X-Plane (simulator): Difference between revisions

X-Plane
X-Plane
	Logo of the latest version
Genre(s)	Flight simulation
Developer(s)	Laminar Research; Austin Meyer
Publisher(s)	Laminar Research; Aerosoft
Creator(s)	Austin Meyer
Platform(s)	Android; iOS; Linux; macOS; WebOS; Windows
First release	X-Plane 1.00; 1995; 29 years ago
Latest release	X-Plane 12.1.2 beta 1; August 13, 2024; 2 months ago

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X-Plane is a flight simulation software initially launched by Laminar Research in 1995. Commercial desktop versions are sold for macOS, Windows, and Linux. In addition, Laminar Research also distributes FAA-certified versions for professional use. A mobile version has been available for Android, iOS, and webOS since 2009 as well.

Flight model

X-Plane implements an aerodynamic model called blade element theory.^[4]

Network flight

X-Plane can connect to other X-Plane instances via UDP or TCP^[5]^[6] for multiplayer flight simulation, networked multi-monitor X-Plane configurations or to plugins, such as Pilot Edge,^[7] which themselves communicate with other X-Plane instances.^[8]^[9]^[10]

References

^ "Interview-With-Austin-Meyer". Retrieved December 30, 2018.
^ "Interview : Austin Meyer, the man behind X-Plane!". July 11, 2014. Retrieved December 30, 2018.
^ Laminar Research (August 13, 2024). "What's new in X-Plane 12.1.2? (Beta)". X-Plane. Retrieved August 13, 2024.
^ "How X-Plane Works - X-Plane". July 18, 2011. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
^ "Background info". Nuclear Projects. Retrieved November 26, 2016.
^ "X-Plane Reference". Nuclear Projects. Retrieved November 26, 2016.
^ "How it works". Pilotedge. Retrieved November 26, 2016.
^ "X-Plane Manual" (PDF). Retrieved November 26, 2016.
^ "Useful downloads". Archived from the original on September 22, 2010. Retrieved November 26, 2016.
^ "X-Plane 10 Desktop Manual". Retrieved November 26, 2016.

External links

This video game software-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

[xporig1-1] "Interview-With-Austin-Meyer". Retrieved December 30, 2018.

[xporig2-2] "Interview : Austin Meyer, the man behind X-Plane!". July 11, 2014. Retrieved December 30, 2018.

[What's_new_in_X-Plane_12.1.2?_(Beta)-3] Laminar Research (August 13, 2024). "What's new in X-Plane 12.1.2? (Beta)". X-Plane. Retrieved August 13, 2024.

[4] "How X-Plane Works - X-Plane". July 18, 2011. Retrieved November 18, 2017.

[5] "Background info". Nuclear Projects. Retrieved November 26, 2016.

[6] "X-Plane Reference". Nuclear Projects. Retrieved November 26, 2016.

[7] "How it works". Pilotedge. Retrieved November 26, 2016.

[8] "X-Plane Manual" (PDF). Retrieved November 26, 2016.

[9] "Useful downloads". Archived from the original on September 22, 2010. Retrieved November 26, 2016.

[10] "X-Plane 10 Desktop Manual". Retrieved November 26, 2016.

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{short description|Flight simulator produced by Laminar Research}}
+{{About|the simulator|the US Experimental planes|List of X-planes}}
-{{Multiple issues|
 {{Primary sources|date=March 2015}}
-{{Overly detailed|date=August 2022}}
-{{advert|date=September 2022}}
-}}
 {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2021}}
 {{Infobox video game series
@@ Line 17: / Line 14: @@
 | first release version  = X-Plane 1.00
 | first release date     = {{Start date and age|1995}}<ref name="xporig1">{{cite web|url=https://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/content.php?13599-Interview-With-Austin-Meyer|title=Interview-With-Austin-Meyer|access-date=December 30, 2018}}</ref><ref name="xporig2">{{cite web|url=https://xplanereviews.com/index.php?/forums/topic/201-interview-austin-meyer-the-man-behind-x-plane/|title=Interview : Austin Meyer, the man behind X-Plane!|date=July 11, 2014 |access-date=December 30, 2018}}</ref>
-|latest release version = X-Plane 12.0.8 rc3<ref name="12.0.8 Release Notes">{{cite news |author1=Laminar Research |author1-link=Laminar Research |title=X-Plane 12.0.8 Release Notes |url= https://www.x-plane.com/kb/x-plane-12-08-release-notes// |access-date=January 2, 2024 |work=X-Plane |date=January 2, 2024}}</ref>
+|latest release version = X-Plane 12.1.2 beta 1<ref name="What's new in X-Plane 12.1.2? (Beta)">{{cite news |author1=Laminar Research |author1-link=Laminar Research |title=What's new in X-Plane 12.1.2? (Beta) |url=https://www.x-plane.com/2024/08/release-x-plane-12-1-2/|access-date=August 13, 2024 |work=X-Plane |date=August 13, 2024}}</ref>
-|latest release date={{Start date and age|2023|12|08}}}}
+|latest release date={{Start date and age|2024|08|13}}}}
 '''X-Plane''' is a [[Flight simulation video game|flight simulation]] software initially launched by [[Laminar Research]] in 1995. Commercial [[Desktop computer|desktop]] versions are sold for [[macOS]], [[Windows]], and [[Linux]]. In addition, Laminar Research also distributes [[Federal Aviation Administration|FAA]]-certified versions for professional use. A mobile version has been available for [[Android (operating system)|Android]], [[iOS]], and [[webOS]] since 2009 as well.
-X-Plane is pre-packaged with various [[aircraft]] and global scenery, which covers most of the [[Earth]]. X-Plane's architecture allows users to create their own add-ons such as aircraft, scenery, or plugins to extend functionality. There are numerous forums where users share their creations for X-Plane, some freeware and some payware. Laminar Research also maintains a Scenery Gateway, which allows users to submit and refine airports for inclusion in the default global scenery.
-On September 5, 2022, Laminar Research launched their latest version, X-Plane 12, as [[early access]]. X-Plane 12 was officially launched on December 17, 2022. It brings a new photometric lighting engine, volumetric clouds, 3-D water, windscreen rain effects, and moving [[Jet bridge|jetways]]. It also features an updated flight model, an entirely new [[Air traffic control|ATC]] system, and new Primus avionics. New aircraft such as the [[Airbus A330]], [[Cessna Citation X]], [[F-14]], [[Piper PA-18 Super Cub|PA-18 SuperCub]], and the [[Cirrus SR22]] were added to the default fleet of X-Plane.
-In October 2023, Laminar Research announced the price for X-Plane 12 would be raised from 59.99 USD to 79.99 USD on the 31st. In the same announcement, they also shared that the version numbering would change from a one-point system to a two-point system starting from version 12.0.8 to allow for more versions to be released faster.
-On December 9, 2019, ''X-Plane Mobile Global'', a major update for the mobile port, was released. Although initially available for free, only five initial locations are available without the purchase of a monthly subscription.
 ==Flight model==
 [[File:RV-10 Appleton Airport in X-Plane 12.png|thumb|right|Screenshot of ''X-Plane 12.00'': [[Van's Aircraft RV-10|Van's&nbsp;RV-10]] at [[Appleton International Airport]] out of the box]]
-''X-Plane'' differentiates itself from other simulators by implementing an aerodynamic model called [[blade element theory]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.x-plane.com/desktop/how-x-plane-works/|title=How X-Plane Works - X-Plane|date=July 18, 2011 |access-date=November 18, 2017}}</ref> Traditionally, flight simulators emulate the real-world performance of an aircraft by using [[Empirical evidence|empirical data]] in predefined [[lookup table]]s to determine aerodynamic forces such as lift or drag, which vary with differing flight conditions. These simulators sufficiently simulate the flight characteristics of the aircraft, specifically those with known aerodynamic data, but are not useful in design work, and do not predict the performance of aircraft when the actual figures are not available.
+''X-Plane'' implements an aerodynamic model called [[blade element theory]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.x-plane.com/desktop/how-x-plane-works/|title=How X-Plane Works - X-Plane|date=July 18, 2011 |access-date=November 18, 2017}}</ref>
-Blade element theory improves on this type of simulation, by modeling the forces and moments on an aircraft and individually evaluating the parts that constitute it. Blade-element theory and other computational aerodynamic models are often used to compute aerodynamic forces in real-time ''or'' pre-compute aerodynamic forces of a new design for use in a simulator employing lookup tables.
-With blade element theory, a surface (e.g. wing) may be made up of many sections (1 to 4 is typical), and each section is further divided into as many as 10 separate subsections. After that, the lift and drag of each section are calculated, and the resulting effect is applied to the whole aircraft. When this process is applied to each component, the simulated aircraft will fly similarly to its real-life counterpart. This approach allows users to design aircraft quickly and easily, as the simulator engine immediately illustrates how an aircraft with a given design might perform in the real world. ''X-Plane'' can model fairly complex aircraft designs, including helicopters, rockets, rotorcraft, and tilt-rotor craft.
-==Extensibility==
-[[File:A340 Parked at LHR X-Plane 12.png|thumb|An [[Airbus A340]] at [[Heathrow Airport]], an example of one of the many 3rd party aircraft/scenery packages available for X-Plane]]
-Users are encouraged to design their own aircraft, and design software titled ''Plane Maker'' and ''Airfoil Maker'' are included with the program. This has created an active community of users who use the simulator for a variety of purposes. Since designing an aircraft is relatively simple and the flight model can help predict performance of real-world aircraft, several aircraft companies use ''X-Plane'' in their design process.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bradcook.net/games/articles/2005/06/xplane/|title= Apple - Games - Articles - X-Plane|access-date=November 19, 2014}}</ref> The [[CarterCopter]] uses ''X-Plane'' for flight training and research. ''X-Plane'' also contributed to the design of the [[Wingco Atlantica|Atlantica]] [[blended wing body]] aircraft.
-Through the plugin interface, users can create external modules that extend the ''X-Plane'' interface or flight model or create new features. The xPilot and Swift plugins allow ''X-Plane'' users to fly on a worldwide shared air traffic control network, [[Virtual Air Traffic Simulation Network|VATSIM]]. Other work has been done in the area of improving ''X-Plane''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s flight model and even replacing entire facets of ''X-Plane''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s operation.
-Maps and scenery are fully editable. While no tool is provided to edit the 3D mesh objects, there are tutorials for using the third-party 3D modelers [[AC3D]], [[SketchUp]], [[Blender (software)|Blender]], and [[Autodesk 3ds Max]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://scenery.x-plane.com/tutorials.php?doc=ac3d |title=X-Plane 8 Scenery Tutorials |access-date=November 22, 2007 |archive-date=May 9, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110509110651/http://scenery.x-plane.com/tutorials.php?doc=ac3d |url-status=dead }}</ref>
 ==Network flight==
 ''X-Plane'' can connect to other ''X-Plane'' instances via [[User Datagram Protocol|UDP]] or [[Internet protocol suite|TCP]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Background info | url=http://www.nuclearprojects.com/xplane/info.shtml |website=Nuclear Projects |access-date=November 26, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.nuclearprojects.com/xplane/xplaneref.html |title=X-Plane Reference |website=Nuclear Projects |access-date=November 26, 2016}}</ref> for multiplayer flight simulation, networked [[multi-monitor]] ''X-Plane'' configurations or to plugins, such as Pilot Edge,<ref>{{cite web |title=How it works |website=Pilotedge |url=https://www.pilotedge.net/pages/how-it-works |access-date=November 26, 2016}}</ref> which themselves communicate with other ''X-Plane'' instances.<ref>{{cite web |title=X-Plane Manual |url=http://www.x-plane.com/files/manuals/X-Plane_10_Desktop_manual.pdf |access-date=November 26, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Useful downloads |url=http://www.xpluginsdk.org/useful_downloads.htm |access-date=November 26, 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100922212817/http://www.xpluginsdk.org/useful_downloads.htm |archive-date=September 22, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.x-plane.com/manuals/desktop/ | access-date=November 26, 2016 | title=X-Plane 10 Desktop Manual}}</ref>
-The ''X-Plane'' IOS (Instructor Operation Station) can be used remotely (via the Internet) or locally (via a computer connected to the ''X-Plane'' session by a [[LAN]]) as part of a flight training session allowing a flight instructor to alter and control the aircraft in various ways. It can be used to simulate various aircraft system failures and also to change the weather, time, or location.
-''X-Plane'' is a popular simulator used to connect to the [[International Virtual Aviation Organisation|IVAO]] or [[Virtual Air Traffic Simulation Network|VATSIM]] network. For VATSIM there are two clients that are used to do so, Swift and xPilot. XSquawkBox was originally developed several years ago but is now deprecated due to VATSIM's new Velocity update, increasing flight position update speed, and xPilot was created as a modern client, built with a X-Plane 11-style UI.
-It can also use an [[Instructor operating station|IOS]] station on another computer via [[Local area network|LAN]].
-==Utilities==
-Multiple utilities are shipped with ''X-Plane 10/11/12'' by Laminar Research for users to customize various aspects of the simulation including World Editor and Plane Maker.
-World Editor is an overlay editor with a [[graphic user interface]] to facilitate editing of airports. With the most recent update, this utility uses global resources to allow users to submit data to be included in ''X-Plane'' by default with each update. The primary purpose of this tool is to modify and correct airport layouts. World Editor also can read the geographical coordinates in [[GeoTIFF]] files. In version 1.3r1, a new feature was added to allow users to submit airports using default assets to an Airport Scenery Gateway.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://developer.x-plane.com/2014/09/the-gateway-lives/|title=The Gateway Lives - X-Plane Developer|website=developer.x-plane.com|date=September 3, 2014 |access-date=November 18, 2017}}</ref>
-Plane Maker is a program that lets users create and edit their own aircraft for use with X-Plane. Users can create aircraft that exist in real life or only in their imagination and see how they would fly in the real world. It is also possible to update existing aircraft to make them more like the real thing.
-==Commercial and professional use==
-The professional use version of ''X-Plane'' adds more features compared to the personal use version depending on the license. A commercial license allows one to use ''X-Plane'' without being tied to a specific computer via e.g. a disk or USB key. The commercial version also supports "kiosk mode", locking ''X-Plane's'' settings via password protection.<ref>{{Cite web|title=X-Plane Professional|url=https://www.x-plane.com/pro/|access-date=February 18, 2021|website=X-Plane|date=December 29, 2011 |language=en-US}}</ref> The professional use version can also allow one to generate revenue from X-Plane related content.
-The professional use version allows [[Federal Aviation Administration|FAA]] certified flight training hours to be logged, but the computer system running ''X-Plane'' must be tested to meet minimum frame-rate requirements and have its hardware and all associated simulation hardware tested to be FAA certified. Furthermore, FAA certification may require expensive simulation hardware (e.g. professional [[Flight simulator|flight simulation]] hardware).
-The professional use version enables more advanced flight simulation hardware compared to the personal use version. For example, it is capable of cylindrical and spherical projection, which is commonly used in large and/or expensive professional flight simulators. The professional use version also has the ability to drive Garmin Real Simulator Units.<ref name="Professional">{{cite web |title=X-Plane for Professional Use |date=December 29, 2011 |url=http://www.x-plane.com/pro/ |access-date=November 19, 2018}}</ref>
-== Versions ==
-The following table summarizes the major version release history for X-Plane.
-{| class="wikitable"
-|-
-|style="background:salmon"|
-|End of Life
-|style="background:#a0e75a"|
-|Current release
-|style="background:#d6b4f1;"|
-|Announced future release
-|}
-{| class="wikitable sortable"
-|+
-!Major version
-!Release date
-!Significant changes
-|-
-| style="white-space:nowrap; background:salmon;"|1.0
-| 1995
-|
-|-
-| style="white-space:nowrap; background:salmon;"|2.0
-| 1996
-|
-* 800x600 screen resolution<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |url=http://www.x-plane.com/ |access-date=March 7, 2023 |title=Version 3.2 now available! |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19970413011554/http://www.x-plane.com/ |archive-date=April 13, 1997}}</ref>
-* Dynamic air traffic
-* Ability to fly helicopters and airplanes
-* Space-flight dynamics
-|-
-| style="white-space:nowrap; background:salmon;"|3.0
-| 1997
-|
-* Aircraft carriers<ref name=":0" />
-* Force-feedback joystick support
-* Four engine support
-* New airplanes including the Boeing 747 and Harrier Jump-Jet
-* Afterburners
-* Updated flight-physics engine
-|-
-| style="white-space:nowrap; background:salmon;"|4.0
-| 1998
-|
-|-
-| style="white-space:nowrap; background:salmon;"|5.0
-| 1999
-|
-* Rocket engines<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 15, 1999 |title=X-Plane - flight simulator,Macintosh,Windows |url=http://x-plane.com/ |access-date=April 8, 2022 |website= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19991115082318/http://x-plane.com/ |archive-date=November 15, 1999 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
-* Moving frigates and aircraft carriers
-* F-18 Hornet
-|-
-| style="white-space:nowrap; background:salmon;"|6.0
-| 2001
-|
-* Multiple fuel tanks
-* Digital elevation data from the Space Shuttle Earth Mapping Mission
-|-
-| style="white-space:nowrap; background:salmon;"|7.0
-| 2003
-|
-|-
-| style="white-space:nowrap; background:salmon;"|8.0
-| 2004-12-10
-|
-* New scenery engine<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 1, 2005 |title=X-Plane, by Austin Meyer |url=http://www.x-plane.com/default.html |access-date=April 8, 2022 |website= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050101084633/http://www.x-plane.com/default.html |archive-date=January 1, 2005 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
-* Use of vectors and objects for underlying simulation code
-|-
-| style="white-space:nowrap; background:salmon;"|9.0
-| 2008-06-06
-|
-* Improved Frame rate
-* Almost no delay in Scenery-Shifting {{En dash}} to fly around the entire planet without ever having a significant pause to load scenery
-|-
-| style="white-space:nowrap; background:salmon;"|10.0
-| 2011-11-10
-|
-* a brand new system for auto-generating plausible scenery for the entire world,
-* a new, highly-detailed cloud and weather rendering system,
-* a flight model with improved accuracy and even greater power,
-* a completely redone ATC and AI Aircraft system, and
-* the ability to more fully utilize multi-core CPUs for enhanced realism.
-|-
-| style="white-space:nowrap; background:salmon"|11.0
-| 2017-03-30
-|
-* New user interface
-* A new level of quality in the included aircraft
-* Support for virtual reality headsets
-* Support for Metal & Vulkan graphics APIs alongside the existing OpenGL
-|-
-| style="white-space:nowrap; background:#a0e75a;"|12.0
-| 2022-12-17
-|
-* Updated user interface
-* Moving jetways
-* Seasons
-* New lighting, sound and effects engine
-* New aircraft
-* Flight model updates
-* Updated ATC system
-* New Primus avionics
-* Object-interactive 3D water waves
-* OpenGL draw calls made by addons are executed by Vulkan via Zink translation layer (optional)
-* Seamlessly-blending dynamic weather engine
-* 3D volumetric clouds
-|}
 ==See also==
-{{Portal|Video Games|Aviation}}
 * ''[[FlightGear|FlightGear Flight Simulator]]''
 * ''[[Microsoft Flight Simulator]]'' (''[[Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020 video game)|Flight Simulator 2020]]'')
@@ Line 190: / Line 38: @@
 ==External links==
-{{wikibooks|X-Plane Flight Simulator}}
 <!--==========================({{NoMoreLinks}})============================
     | PLEASE BE CAUTIOUS IN ADDING MORE LINKS TO THIS ARTICLE. WIKIPEDIA  |
@@ Line 205: / Line 52: @@
 * {{Official website}}
 * {{Curlie|Games/Video_Games/Simulation/Flight/X-Plane|''X-Plane''}}
-* {{MobyGames|-group/x-plane-series/}}
+* [https://www.mobygames.com/group/6348/x-plane-series/ ''X-Plane''] at [[MobyGames]]
+{{Subject bar|portal1=Video Games|portal2=Aviation|auto=yes|d=Q1520905|b=X-Plane Flight Simulator}}{{DEFAULTSORT:X-Plane (simulator)}}
-{{DEFAULTSORT:X-Plane (simulator)}}
 [[Category:1995 video games]]
 [[Category:Android (operating system) games]]
@@ Line 218: / Line 64: @@
 [[Category:Video games developed in the United States]]
 [[Category:Windows games]]
+[[Category:Laminar Research games]]
+{{Videogame-software-stub}}