Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 Patch 1.9.3.0 -

The patch notes for multiplayer were surprisingly dense:

While technically a separate download, Patch 1.9.3.0 was released in tandem with World Update VII: Australia. This update showcased the capabilities of the new patch.

This update proved that the engine could handle massive streaming data more efficiently than before, thanks to the optimizations in the patch itself.

Patch 1.9.3.0 was a solid maintenance update that delivered meaningful stability and quality-of-life fixes. It didn’t introduce major new features but significantly reduced frustration for daily simmers. For anyone experiencing crashes or performance drops in the base 1.8.3.0 version, this patch was highly recommended. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 patch 1.9.3.0

Recommendation: Install if you’re on version 1.8.x. Hold for future Sim Updates if you’re waiting for ATC or AI overhauls.

Most players remember this patch for fixing three catastrophic launch issues:

Pre-1.9.3.0, ATC was arguably broken. Controllers would give you descent instructions from FL350 to 2,000 feet in a single step, then yell at you for "exceeding descent rate." The patch notes for multiplayer were surprisingly dense:

Patch 1.9.3.0 introduced graduated descent vectors. ATC now uses a 3-degree slope calculation based on your groundspeed. Furthermore:

If you are somehow still running the August 2020 launch build (version 1.7.x), stop everything and install this patch immediately.

Why is this specific patch still discussed in forums two years later? Because it marked a philosophical shift. This update proved that the engine could handle

This update laid the groundwork for the USA World Update (which arrived a month later) and the eventual arrival of the PMDG DC-6 (the first high-fidelity third-party airliner). Without the stability introduced here, the add-on market would have remained a mess for another year.

Furthermore, the patch introduced telemetry that allowed Asobo to see exactly which GPU drivers were crashing. That data directly led to the NVIDIA Game Ready Driver optimizations in November 2020.

Let’s break down the patch notes into digestible categories.