Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024’s Sim Update 7 is available on all platforms, according to the team’s October 15, 2026 briefing. The update launches National Championship Air Races with five racing classes, adding a competition mode alongside what the developer describes as hundreds of fixes and improvements.
For players interested in air racing, the announcement means the mode has reached release rather than being scheduled for a later update. The briefing published on Steam places its launch alongside SU7, giving the update a new activity to explore as well as changes to the simulator itself.
Five classes join National Championship Air Races
The announced lineup comprises Jet, STOL Drag, Unlimited, T-6 and Biplane. Those names establish the scope of the racing launch: players following a particular category can see whether it appears in the announced selection, rather than having to treat “air racing” as a single unspecified offering.
There is an access distinction to keep in mind, however. The announcement that SU7 is available on all platforms does not establish the racing mode’s commercial terms or its inclusion in every edition. Pricing and the procedure for accessing National Championship Air Races remain unspecified in the briefing.
Hundreds of changes beyond the racing launch
The team also announces hundreds of fixes and improvements for the simulator. That gives SU7 a broader remit than adding races, although the total alone says little about the effect on an individual player’s flights. It is a developer-reported count of changes, not a measured performance result or confirmation that a particular recurring problem has been resolved.
A racing roundtable scheduled for October 16
Alongside the release news, the Microsoft Flight Simulator post announces a roundtable featuring five racing pilots. Its premiere is scheduled for October 16, 2026 at 18:00 UTC on Twitch and YouTube, equivalent to 20:00 in mainland France. That is the announced broadcast schedule; the premiere’s actual airing has not been confirmed.
The broadcast time is separate from the update’s availability: players do not need to wait for the roundtable’s scheduled premiere for SU7’s announced rollout. For anyone considering a return specifically for racing, the five-class lineup supplies the clearest reason to revisit the simulator, with access terms still worth checking before assuming the mode comes with their edition.
