X-Plane 12 (Experimental)

Experimental feature

X-Plane 12 support is an experimental feature. To use BeyondATC with X-Plane 12 at the moment you require the supporters edition of BeyondATC. X-Plane 12 support will come to all base edition holders for free once it is ready for full release. Please report any bugs via our bug reporting process.

BeyondATC works with X-Plane 12 through the BeyondATC plugin, which is a small X-Plane plugin that allows BeyondATC to communicate with X-Plane. This page explains what you need, how to install the plugin and traffic models, what works differently from Microsoft Flight Simulator, and how to fix common problems.

Requirements

X-Plane 12 on Windows. Version 12.04 or later is supported
The BeyondATC plugin, which can be installed through the BeyondATC installer (see below)
Traffic models for X-Plane (see Traffic models)
A flight plan: SimBrief for IFR flights, and SimBrief or a flight plan file for VFR flights (see Flight plans)

Installing the BeyondATC plugin

With the installer (recommended)

When you run the BeyondATC installer, it looks for your X-Plane 12 installations. If it finds any, it shows an X-Plane 12 plugin page which allows you to select which installations should have the BeyondATC plugin.

X-Plane must be closed to install or update the plugin.

Your Bluebell models will not be overwritten

The installer only writes the plugin's own files. It never changes the CSL folder where you keep your Bluebell models.

Manually

If the installer did not find your X-Plane 12 installation, you can copy the plugin yourself:

Close X-Plane.
Copy and overwrite the BeyondATC folder from the X-Plane Plugin folder in your BeyondATC installation directory (by default C:\BeyondATC\X-Plane Plugin\BeyondATC) into X-Plane 12\Resources\plugins\.
Check that the following file exists: X-Plane 12\Resources\plugins\BeyondATC\win_x64\BeyondATC.xpl.

Checking the plugin

Start X-Plane and open Plugins > BeyondATC. The first line shows the plugin version, for example BeyondATC Plugin v1.0.0. The menu also has:

Menu item	What it does
Show Traffic Labels	Shows labels on BeyondATC traffic within 5 NM. This is defaulted to off.
Show Connection Stats	Opens a small about window with the plugin version, the number of active aircraft, and the data sent and received.
Show Aircraft List	Allows you to view the BeyondATC traffic that X-Plane is drawing, with callsign, type and phase of flight.

Cannot see the plugin menu?

If BeyondATC is not in the Plugins menu, open Plugins > Plugin Admin and check that the plugin is installed and enabled. If you cannot see it in Plugin Admin, try running the installer again.

Traffic models

Like MSFS, BeyondATC uses supported models to show our traffic within the simulator. We only support models made and licensed for the simulator used. On X-Plane 12 we support the following models:

Library	Where to install
Bluebell CSL	`X-Plane 12\Resources\plugins\BeyondATC\CSL\`
X-CSL	Installed with the X-CSL updater. BeyondATC uses the installed location automatically.
Traffic Global (Just Flight)	Install as normal, in `X-Plane 12\Aircraft\Traffic Global`.

To see BeyondATC traffic, you need at least one of them. If you have more than one, you can choose which BeyondATC prefers in Options > X-Plane Matching Priority. By default, Traffic Global is matched first, then X-CSL, then Bluebell.

Bluebell CSL

Download the Bluebell packages from the Bluebell project and put each BB_... package folder directly in X-Plane 12\Resources\plugins\BeyondATC\CSL\ (create the CSL folder if it does not exist). BeyondATC only uses this folder: models in the folders of other plugins, such as LiveTraffic or xPilot, are not used.

The Airbus and Boeing packages may come in parts

BB_Airbus and BB_Boeing are split into parts (BB_Airbus1, BB_Airbus2, BB_Boeing1 to BB_Boeing3). Each package must be in one folder, or the aircraft in parts 2 and 3 are not loaded. That includes many wide-bodies and the A321.

Copy the contents of BB_Airbus2\BB_Airbus into BB_Airbus1\BB_Airbus.
Copy the contents of BB_Boeing2\BB_Boeing and BB_Boeing3\BB_Boeing into BB_Boeing1\BB_Boeing.
Delete the BB_Airbus2, BB_Boeing2 and BB_Boeing3 folders.

To check, open X-Plane's Log.txt and look for BATC: Total CSL models loaded:. With the full Bluebell set it should say 2027.

X-CSL

Install X-CSL with the X-CSL updater as normal.

Traffic Global

Install Traffic Global as normal, then disable the Traffic Global plugin (see the note below). If it stays enabled, you will see its own traffic as well as BeyondATC's. BeyondATC cannot see or control traffic injected by other injectors.

Disable the Traffic Global plugin

For the Just Flight Traffic Global models, you need to disable the Traffic Global plugin itself so that it does not inject its own traffic. BeyondATC still uses the models. There are two ways:

Rename the plugin file (recommended). Rename X-Plane 12\Resources\plugins\Traffic Global\win_x64\Traffic Global.xpl to Traffic Global.bak. It then stays disabled, and you can rename it back at any time.
Plugin Admin. Disable the Traffic Global plugin in Plugins > Plugin Admin. This has to be done again every time you restart X-Plane.

Setting up X-Plane 12

Disable other traffic plugins. In Plugins > Plugin Admin, disable or do not run products such as LiveTraffic, xPilot, X-IvAp/Altitude, swift, the Traffic Global plugin etc. If you run these programs with BeyondATC the plugins will fight for X-Plane's TCAS and/or show their own traffic that BeyondATC cannot see or control.
Turn off X-Plane's own ATC. In Settings > Sound, under Air Traffic Control, turn off Enable verbal ATC messages and Auto-show ATC message history.
Use real weather. Historic weather is currently not supported.
Set the appropriate time. Like MSFS, scheduled traffic will be injected following X-Plane's sim time.

Flight plans

IFR flights use your SimBrief flight plan.
VFR flights can use SimBrief or a flight plan file. Select VFR on the BeyondATC main menu, choose the file option and select your file. These file types are supported:

File type	Extension
X-Plane Flight Plan	`.fms`, v11 format (X-Plane 12 saves these in `X-Plane 12\Output\FMS plans`)
MSFS Flight Plan	`.pln`
Little Nav Map Plan	`.lnmpln`

The flight plan must start and end at an airport. With a flight plan file, BeyondATC reads your aircraft type and tail number, for your callsign, from X-Plane, so your aircraft must have a tail number set. The MSFS World Map option is for MSFS only.

Starting a flight

Start X-Plane 12 and load your flight.
Start BeyondATC and click Fly.

BeyondATC will show Connecting to X-Plane 12... and then Connected to X-Plane 12 at the top right. If X-Plane 12 and Microsoft Flight Simulator are both running, you will be asked which simulator you want BeyondATC to use.

Pausing is not supported

As with MSFS, pausing is not currently supported: BeyondATC's controllers and traffic keep running while X-Plane is paused, so the traffic will have moved on when you unpause. If you need to pause for an extended period, you can exit BeyondATC and start mid-flight at any time.

What's different from MSFS

Feature	On X-Plane 12
In-sim toolbar	Not available. Use the BeyondATC app.
In-sim taxi arrows	In-sim taxi arrows are currently not available.
Flight plan import	SimBrief, and for VFR flights a flight plan file (`.fms`, `.pln` or `.lnmpln`). The MSFS world map import is MSFS only.
Weather	X-Plane supports live weather only. The MSFS 2024 Enable Historic Weather option has no effect.
Aircraft with custom datarefs	Some aircraft use their own radio systems and may not follow frequency changes from BeyondATC. If you find BeyondATC cannot read or send frequencies from your X-Plane aircraft, please submit a bug report.

Known limitations

As an experimental feature, X-Plane 12 support has some known limitations:

Some older models do not animate their gear, wheels or engines. Where the model supports it, BeyondATC animates flaps, slats, spoilers, reversers, lights and wheels on traffic.
There is no tire smoke on landing and no engine heat haze for BeyondATC injected traffic.
Some airports may contain incomplete taxi data. BeyondATC warns you before the flight. You can still use these airports; however, you will be told to taxi at your discretion, and AI traffic will despawn when off the runway.
After you update your Navigraph data in X-Plane, restart BeyondATC.

Troubleshooting

Error: Cannot establish a connection with X-Plane

BeyondATC could not reach the plugin.

Check that X-Plane 12 is running with a flight loaded.
Check that Plugins > BeyondATC exists in X-Plane. If not, install the plugin (see Installing the BeyondATC plugin) and check Plugins > Plugin Admin.
Restart X-Plane, then start BeyondATC again.

Could not connect to a flight simulator

BeyondATC did not find a running simulator. Start X-Plane 12 and load your flight before you click Fly in BeyondATC.

Your BeyondATC X-Plane plugin is outdated

Your version of BeyondATC needs a newer plugin. Close X-Plane, run the BeyondATC installer again with your X-Plane installation checked on the X-Plane 12 plugin page, then start X-Plane and BeyondATC again.

Does BeyondATC support other X-Plane versions?

No, BeyondATC supports X-Plane 12 only.

What operating systems does BeyondATC support?

BeyondATC is currently only available on the Windows operating system.

No traffic models found, traffic will not be displayed

BeyondATC did not find any models it can use. Install at least one library (see Traffic models) and restart X-Plane and BeyondATC. For Bluebell, check that the BB_... folders are directly in X-Plane 12\Resources\plugins\BeyondATC\CSL\.

X-Plane 12 was not found, so the traffic models could not be checked

BeyondATC could not find your X-Plane 12 installation. If you have freshly installed X-Plane 12, start X-Plane at least once before you start BeyondATC.

X-Plane denied TCAS to BeyondATC

Another traffic plugin is holding X-Plane's TCAS. Disable LiveTraffic, xPilot, X-IvAp/Altitude and swift in Plugins > Plugin Admin, then restart BeyondATC.

The Traffic Global plugin is running in X-Plane

You see Traffic Global's own traffic as well as BeyondATC's. Disable the Traffic Global plugin: the recommended way is to rename X-Plane 12\Resources\plugins\Traffic Global\win_x64\Traffic Global.xpl to Traffic Global.bak, so it stays disabled (you can rename it back at any time). Disabling it in Plugins > Plugin Admin also works, but has to be done again every time you restart X-Plane. BeyondATC still uses the Traffic Global models. See Traffic Global.

Failed to open the connection to the BeyondATC plugin

Another program may be blocking the connection between BeyondATC and the plugin. Close other flight simulation tools, restart your PC, and try again. If it keeps happening, report a problem with your logs.

Many wide-bodies or A321s are missing

If using Bluebell models, your Airbus or Boeing package is probably still split into parts. See The Airbus and Boeing packages may come in parts.

Aircraft registration could not be detected from X-Plane

You started a VFR flight with a flight plan file, and your aircraft has no tail number set in X-Plane. Use an aircraft with a tail number, or use a SimBrief flight plan instead.

The MSFS World Map flight plan is only available with MSFS

The MSFS World Map option of a VFR flight reads the flight plan from MSFS. On X-Plane 12, select a flight plan file or use SimBrief (see Flight plans).

This X-Plane flight plan uses an old format

BeyondATC reads X-Plane flight plans in the v11 .fms format, the format that X-Plane 11 and X-Plane 12 save. Older .fms formats are not supported. Save the flight plan again from X-Plane 12 or export it from your flight planner in the correct format.

The installer did not show the X-Plane 12 plugin page

The installer did not find an X-Plane 12 installation. Start X-Plane 12 once, close it, and run the installer again, or install the plugin manually.

Uninstalling

When you uninstall BeyondATC, it also removes the BeyondATC plugin from your X-Plane 12 installations. If X-Plane is running, you are asked to close it first. You are then asked whether to also remove the Bluebell models in the plugin's CSL folder. If you select No, they stay on your computer.

Reporting a problem

X-Plane 12 support is experimental, so your reports help us a lot. When you report a problem, include:

Your BeyondATC log files (see How to get your log files).
X-Plane's Log.txt, in your X-Plane 12 folder.

Please report problems in our Discord, following the bug reporting guide.