The divide between PC and Xbox flight simulation has often been defined by utility. While PC pilots have enjoyed external camera tools for cinematic “plane spotting,” Xbox users have remained tethered to the sim’s native, sometimes cumbersome drone system. FlightControlTools is now addressing this disparity directly. Following its initial PC launch last year, FlightControlSpotter has officially arrived on the MSFS Marketplace, bringing dedicated tower and tracking views to the Xbox Series X|S for the first time.
The significance of this release lies in the technical transition from an external utility to a Marketplace-approved add-on.Traditionally, these kinds of mods rely on external executable files that cannot run on consoles. The developer says that FlightControlSpotter has been specifically coded and tested to ensure smooth operation within the closed Xbox environment.
By securing a spot on the official storefront, the tool provides a unified experience across both MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024. For the community, this means that the virtual “spotter” hobby is no longer a platform-exclusive activity.
The new POI system
The expansion to the Marketplace coincides with the release of Update v1.1, which is included immediately for new buyers. The developer highlights that this update fundamentally changes how the tool handles locations. It’s no longer just about snapping to a tower view, it’s also about building a “personal spotting database.
The new POI management system introduces two key capabilities:
- Auto-Detection:Â The tool can now scan for nearby landmarks, towers, and notable locations, instantly converting them into ready-made observation points.
- Custom Curation:Â Users can now move the camera to any specific location, such as a beach near the runway threshold or a specific rooftop, and save that exact coordinate with a custom name.
This feature opens up interesting utility beyond simple plane spotting. For example, the developer suggests this allows users to act as “observers” or jury members during multiplayer bush trips, where they can park the camera at a difficult landing spot to watch other pilots come in, rather than hovering in a plane overhead.
Where should you buy?
With this release, the product is now available on both the in-sim Marketplace and SimMarket. It is worth noting that the developer has been transparent about the differences between the two platforms.
While the content is identical, the developer points out that the SimMarket version allows for “faster update delivery,” bypassing the Microsoft certification ingestion time. However, for Xbox users, or PC users who prefer the simplicity of the in-game manager, the Marketplace edition offers the necessary convenience and cross-platform entitlement.
Full Changelog v1.1
- Added Point of Interests (POI) management
- Fixed Spot View and Tower View enable/disable button behavior
- Resolved empty Tower View spot issue
- Removed automatic pause when selecting Tower or Spot View
- Font size now adapts to screen resolution
- Drone zoom set to 70% for improved aircraft tracking
- Adjusted altitude calculation for Tower and Spot Views
- Introduced aircraft pause when switching to a Spot View beyond 30 NM
