The JSV Flight Logger supports both Microsoft Flight Simulator and X-Plane. While the experience is identical from a pilot perspective, there are some technical differences in how data is collected.
Connection Methods
| MSFS 2020 / 2024 | X-Plane 11 / 12 | |
|---|---|---|
| Protocol | SimConnect (in-process DLL) | UDP DataRef (port 49000) |
| Setup Required | None — SimConnect is bundled with MSFS | None — UDP is enabled by default |
| Connection Type | Local process communication | Network (localhost) |
| Update Rate | 1 Hz (once per second) | 1 Hz (once per second) |
| Plugins Needed | No | No |
Data Availability
Both simulators provide the full 80+ data points, but some values may differ in precision or availability:
| Feature | MSFS | X-Plane |
|---|---|---|
| Position & speed | ✅ Full | ✅ Full |
| Engine data (N1, N2, EGT) | ✅ Full (depends on aircraft model) | ✅ Full (depends on aircraft model) |
| ATC gate & runway | ✅ From SimConnect ATC system | ⚠️ May be limited at some airports |
| ILS data | ✅ When tuned to ILS frequency | ✅ When tuned to ILS frequency |
| GPS waypoint | ✅ From active flight plan | ✅ From FMS/GPS |
| Cabin pressure | ✅ On supported aircraft | ✅ On supported aircraft |
| Weather / icing | ✅ Full weather data | ✅ Full weather data |
| Structural ice | ✅ | ✅ |
Unit Conversions
The app handles all unit conversions internally. X-Plane uses metric units (metres, m/s, kg, inHg), while MSFS uses a mix. Everything is normalised to aviation-standard units:
- Altitude → feet
- Speed → knots
- Fuel → pounds (lbs)
- Pressure → millibars (mb)
- Temperature → °C
Automatic Detection
You don’t need to choose your simulator. The app scans for running simulators every 10 seconds and connects to whichever one it finds. The status indicator shows which sim is connected:
- 🟢 MSFS Connected
- 🟢 X-Plane Connected
- 🔴 No simulator detected
If you have both simulators installed but only one running, the app connects to the active one. You cannot connect to two simulators simultaneously.