World Update 1 along with a long list of updates to Microsoft Flight Simulator is out and here’s what you can expect with the new update.

Japan is the focus

World Update I is the first of what are likely to be many world updates coming to the sim from the team at Asobo Studios. Although Flight Simulator already looks leaps and bounds beyond other sims when it comes to global scenery packages there’s still many areas that the sim can improve on (it’s not perfect) and one of the ways is more detailed upgrades to specific areas with custom scenery packages, more photogrammetry, and improved terrain meshes.

Microsoft has shared, through their latest developer update, how to get the new scenery pack and here are the steps:

1. Log into the Microsoft Store or Steam and check for updates for Microsoft Flight Simulator. Make sure you install the latest update (1.9.3).
2. After you launch the sim, you can press ALT+ENTER and look at your title bar to check to make sure you have the latest version.
3. An automatic update around ~9 GB will begin to complete the 1.9.3 installation.
4. Once MSFS is updated (v1.9.3.0), visit the Marketplace to download the Japan content bundle

Fixes and enhancements

There’s also a list of fixes and enhancements that have come with update 3 as well. Here are some highlights from the list:

• Three new airports:
  • LEMG – Málaga Airport
  • LFLC – Clermont-Ferrand Auvergne
  • PAFR – Bryant Army Airfield Heliport
• 60 airports improvements based on community feedback
• Control towers added on 700+ US airports
• The collision problems at negative altitudes have been fixed
• Incorrect energy formulas resulting in inaccurate autopilot behavior have been fixed
• G1000/3000 : Fixes on flight plan entering / duplicate waypoint page
• Cessna Citation CJ4: Upper menu and ENG buttons are no longer INOP
• Airbus A320neo Fix APU Fuel Flow shutting down left engine
• Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental: fixed wrong approach VREF speeds
• The wind gradient when getting close to the ground on live weather has been fixed
• TrackIR can now be enabled or disabled in the camera panel

I thought these were some of the key pieces of the update. They range from fixing the issues with the A320neo’s fuel flow shutting down the left engine to issues being solved with flight modeling in the 747 to problems with the G1000/3000’s waypoint entry system. I also appreciate that the CJ4 has menu and ENG buttons that now work – this gives me hope that we’ll see many more buttons become functional and not display the dreaded “Inop” over time for a wide variety of aircraft. These are just some of the highlights but there are many more.

Read the full update right here.