What’s New in X-Plane 12.2.0 (Beta Release)?

On April 3, 2025, Laminar Research released the latest update for X-Plane: Version 12.2.0. This update introduces numerous improvements that make flight simulation even more realistic, immersive, and visually stunning. Developers have spent over a year optimizing cloud rendering, lighting, environmental effects, and graphical performance. Below are the key new features:

Cockpit Improvements

Interior Rendering: Cockpit lighting now follows the structural contours of the aircraft, eliminating unrealistic color tones during sunset.
Exposure Fusion: A new technique balances bright and dark areas more naturally, making both the cockpit and the outside world more realistic.
Sky Brightness: Sky brightness has been reduced to prevent overexposure and overly dark cockpits.

Graphics Engine Enhancements

Shader Compiler Upgrade: Optimized resource usage improves performance and stabilizes frame rates.
VRAM Management: More efficient memory allocation reduces blurry textures and loading issues.
Cloud Rendering: Clouds are rendered in high quality around the camera, minimizing pixelation effects.
Optimized Lighting: Nighttime airport lighting has been improved to make GPU usage more efficient.

Graphical Improvements

More Realistic Colors: The new tone-mapping system “AgX” makes colors appear more natural and precise.
Sky Rendering: Fine adjustments result in more natural sky hues.
Cloud Rendering: Detailed shadows within cloud layers and more realistic light scattering make clouds appear more lifelike. Nearby clouds are now represented as 3D objects, with shadows considering curvature and density.
Realistic Shadows: Ground shadows from clouds are now more accurately adjusted to the shape, density, and position of the clouds.

Airport and Scenery Enhancements

HD Surface Textures: Runways and taxiways now feature high-resolution textures.
Weather Effects on Roads: Rain, snow, and puddles are now visible on roads.
Gateway Airports: Numerous new and improved airports have been added, thanks to community contributions.

ATC (Air Traffic Control) Improvements

More Realistic Communication: New requests, such as “Startup Clearance” and pushback-specific options, have been implemented.
VFR Improvements: Better handling of squawk codes and new radio requests for weather information at nearby airports.

New Features for Aircraft

Brake and Parking Systems: Hydraulic and mechanical braking systems have been added. Wheel chocks can now be used as an alternative to parking brakes.
Availability of Wheel Chocks: This feature is available on aircraft such as the Boeing 737, Cirrus SR-22, and Beechcraft Baron 58.
X1000 Avionics:
- Custom waypoints are now supported.
- More realistic flight planning functions, including STAR procedures and AGL altitude support.

Important Notes

Plugins and Mods: Some older add-ons may be incompatible with the new systems. It is recommended to uninstall them or use a separate copy of X-Plane for testing.
Availability: X-Plane 12.2.0 is now available as a public beta and can be installed via the X-Plane Installer or Steam.