving significant attention in SU1. Key fixes include:

  • Corrected timing for mission start times (night flights!)
  • Resolved server errors that occurred during missions.
  • Simplified ATC steps and removed unnecessary instructions.
  • Improved scoring and progression, addressing player feedback.

Missions such as agricultural aviation and medevac scenarios have also been refined, with smoother gameplay and fewer interruptions.

Aircraft-Specific Updates

This update brings numerous improvements to aircraft systems:

  • Fuel system issues that caused some planes to start with empty tanks have been fixed.
  • Glass cockpit enhancements, including the restoration of proper aircraft icons on the G1000 and fixes for the LX9070 system.
  • Helicopter aerodynamics have been fine-tuned, improving rotor wash effects and CFD modeling.
  • Rain effects on windshields are now fully functional, matching what simmers expect from promotional material.

Visual and Environmental Enhancements

One of the most immediately noticeable changes in SU1 is the improved visual fidelity. Testers are already reporting significant upgrades in ground textures, sharper photogrammetry, and more realistic environmental effects. Streets and urban environments appear to be clearer, with better-defined buildings and textures.

Should You Join the Beta?

Joining the beta depends on your willingness to deal with potential issues in exchange for early access to new features. If you’re a seasoned beta tester or simply eager to explore what’s new, this is a great opportunity. However, if you prefer stability, waiting for the official release might be the better option.

Sim Update 1 represents a significant milestone for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. It addresses a wide range of issues while laying the groundwork for future improvements on the platform. The beta provides a glimpse of what’s to come, with many of the changes promising to enhance the overall experience for simmers.

As always, the success of this update will depend on the feedback and involvement of the community. Just be well aware of the risks if you’d like to test it out!

RELEASE NOTES Sim Update 1 – 1.3.7.0

If you are playing on PC, outdated packages in your community folder may have an unexpected impact on the title’s performance and behavior. If you suffer from stability issues or long loading times, move your community package(s) to another folder before relaunching the title.

STABILITY & PERFORMANCE

  • Fixed a rare crash during airport generation
  • Fixed a crash when using ‘Skip to’ feature at beginning of exam
  • Fixed a potential crash when switching ON/OFF the VR mode during a flight
  • Renamed “Bandwidth” to “Download speed” in FPS debug panel for clarity
  • Optimized texture memory usage of WASM gauges
  • Fixed a crash when closing the game during package mounting

GENERAL BUG FIXES

  • Fixed an issue where the controller was losing inputs if the user went into the filters advanced map layers leaves the sub menu then go back in it
  • Fixed an issue where going in the worldmap filters layers would sometimes soft lock the user when going in another page
  • Fixed community packages preventing streamed packages with the same name from being found by the sim.
  • Fixed UI render issue of items outside of their frame
  • The camera panel no longer forces the cockpit view when opened
  • Fixed CLOCK_HOURS/MINUTES_INC/DEC events not behaving as expected
  • Fixed several time-related issues such as ZULU/CLOCK SET events not behaving as expected
  • Fixed usage of real time instead of flight time when initializing switches (fixes light issues when starting a flight with a sim time that is different from the real time)
  • Fixed community packages being duplicated inside content.xml on each boot. Already existing duplicates are removed from file on boot.
  • Increased screen exposure under heavy cloud cover

BACKWARDS COMPATIBILITY BUG FIXES

  • Fixed wrong font selected when rendering XML Gauge elements
  • Forced 2024 SimVar AMBIENT LIGHT SENSOR to return a very high value if requested from a 2020 sim (can happen if referencing an instrument that has been updated in 2024)
  • Fixed textures referenced in FX files not properly loaded when the package is streamed
  • Emissives brightness fixes

AIRCRAFT CORE SYSTEM

FUEL SYSTEM

  • Fixed an issue causing some aircraft to start with 0 fuel.

GLASS COCKPITS

G1000

  • Fixed aircraft icon on the MFD being displayed as a dot instead of an aircraft.

LX9070

  • Fixed LX9070 glass cockpit broken UI when flying the DG1001

PHYSICS

  • Fixed helicopter CFD / rotor wash aerodynamics issues on edges of platforms.

EFB

  • Fixed status bar datetime being UTC-1 instead of UTC.

CAREER

GENERAL BUG FIXES

  • Fixed missions not starting at the date and time indicated in the briefing
  • Fixed unexpected server error occurring when playing a mission at midnight
  • Fixed unexpected server error after quickly activating and removing active pause
  • Disabled the skip phase button while in active pause

MISSIONS

  • Fixed step description indicating wrong input for rotor brake activation
  • Fixed the step “Announce clear runway” that prevented Player from reaching the maximum score on Airline Procedure objective.
  • Removed the ATC step asking to contact the Airport at Arrival if there’s no Control Tower.
  • Fixed an issue with ATC steps no longer completing if player exited the aircraft after turning the engine on
  • Fixed multiple textual mistakes throughout career and certifications

AGRICULTURAL AVIATION

  • Fixed issues where fields used in Agricultural Aviation were sometimes covered by trees.

MEDEVAC

  • Fixed mission flow not continuing when ATC was speaking at the same time as medical crew before patient check.
  • Fixed “Retract landing gears” step appearing during descent phase.

CERTIFICATIONS

CPL – COMMERCIAL PILOT LICENSE – ROTORCRAFT

  • Fixed an issue with Player possibly getting stuck after hard landing if skids were broken

IFR – INSTRUMENT RATING

  • Fixed aviator performance when landing on the right runway
  • Fixed an issue with CDI and transponder not configured properly

ONLINE SERVICES

  • Fixed friends plane that sometime does not appear on the worldmap

WORLD

  • Removed Giant Trees from corrupted TIN Areas.
  • Fixed a few cases introducing blur in aerials.

AIRPORTS

  • Fixed airport lights not supporting multiples meshes or root orientation.
  • Fixed strobe pole rotation.
  • Fixed some airport lights spawning with flare but without mesh support.

MYLIBRARY

  • When a user enables a content in My Library, the content is now automatically activated and visible in game without the need of a reboot
  • Added a popup with loading gauge to feedback on Activation/Deactivation process time
  • Fixed swap from a FS2024 item to FS2020 legacy item
  • Added the “not creator approved” information when a FS2020 legacy content carried over in the player inventory has not yet been validated by its creator
  • Fixed several joystick navigation issues
  • Fixed screen reader which was not reading all tags
  • Fixed sorting
  • Fixed filtering
  • Improved and fixed some Localization

PERIPHERALS

VARIOUS PERIPHERAL FIXES

  • Fixed use of placeholder image in control settings
  • Fixed Rotor trim mapped to the wrong POV in some helicopters default profiles
  • Fixed inverted left/right brake axis issue which triggered 100% brake application
  • Fixed inconsistent menu mapping for help pages

ACTIVITIES

TRAINING

  • Fixed multiple textual mistakes in Helicopter Pedals Training
  • Fixed missing engine detent notification to Airliner Landing Training
  • Fixed scoring and flow of IFR RNAV Training
  • Fixed multiple textual issues throughout Helicopter Training set

FREE FLIGHT

  • Made so the search bar in the free flight aircraft selection screen now use keywords from all variations of each aircraft model
  • Fixed flight condition weather live always available
  • Fixed flight condition live player only available when player is in live time/weather
  • Fix using always buffered live weather even in custom/preset weather.
  • Pilots can now use server UTC live weather with any date.

DEVMODE

  • Fixed VFS Projector randomly hanging when opening files

GENERAL

  • Fixed Material UV animation

PROJECT EDITOR

  • Fix misleading error ‘Cannot open layout.json’ at the beginning of package build inside project editor.
  • Fixed Export Items window always exporting all packages from the project instead of only the selected ones.
  • Fixed incorrect value for month in revision notes

SCENERY EDITOR

  • Fixed build error when a scenery object has both “NoSnow” and “SnapToBuilding” flags
  • Fixed backward compatibility with dirt on taxiway parkings
  • Fixed incorrect position of building exclusion polygon around taxiway parkings.
  • Fixed taxiway parkings building exclusion not updating during edition in Scenery editor.
  • Fixed multi edit not working properly for some properties (ex: parking headings).
  • Fixed missing shader when an airport light use the material code FakeBingTerrain or geodecal.
  • Removed runway landing tire gum for 2020 packages.
  • Added option in the exclusion rectangles to remove single trees
  • Fixed taxiway signs too bright. Expose the parameter in airport archetype.

SIMOBJECT EDITOR

  • Fixed parsing legacy hashmap parameter

SDK

SAMPLES

  • Fixed memory corruption in the Network Aircraft preset of the WASM Aircraft that could lead to the module crashing

SIMCONNECT

  • Added new specific object IDs to request data for Aircraft, Avatar or Current user object (SIMCONNECT_OBJECT_ID_USER_AIRCRAFT, SIMCONNECT_OBJECT_ID_USER_AVATAR, SIMCONNECT_OBJECT_ID_USER_CURRENT)

SIMVARS

  • Fixed PRESSURIZATION_CABIN_ALTITUDE_GOAL simvar which incorrectly indicated the current altitude.
  • Fixed SimVars ZULU DAY OF WEEK, ZULU DAY OF MONTH, ZULU MONTH OF YEAR, ZULU DAY OF YEAR, ZULU YEAR

WASM API

  • Fixed WASM System running in main menu after a flight
  • Fixed potential crashes (buffer overflow) when using the Network API to send a PUT HTTP request that returns a body
  • Fixed VFX API spawning effects on Avatar when in walkaround mode
  • Fixed WASM module not always reloaded on restart
  • Fixed not all gauge reload sometimes on restart
  • Fixed crash in WASM allocator causing random dirty on allocation
  • Fixed a crash in WASM when requesting ICAO in some context
  • Fixed WASM module dirty status cleaning not cleaning when restart a WASM that crash during kill callback
  • Fixed read from work folder when using Fs IO API
  • Fixed the WASI fd_readdir function – it now lists (in a non-recursive way) files that match the provided VFS path and belong to the same package as the WASM module
  • Fixed random locks when using the Network extension
  • Added Write function in WASM Fs IO API

JS API

  • Fixed B:Events never received when called only from JS

TOOLS

  • 3DSMax:
    • Fixed remove IBL Menu when SDK 2020 is installed
  • Blender:
    • Update plugin for 4.2 LTS
    • Fixed alpha mode for Blender 4.2LTS
    • Fixed “Reload LODS” for grouped by collection
    • Fixed light intensity and light collection when opening a scene
    • Fixed lights conversion
    • Fixed glass width conversion
    • Fixed Blender plugin version
    • Fixed Rain options
    • Fixed windshield extension
    • Fixed set freeze factor to default when we re-open a saved blend scene
    • Remove wear overlay UV scale from propeller material
    • Fixed maximum values for clear coat normal tiling and clear coat roughness tiling