Flight Simulator's second World Update brings visual updates to the U.S.

After delivering the first World Update in September that brought improvements to the scenery and airports in Japan, Microsoft’s second Flight Simulator content drop this time focuses on the U.S.A, just in time for the holidays. World Update II: USA is now rolling out as a free update to Xbox Game Pass for PC, Windows 10, and Steam users. The update also fixes a bunch of bugs and other known issues.

The update brings improved elevation maps for terrain, resolution improvements “up to one meter”, aerial texture enhancements for better appearance, and four new “hand-crafted airports”, says the firm. These airports include Atlanta (KATL), Dallas/Fort Worth (KDFW), Friday Harbor (KFHR), and New York Stewart (KSWF).

The firm has also improved the visuals of 48 other airports and has added 50 new “points of interest” – areas with enhanced visuals. Some of these include the White House, Washington Monument, Capitol, Hoover Dam, Las Vegas Strip, and more. You can head to the release notes here to view the entire list.

Additionally, the update also brings a new Bush Trip “across the Alaskan wilderness” and a Discovery Flight through iconic east coast locations. The firm notes that users will have to head to the Marketplace to claim the World Update after downloading the latest patch for the simulator.

As for the list of fixes, patch version 1.11.6.0 brings with it a bunch of fixes for airplanes such as remedies for the fuel consumption issue on the Boeing 747-8 and the A320neo. Other elements such as the UI, activity logs, input devices have also received improvements.

Here is the complete changelog:

PERFORMANCE AND STABILITY

• Several crashes were fixed to improve overall stability of the title
• Optimization on photogrammetry loading
• Offline air traffic aircraft are now properly removed at a long distance. This caused a performance degradation over time.

PLANES

• From handling and flight model improvements to auto-pilot fixes, a general review of all planes has been made for this update.

AIRLINERS

• Fixed: Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental fuel consumption issue
• Fixed: Airbus A320neo fuel consumption issue
• Reduced yaw oscillation on the Airbus A320neo by further reducing yaw gain

GENERAL AVIATION AIRCRAFT

• Pipistrel Virus SW121: Fixed – Cruise speed adjusted (previously too low) in the aircraft selection menu
• Cessna 152: 5% more elevator authority
• Cirrus SR22: Fixed – The mixture control is no longer set to Automixture
• Cessna 208 B Grand Caravan EX: Fixed – invisible spoiler removed
• EXTRA 330LT : Engine reactivity increased
• EXTRA 330LT : Fixed full castoring tail wheel animation and allowed up to 90° rotation
• Robin Cap10 : Allowed 90° range of motion for full castering rear wheel

Garmin glass cockpit equipped aircraft:

• Added visual notification on PFD when deactivating AP
• Flight director is now automatically turned on when AP is enabled and cannot be disabled

UI

• The data consumption value calculation has been fixed
• Fix input feedback on some devices
• The livery name should now be correctly displayed in the menus
• The weather image in the flight plan should now be correct in all cases
• Some accuracy for the live time have been fixed
• Fixed an issue that prevented the checklist eye button to be selected
• The bushtrip menu should no longer freeze
• Switching from online to offline in the menu should no longer freeze the title
• Fixed some behaviors that resulted in having the World map search not responding

INPUT

• Honeycomb Bravo Throttle Quadrant default preset has been added (GA Twin engines configuration)
• CH Throttle Quadrant default preset has been added
• CH Flightstick Pro default preset has been added
• CH Combatstick default preset has been added

ACTIVITY

• The logbook should now properly log unfinished flights (either via return to main menu or via landing and shutting down the engine and Master)
• The landing challenge target should now be properly displayed after restarting the activity

WORLD

• Streetlights of smaller streets and roads should now be displayed more randomly
• Workers on an airport should no longer randomly freeze and stop being animated

Overall, the updates to performance and the improved visuals for the locations in the U.S. bring with it welcome additions right in time for the holiday weekend, especially with the pandemic forcing more people indoors.