Whether you fly on networks like VATSIM, offline, or with AI-powered ATC and traffic injection tools, chances are you’ve heard of or used FSLTL’s freeware live traffic injector and model library.
In order to inject live traffic into Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, the tool relied on free access to FlightRadar24’s live traffic data through an API. Unfortunately, Flightradar24 notified FSLTL that it is suspending free API access as of the 30th of April, 2026.
What Happened to FSLTL’s API Access? What is an API?
Imagine FlightRadar24 as a restaurant. FSLTL just sat down in the dining room and wants to order some live traffic for dinner (yum). The API is like the waiter. It takes the request, sends it to the kitchen, and brings the prepared order back. According to the announcement from FSLTL, the problem in its discussions with Flightradar24 boiled down to money.
Initially, the team hoped that a low-cost plan for Flightradar24’s API might be made available for users to purchase directly from FR24. Users could then individually provide the injector with access to the data themselves, but that never came to fruition. Using regular FR24 API pricing, some estimates came to around $20 USD for a single 3 hour sim flight with 20 AI aircraft in range.
The announcement has drawn ire from the community, especially since UK-based Venture Capital firm Sprints purchased a 35% stake in FlightRadar24 in September of 2025. The deal, which allowed founders Mikael Robertsson and Olov Lindberg to retain full operational control, valued FR24 at over $500 million USD.
However, the developer explicitly stated that they do not blame FR24 for their decision nor do they hold any ill will towards the company. FSLTL recognizes that FlightRadar24 is a for-profit business and finds it fair that a business wants to be compensated for the use of its product. The developer also recognized that FlightRadar24 could have shut off unpaid API access at any point in time and put FSLTL in the same position.
Even now, the team remains hopeful about an opportunity to collaborate with FR24 to provide a more affordable option to use with the FSLTL traffic injector.
What Now?
On or before April 30th, 2026, FSLTL will need to release an updated injector that does not include the current FR24 API calls. That will basically leave the injector as static aircraft injection tool only.
In the meantime, the team is on the hunt for potential alternative providers. Based on previous research and discussions, the organization doubts it’ll find a free provider that will provide all the data that the current injector is coded to use. A future solution could also mean partnering with a provider that is willing to work with them to provide a low-cost option for users, but FSLTL itself will ALWAYS be free.
Beyond the release of an updated injector without the FR24 API calls, FS Live Traffic Liveries has no ETA for anything else related to the injector. Importantly, none of the news impacts the FSLTL Base Models. The model package will remain available, and the team will continue to update the project with new models, liveries, and VMR files.
The announcement continues to send waves throughout the greater flight simulation community. AI-powered ATC and Traffic Injection tool BeyondATC released a statement expressing condolences and respect for the FSLTL team, while re-iterating that the FR24 API suspension will not affect existing customers, since the tool only uses FSLTL base models for traffic injection.
SayIntentions.AI, another AI-powered ATC and traffic injection tool, released a statement saying the FR24 outage will also have no impact on its operations, since it relies on gate-to-gate schedule data for traffic depiction to facilitate sequencing user aircraft into the mix.
For more information, click here to view the announcement on the FSLTL Discord.
