RealFlight Trainer Edition version 1.50.179 is now available as a free release for all Trainer Edition users. It adds new vehicles, new scenarios, and a whole lot of improvements and bug fixes!

This release coincides with the release of the physical HobbyZone Carbon Cub S 2 1.3m Cleetus McFarland Special Edition model, which includes a copy of RealFlight Trainer Edition in the RTF Basic completion level.

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Features

• Added HobbyZone Carbon Cub S 2 1.3m Cleetus McFarland Special Edition
  
• Added E-flite P-51D Mustang 1.0m to the list of aircraft that unlock after 2 hours of flight time (actual time spent in the air)
  
• Added two sets of scenarios focused on helping train beginner pilots, one for airplanes and one for helicopters. They are numbered and intended to be experienced in order.
  
• Made widespread improvements to the user interface
  
• Added Image Quality setting, located here: Settings -> Graphics -> Display -> Image Quality
  
• Added support for the Spektrum DXS USB Simulator Adapter (SPMA5000), which is included in the Cleetus McFarland Special Edition RTF Basic package
  
  • Includes autodetection and a new "Spektrum DXS (wired USB)" controller profile

Improvements/Fixes

• Fixed a memory corruption bug. It is unclear how many users this may have impacted, if any, and how it would have manifested if so. It may be responsible for some random failures or even startup crashes for some users.
  
• Added high-quality aircraft preview images in the main menu
  
• Training: Changed how lessons and their titles are presented.
  
• Challenges & Training: Replaced menus with updated versions
  
• Challenges & Training: Fixed a situation where the paused state could get partially stuck, with lingering broken UI elements
  
• Challenges: Removed old Pause dialog. Added challenge instructions to Pause menu.
  
• Added keyboard & controller navigation support to remaining in-challenge dialogs (e.g., level begin, level complete, level failed)
  
• Multiplayer Host & Join menus: "Server Details" menu item correctly opens the Server Details info dialog
  
• Multiplayer Host & Join menus: Added missing "Game Info" menu item
  
• Main menu selection dialogs' advanced filtering options work correctly when a non-English language is selected
  
• Introduced a missing setting to control whether the multiplayer simulation sound reduction setting is applied in MP sessions
  
• Improved names, description text, and the enabled/disabled functionality for multiplayer sound reduction settings
  
• Added support for home/end keys in selection and navigation lists
  
• Fixed an issue that could affect the roll rate on some aircraft
  
• Temporary resources are cleaned up more thoroughly on disk after multiplayer sessions
  
• Reworked rendering of stars in the night sky, making color differences more obvious
  
• Added a subtle flicker effect to the stars
  
• Added support for more elaborate blinking light behavior on aircraft
  
• Moon flickering when water is enabled is improved, but not completely fixed
  
• Reduced color banding in the sky
  
  • Sky dithering improvements are an example of something made possible by the update to DirectX 11
    
  • Turning up Image Quality has the potential to negate this improvement
• Added resolutionScaleOverride console command to allow fine-tuning the new Image Quality behavior
  
• Possible fix for UI lag that occasionally coincided with RealFlight gaining and losing focus
  
• Scenario Quick Select dialog's description area has a scrollbar to handle longer descriptions (necessary for the new scenarios)
  
• Award dialog appearance varies by unlockable reward type
  
• Time spent with a vehicle's position or orientation locked does not count toward total flight time
  
• Load Flight Recording menu item is disabled while a recording is in progress
  
• Names of enabled/disabled-type settings are slightly altered for greater clarity
  
• Alt-F4 keyboard shortcut now exits the sim while in the main menu system
  
• InterLink reset button closes the main menu
  
• Selection dialog filters persist for the duration of a session
  
• File paths in popup messages at the top of the main menu system are displayed correctly with all characters intact
  
• Improved text alignment for true/false settings
  
• Fixed some bad text in the “Preferred First-person Camera” setting description
  
• Numerical setting values do not display excessive decimal places when metric units are selected
  
• “Enable Recording Microphone” setting's default value is correctly listed as false
  
• Added new Welcome dialog tips and updated some existing ones
  
• Misc. other user interface improvements
  
• Technical Support dialog displays serial number and version info correctly

Aircraft

• Blade 150 S: Colorscheme name is properly capitalized
  
• Blade 150 S: Visual tail rotor wobble is eliminated
  
• HobbyZone Carbon Cub (all versions): Removed a couple unintentional inputs, one of which (Switch D) affected flight

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How to Get It
Steam will detect the new version and automatically update RealFlight when it thinks your computer is not very busy. You can trigger the update manually if desired by completely restarting Steam. Right-click the Steam icon in your system tray and select Exit. Once everything closes, run Steam again, and the update should complete.