The Universal Autopilot for FSX, FSX-SE, P3D, X-PLANE and MSFS 2020

How (and why) to run FSXPilot in X-PLANE 10 and 11

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Category: Support
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Until recently, we were reluctant to widen our simulator support to X-PLANE 10 and 11. 

This was mainly because the API of X-PLANE is very different from FSX and it was not clear how we could ever implement all the functions.  

Version 2.7 of FSXPilot now DOES  support X-PLANE 10 and 11.

This is because of significant improvements of X-PLANE, mainly X-PLANE 11.  

We found (we are not connected to the project at all! ) that X-PLANE 11 is  

  • a modern true 64-bit flight simulator 
  • a sim that will stay on the scene for the next years to come
  • much better than FSX out of the box 
  • more realistic in terms of flight models than any flight simulator that we have flown before
  • very fast in terms of computer graphics
  • bended ! Runways finally are curved like in real. Great !
  • shadowed ! Planes now fly in shadows of clouds, which is nice
  • professional - used in real flight training a lot

After failed initial approaches we finally succeeded in writing an X-PLANE plugin that uses UDP to directly communicate with FSXPilot. 

This software is EARLY ACCESS. Please do not expect that everything will work, bugs maybe frequent. 

Installation: 

All you have to do is

  • get and install X-PLANE 11 :-) 
  • download and install version 2.7 of FSXPilot. Best thing is probably to use a new directory for the install (is suggested during install).

Then: 

  • Copy the folder "XPLPilot", which can be found in "X-PLANE 10 and 11 plugin" folder of the FSXPilot home directory, to folder "plugins" in "Resources" ->  of the X-PLANE home directory
  • start X-PLANE
  • do NOT start FSXPilot by hand as you are used to!
  • load a situation
  • in X-PLANE menu, select "XPLPilot"->"Panel" from the plugins menu. 
  • An X-PLANE window will appear. 
  • Press (only once on this computer) "Find FSXPilot" button on this window and locate fsxpilot.exe in the FSXPilot home directory. 
  • Press "Start FSXPilot" button. You can now close the plugin window. 
  • Fly. 
  • End of session, simply "exit" from FSXPilot program. 
  • After that, FSXPilot window should be closed and all controls should be normal (manual or joystick) again. If they are not, please press the "Reset session" button on the plugin window. 
  • You could restart FSXPilot any time by pressing "Start FSXPilot" again.  
  • If "Start FSXPilot" remains grey, please press the "Reset session" button once. 

 

Known limitations: 

  • Complete autolandings will often fail when (and because) you have realistic winds in the sim. We are working on that. Expect regular updates.
  • You can always take over the final landing approach manually by pressing CTRL+"O" on the keyboard. 
  • Taxi on ground with single-engine planes is per se very difficult (because more realistic) in X-PLANE. FSXPilot will also work less reliable when you want to perform the very straight automatic takeoffs. 
  • Landings: A one and go landing solution with two sets of flap positions is possibly not the way to go in bigger X-PLANES. You may want to assist manually for now. 
  • Elevator trim is crucial in X-PLANE. Please remember that if you get autopilot failures. 
  • X-PLANE is much more speed sensitive during landings than FSX. Please use "real" speed limits during approaches.  
  • FSXPilot does not read the AIRAC information out of the X-PLANE data yet, so many small airports may be missing or runway headings may be wrong. 

FAQ: 

Will version 2.7 work with my PRO license? 

Yes.  Implementing X-PLANE is a free gift to all PRO users. 

Thank you, Hans Bonde from Denmak, for your X-PLANE beta testing.  

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

FSXPilot online manual