Excessive updraft/downdraft shifts

Bug Reporting Hub Weather & Live Weather
, , ,
1

Description of the issue:
Excessive updraft and downdraft swings at lower altitudes throwing 60 ton airliners around like empty 172. Those changes of up to 800-1000fpm in either direction are near instant when using “realistic” turbulence setting. When using low turbulence settings, those changes seem to happen at more reasonable speed (0.1s vs 1s for the same change to occur).

As you can see in both clips with those two settings, the autopilot in your very own 737 struggles to hold the selected speed and altitude, resulting in massive pitch and engine power swings, while the readout in the debug window is saying “vertical turbulence: nil” is pretty funny! :slight_smile:

While I’m not doubting the effects of thermals on aircraft, the frequency and amplitude of changes even at higher altitudes is borderline ridiculous.

This is recorded in 20204 SU3 beta build (1.5.16.0) but this has been an issue going back to MSFS 2020 with seemingly no improvement in 2024 and any of its beta versions. For this reason I’m not posting this in the beta section. I’m not using any weather or effect addons.

Provide specific location or coordinates:
near LKTB, but anywhere using live weather in summer months

Provide time and date of the observed weather issue: 15/07/2025

FREQUENCY OF ISSUE

How often does this occur for you? repeatedly

REPRODUCTION STEPS

Please list clear steps you took in order to help our test team reproduce the same issue:

  1. Load up any aircraft or an airliner (Asobo 737 Max)
  2. Set the autopilot to hold speed and altitude, in this case above 1500ft ground.

[PC Only] Are you using Developer Mode or have you made any changes to it?
Yes, Activated weather debug window

MEDIA

“Realistic” setting

“Low” setting

:loudspeaker: For anyone who wants to contribute on this issue, Click on the button below to use this template:

Do you have the same issue if you follow the OP’s steps to reproduce it?
•

Provide extra information to complete the original description of the issue:
•

If relevant, provide additional screenshots/video:
•

2

10 days later with zero interaction. I guess all is working as intended :+1:

Will try reporting again in MSFS2028.

3 Likes
3

just gonna leave this here https://www.youtube.com/live/AvorUNK7TiE?si=cBPCfgVZjMb17tKR&t=6037 :joy:

1 Like
4

I started googling about MSFS updrafts because of that exact stream… insanely exaggerated to throw an airliner up quite like that.

1 Like
5

Do you have the same issue if you follow the OP’s steps to reproduce it?
• Yes, and more. I also experience excessive gusting. It’s probably worse at lower altitudes, but I would say gusting and downdrafts are excessive at all elevations, however it’s particularly frustrating when on final approach and/or the runway.

Provide extra information to complete the original description of the issue:
• I fired up the other flight simulation software I was using prior to the release of MSFS 2024 which has the reputation of having the best flight dynamics, and flew the same course, same planes and same “live” weather as MSFS 2024 for comparison. This simulator presented no excessive gusts or downdrafts while MSFS 2024 had three that required excessive altitude and/or course correction. It may be my imagination, but it seems worse in SU3.

If relevant, provide additional screenshots/video:
•

1 Like
6

I’m not a real pilot and relatively new to flight sim. I didn’t know any better until I got some flight sim time under my belt. The last straw for me was with the release of SU3 I found my favorite plane to be noticeably more difficult to fly due to this. (I enjoy flying at lower altitudes.) I also think this has caused me to all but abandon Career Mode due to the excessive drafting and gusting on final approach.

2 Likes
7

I found a solution that is working for me. Under Assistances → Realism → Turbulence, take it off of Realistic and you will end up with a much more realistic version of flight in my opinion.

1 Like
8

my initial post has two videos, one with this exact setting on realistic and one on low, highlighting just how unrealistic the realistic setting is. Updrafts don’t completely change direction and strenght by half 20 times a second.

Sadly, still zero interaction from the MS/Asobo side, even just saying this thread is a duplicate to something and locking it.

Really struggling to stay motivated to report anything on here going forward.

2 Likes
9

Asobo have completely lost face with the release of 2024 and for those having issues, including since SU3, it’s clear a portion of the community have lost patience acting as alpha testers with some glaring issues still not resolved.

The complete lack of communication from Asobo also does them no favours… I don’t see another version of the sim in potentially 3-4 years being as financially successful to MS anymore.

2 Likes
10

Just downloaded SU4 beta and every flight in the Got Friends As33 I have been thrown around excessively, making it nearly impossible to fly. Even the tow plane is affected and is thrown all over the sky.

Only solution is to turn down the turbulence setting in the assistance tab to medium, but that seems to mute the turbulence too much. Maybe a slider would be the perfect solution.

1 Like