Laminar Research has rolled out the beta version of X-Plane 12.3.0, bringing one of its most ambitious updates yet. Among the headline additions is a fully integrated weather radar, allowing pilots to scan cloud precipitation in real time across 3D space. This marks a significant leap in situational awareness and realism.

The update also introduces Synthetic Vision for the X1000 avionics, enhancements to the Airbus A330’s avionics, flight planning, autopilot, and visuals, plus new APIs for weather and radar data for developers. Externally rendered visuals and networking synchronization receive improvements to reduce mismatches between client and master machines in multi-display or networked setups.

Laminar warns that this release is a beta and may contain instability or visual errors. Users are urged to start with a default install (without mods) to isolate issues, especially given new cockpit rendering changes. Not all third-party aircraft will initially support the new weather radar; developers and aircraft authors are encouraged to check compatibility.

Other notable fixes in 12.3.0 include an updated AIRAC cycle (2406), synchronization fixes for external visuals and airport lighting, bug fixes for aircraft systems, UI improvements, and updates to global airports. For macOS users upgrading from prior betas, Laminar recommends deleting the existing X-Plane.app before installing the new version to avoid conflicts.

The release date is listed as October 15, 2025.

Pilots, modders, and simming enthusiasts alike should expect this version to stretch both hardware and software boundaries — but also to uncover new frontiers in realistic flight simulation.