The FlightGear development team is delighted to announce the v3.4 release of FlightGear, the free, open-source flight simulator. This new version contains many exciting new features, enhancements and bugfixes. Highlights in this release include frame-rate improvements on some systems, reduced memory usage and enhancements to the built-in web server.
Founded in 1997, FlightGear is developed by a worldwide group of volunteers, brought together by a shared ambition to create the most realistic flight simulator possible that is free to use, modify and distribute. FlightGear is used all over the world by desktop flight simulator enthusiasts, for research in universities and for interactive exhibits in museums.
FlightGear features more than 400 aircraft, a worldwide scenery database, a multi-player environment, detailed sky modelling, a flexible and open aircraft modelling system, varied networking options, multiple display support, a powerful scripting language and an open architecture. Best of all, being open-source, the simulator is owned by the community and everyone is encouraged to contribute.
Download FlightGear v3.4 for free from FlightGear.org
FlightGear – Fly Free!
Major enhancements in this release
Performance
- Improved frame-rates on some systems from more efficient use of Uniforms
- Reduced memory occupancy for scenery tiles
- AI models are now rendered based on display size rather than range
- AI/MP models may now define objects as being part of the interior, which will not be rendered at large distances
Usability
- Built-in web server now includes a moving map, a screenshot grabber, and supports SVG-based panels
- In-application launcher for Mac, based on Qt5
Graphics
- Improved rendering of runway and other lights under ALS
- Landing and spotlight support for ALS
Scenery
- Improved materials XML format making customer material definition easier
- Procedural rock material definition
JSBSim
- Synchronization with latest JSBSim
Highlighted new and improved aircraft
- Extra EA-500
- North American P-51D Mustang
- Cessna Citation II
- F-14b
Other
- Firewall exceptions are automatically added during setup on Windows systems
- Aircraft moved to a SVN repository.
Bug fixes
- See our bugtracker for an extensive, yet incomplete, list of the bugs fixed in this release.