Smooth flights in Microsoft Flight Simulator are sometimes a bit of a gamble. You might choose an aircraft or an airport to depart from or land at that ends up being more demanding on your computer, or fly over an area that puts extra strain on your CPU and GPU. What was otherwise smooth sailing suddenly becomes a stuttering mess.
Worse still, just when you’re about to reach the grand finale, only feet away from touching down, the sim begins to stutter. Your perfectly planned approach turns into an absolute disaster as you fight the low FPS and frame hitches to no avail, crash-landing at your destination without mercy.
Despite the continuous efforts from the MSFS team and third-party developers to optimize their side of things, third-party utilities like AutoFPS have helped automate this balancing act by dynamically changing Terrain Level of Detail (TLOD) to maintain a target framerate. Now, a new tool called AeroTuneMFS aims to take that concept a step further, using artificial intelligence, real-time system telemetry, and flight-aware logic that adapts your graphics settings based on both what your hardware is doing and where you are in the sky.
Developed by Darren Edwards, AeroTuneMFS runs as a lightweight companion app for both MSFS 2020 and 2024, continuously tuning performance-heavy parameters like TLOD, Object LOD, cloud quality, and shadows. The idea is simple: instead of constantly opening the settings menu or restarting the sim to find the right balance, AeroTuneMFS does it all in the background while you focus on flying.
AI-based performance tuning
Unlike AutoFPS, AeroTuneMFS doesn’t try to chase a specific framerate. Instead, it uses live telemetry and optional machine-learning models to make small, real-time adjustments that respond to what’s actually happening in your system and in the simulator.
During demanding situations, like taxiing around a large airport or flying through dense weather, the app can automatically lower TLOD or other visual parameters to prevent stutters or memory spikes. Once airborne, it can restore higher settings for improved image quality, even offering a High-Altitude TLOD Boost mode that enhances terrain clarity during cruise.
A built-in VRAM guardrail system ensures stability by limiting adjustments if the graphics memory is running hot, while an emergency handling layer temporarily reduces detail to prevent crashes or severe frame drops. Users can also switch between a machine-learning stutter predictor and a simpler statistical model, depending on their preference for stability or responsiveness.
The video above from IslandSimPilot on YouTube explains everything you need to know about AeroTuneMFS.
Smart features and flight-aware logic
AeroTuneMFS connects to MSFS through SimConnect, allowing it to detect takeoff, cruise, and landing phases. It then applies logic suited to each phase: reducing load during ground operations, easing transitions through low-altitude flight, and boosting detail at altitude.
It also includes a Calibration Wizard and Quick Runs that can automatically test and apply performance, balanced, or quality-focused profiles. These generate shareable ATM1 codes, making it easy to exchange presets between users.
For monitoring, the app offers a small tray interface and optional on-screen overlay showing telemetry, feature status, and real-time optimization data.
AutoFPS vs. AeroTuneMFS
It’s easy to recognize some overlap here with AutoFPS, which we’ve covered in the past as a simple and effective tool for dynamically adjusting MSFS’s TLOD to hold a chosen framerate. Both utilities share the same goal (better stability without sacrificing visual quality), but they differ in approach.
AutoFPS focuses purely on maintaining a target FPS, adjusting terrain detail accordingly. AeroTuneMFS, by contrast, takes a broader, AI-based route. It considers CPU, GPU, and VRAM behavior, adapts to the current flight phase, and controls multiple settings beyond TLOD, such as OLOD, clouds, and shadows. It’s less about locking a number and more about keeping the simulator consistently smooth and visually balanced.
AeroTuneMFS is free and supports both MSFS 2020 and 2024. Installation is straightforward: simply run the setup, start the app, and let it connect automatically when the simulator loads. For memory-write features like TLOD and OLOD tuning, administrator privileges are recommended.
The tool is available now from Flightsim.to and the official AeroTuneMFS website, where the developer also maintains beta updates and community support through Discord.
