FlightControlTools developer Fabio Merlo has previewed the next major versions of both FlightControlReplay and FlightControlSpotter, giving the community its first proper look at what’s in the pipeline for 2026.
We’ve been following these tools for a while now. FlightControlSpotter launched last year as a utility for MSFS 2020 and 2024, bringing tower views and plane spotting directly into the sim. Since then it’s gone through a meaningful update cycle, most recently arriving on the MSFS Marketplace with Xbox support in January. The pace has been steady, and what’s now been previewed for both tools suggests that momentum is continuing.
FlightControlReplay 6: more than a UI refresh
The most visible change in FCR6 is a completely redesigned interface, described by the developer as a sleeker layout with faster workflow and intuitive slider controls. The teaser video backs that up, and the visual direction is noticeably cleaner than what FCR5 currently offers.
The more interesting additions, though, are on the camera and content creation side. A new Cinematic Mode promises fully free camera movement for film-style captures, expanding on the cinematic replay functionality already present in FCR5. There’s also a new Fly-By Camera, exclusive to MSFS 2024, which Merlo says can track live flights with zoom precision and AI traffic integration. Rounding things out are an Automatic Highlights creation feature and a dedicated Data Logger UI with detachable charts.
That said, Merlo has been clear that several features are still to be revealed, so this is a preview rather than a full picture. The release window is listed as “soon 2026,” with no firm date attached. Existing FCR5 users will have access to reduced upgrade pricing, consistent with how previous version transitions have been handled.
FlightControlSpotter 2: free update, April 2026
FCS2 is more concrete on timing. It’s planned for this month and will arrive as a free update for all registered users, regardless of whether they purchased through SimMarket or the MSFS Marketplace.
The additions include Camera Track for AI planes, a Fly-By Camera now integrated into Spot View (MSFS 2024 only), and the ability to save custom drone positions for repeatable shots. For anyone who has a set of favourite spotting locations they return to regularly, that last feature is an interesting improvement worth having.
Given that FlightControlSpotter only reached the Marketplace in January, a free update of this scope arriving a few months later is a fairly generous turnaround.
