X-Plane 12
Laminar Research Ships X-Plane 12.3.0 Beta with Vulkan Memory Fixes and Updated A330 Systems
By Sheyla Brill · · 2 min read
The X-Plane 12.3.0 public beta addresses long-standing Vulkan VRAM leaks, adds a revised A330-300 FMS with RNP AR support, and improves default ATC vectoring. Laminar also confirmed a new weather radar model is in internal testing.
Laminar Research has pushed X-Plane 12.3.0 to the public beta channel, bringing a substantial round of fixes and systems updates. The headline item is a reworked Vulkan memory allocator that resolves the VRAM leak reported by users on 8GB cards during long-haul flights in dense scenery areas such as Orbx TrueEarth or Aerosoft's Frankfurt. Internal testers report stable frame times over 10-hour sectors.
The default Airbus A330-300 receives a revised FMS with RNP AR approach capability, including radius-to-fix leg support and improved VNAV path computation. The autothrottle now models the A330's characteristic thrust response more accurately, and the fly-by-wire envelope protection has been retuned following feedback from type-rated pilots. Laminar has also updated the default ATC to issue more realistic vectors and altitude assignments on STARs, reducing the 'slam-dunk' descents that plagued earlier versions.
Scenery developers will benefit from an updated DSF exporter and improved mesh handling near custom airports. Navigraph navdata remains compatible, and the SimBrief import in the default FMS now parses winds aloft correctly. A new weather radar model, featuring tilt and gain controls with volumetric precipitation returns, is in internal testing and expected in 12.3.1.
The beta is available via the X-Plane installer's 'Check for Betas' option. Laminar cautions that third-party add-ons using the previous plugin SDK may need updates.
Tags: Laminar Research, X-Plane 12, Vulkan, A330, beta