Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 Sim Update 3 beta is here and can be downloaded right now. Version 1.5.1.0 sees a bunch of changes and improvements for the new simulator across a variety of areas. There are new stability and performance enhancements, general bug fixes, improved aircraft, and many changes to the world and environment.
As with any sim update, the release notes are fairly comprehensive and cover most things that you can expect, including one surprising addition (more below). Developers will also see that there has been some new editors added, along with some improvements to the SDK in general. Here are the full release notes.
Details on how to become part of the test are below.
Download Default Content Locally with Sim Update 3 Beta
One of the most requested features for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 was the ability to download default planes and airports locally to your machine. The idea of streaming content certainly held a lot of promise and benefits, but it ultimately struggled for many simmers. It didn’t quite meet the lofty goals set, and so many were crying out for the ability to download default content to their machines.
Microsoft listened to this feedback and assured fans that this would be something they would work towards for specific content in the future. Although it isn’t part of the official feature/changelog for Sim Update 3, it has been spotted by community members that you can now download default content to your local machine.
You can now install default aircraft, airports, and other assets locally. This marks the start of offering flexibility to simmers to pick and choose what they want locally on their machine instead of streaming it from the thin client feature of MSFS 2024. As noted by MSFSAddons, this feature is not intentionally listed in the release notes as it’s still unfinished. Therefore, your mileage may vary, but you knew that already since you’re using beta software, right? Right!?
Image credit: MSFSAddons
Sim Update 3 Beta Now Available with New Website Sign Up
The new Sim Update 3 Beta is now available to download. Starting with this new sim update, Microsoft is transitioning to a website sign-up for these tests in order to improve means of communication and gather more insightful feedback. This will help Microsoft create bespoke groups to focus on testing specific areas (e.g. VR users).
If you have already enrolled via the Xbox Insider Hub app to Sim Update 2 and have not unenrolled, then you don’t need to do anything.
Full instructions on how to get involved can be found here.
