Hi everyone!
This blog post is more about features we were able to put into priority boarding (preview features) since the last blog post. In the last one, we talked about priority boarding as a feature itself. Well, we can’t add priority boarding to itself, so it goes into the official release as a stable feature. Since the clipboard and checklist editor were buggy, we also put them into priority boarding. The rest of the blog post will cover some basic info about the features included in priority boarding and some website features we promised to talk about in this blog post. So, without delay, say welcome to our new priority boarding members!
New priority boarding members
GSX Ground Services Integration
This feature was largely based on an app that TFM’s founder Jason Fayre had created called access GSX. Thanks to him for allowing us to use his idea directly in TFM. Below are his originally implemented features.
• Fully accessible interface to GSX Pro ground handling services
• Dedicated GSX view under Tools menu with real-time connection status monitoring
• Press F5 to open the GSX menu, then use number keys (0-9) or letter keys (A-E) to select services
• Context-sensitive tooltips spoken aloud for each menu option
• Independent toggles for “Speak menu” and “Speak tooltips” speech output
• Auto-reconnect: if MSFS isn’t running at TFM startup, GSX retries automatically every 5 seconds
• Pop-out window support
First Officer
• Automated checklist execution system that sets switches, buttons, and systems to their correct states hands-free
• Select a flight phase (Preflight, Before Start, Before Takeoff, Approach, etc.) and run procedures with one click or F5
• Real-time voice announcements of each action as it executes (“Battery Switch, on”)
• Smart skip: detects controls already in the correct state and announces “checked” without toggling
• Pause (F6), Resume, Stop (Escape), and Skip Item controls for full user control during execution
• Supports wait conditions (e.g., “Wait for APU to be available”), timed delays, and voice-only announcements
• Data-driven: uses the same checklist JSON files as manual checklists, so community checklists work automatically
• Currently supports PMDG 777 and PMDG 737
SimBrief Integration
As users of assistive technology, we can find the SimBrief website clunky to use. So, we brought back the SimBrief feature in TFM. Only thing… It’s much better than the last one. The following should make your simbrief flight plans easier to create and navigate.
• View Flight Plan: Browse imported SimBrief plans with organized sections — Overview, Navlog, Fuel, Weights, Performance, and Weather (METAR/TAF)
• Create Flight Plan: Fill out a form in TFM (origin, destination, aircraft type, cruise level, passengers, etc.) and generate directly in SimBrief
• Search within flight plan data (F2 to search, F4 to clear)
• Full keyboard navigation and assistive technology support throughout
• Supports 17+ common aircraft types (Boeing 737/747/777/787, Airbus A319-A380)
SayIntentions.AI Integration
This is one of the highly requested features in the past year. When will we put Say intentions into TFM. Well, here it is. Below are our initial set of features. However, we need your help with this one. We need users to drop us a line on their support portal letting us know what additional features they would like in Say intentions support. When giving us your feature, try and make it directly related to something the Say intentions platform already does. Below is what we already have.
• Real-time connection status view showing flight info: callsign, route, assigned gate, taxi path
• Monitors takeoff and landing clearance status from ATC
• Automatic telemetry reporting (airspeed, altitude, position, engine data) to SayIntentions
• Works in the background — initializes automatically at TFM startup
FS2024 Support
This is probably the most requested feature of all time. We did it, and it is now here! Airports database for Flight simulator 2024, but wait… Is that all it is? No, it’s more than an airports database! The ‘Airports database’ for FS2024 is extensive compared to the old make runways used in FS2020. The scenery in FS2024 gives us the ability to extract more information about gates, runways, taxiways, terrain when available, etc. Our extraction method also extracts the currently installed Navigraph cycle and combines it with the scenery information, making a complete solution for FS2024. Below are the initial features.
• Full Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 compatibility
• Build scenery database: One-click database generation from FS2024 scenery data with real-time progress display
• Browse runways: Search any airport by ICAO, view runway length/width/surface/heading/ILS details, filter by ILS-equipped or surface type
• Browse gates/parking: View all gates and parking positions, filter by type (passenger, GA, cargo, military), size, and jetway availability
• Jump to location: Press Enter to teleport aircraft to any runway threshold or parking spot
• Ground position detection: TFM identifies your exact location — runway, gate, or taxiway — in real time
• Full ILS data: frequency, magnetic course, glideslope angle, category (CAT-I/II/III) (more on this in another section)
• Automatic simulator detection (FS2024 vs. MSFS 2020) with separate databases
Electronic Clipboard & Checklist Editor Bug Fixes
Many users have reported problems with the clipboard and checklist editor in the last update (initial release). So, we moved them into priority boarding until we can verify that everything works as expected. Given that, we fixed a lot of problems while working on first officer, and think we have things fixed. Note that for first officer and the clipboard to work, any checklist files you already created are no longer usable. You will have to recreate them again.
New ILS detection system (FS2024 only)
Since there is more info available in the FS2024 database, and things are easier to find, we were able to completely revise TFM’s ILS detection and announcement system, which is included in the FS2024 support. Turn it off in priority boarding, and you will have to turn it on again to get the new ILS system. There aren’t many points to cover, so we will forget those for now.
The new ILS system currently works as before. Turn it on when needed, turns off automatically on touchdown. The new part is how it provides ILS indications (announcements) to you. There is a new mode called ‘dots’ that provides glide slope and localizer alignment in dots. The dots mode uses new calculations and directly makes use of the NAV1 and NAV2 ILS indicators on the aircraft to provide TFM with the required info. In the ‘dots’ mode, an announcement might sound like the following: 4.8 miles. 1.1 dots high/low. Left/right 0.4 dots. High = too high, low = too low, left = to the left of, right = to the right of, and center line = perfectly on path. The format is distance, glide slope, localizer. This new system is more accurate than the current feet/meter and heading calculations. So, we recommend using the dots method whenever possible. In fact, the dots method is used in the real world as well.
New website features
Help center
When released, the help center will be available to everyone. It will be much easier to navigate documentation ‘books’ and find content. Along with the new help center, we are rewriting all the documentation, so it matches TFM, and is more user friendly. There isn’t any word at this point when help center will release. When it does, you can go to the help center and find the help you need.
New support portal
At least a few times today, we have mentioned the support portal. It is a new tab in your store account. Activating the support tab will take you to the support portal where you can create, manage, and delete tickets, reply/add information to a ticket, add attachments when needed (up to 10MB in size). The best part is that you aren’t required to have multiple accounts on the TFM platform. Only your store account username/password is required. So, the next time you need help, send in a support ticket and one of us will get back with you ASAP.
Well, we covered a lot today. When TFM 6.9.5 is out, don’t forget to turn on the priority boarding features you want to use. Don’t forget to give us feedback on them through your new support portal, and look for the new help center soon. Until next time, happy flying!