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XoL: Running X-Plane on Linux

This documentation covers setup and optimization of X-Plane 12 (Laminar Research) under Linux. It is aimed at experienced Linux users — a working installation is assumed. The examples are based on Debian but transfer to other distributions with minor adjustments.

Where to Start

  • Why Linux? Introduction explains what makes X-Plane on Linux different.
  • New to X-Plane on Linux? Getting Started covers system requirements, installation, and first launch.
  • X-Plane already running? Performance explains the three load dimensions (CPU, I/O, network) before diving into System Tuning.

About This Documentation

The core focus is on Linux system tuning — kernel parameters, CPU governor, GPU drivers, display server selection, and filesystem optimization — complemented by performance analysis using both X-Plane's built-in tools and Linux monitoring utilities. Additional sections cover scenery management with orthophoto streaming, flight operations including ATC procedures, and a reference catalog of Linux-compatible addons and plugins. The guides are modular — individual topics can be implemented independently or combined as needed.

Contributing

This documentation is an open project. Improvements or additions can be contributed via GitHub:

  • Create issues for bugs or suggestions
  • Submit pull requests for changes
  • Share experiences in the discussions in the footer of this website (e.g., via the Discord link)

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Recent Changes

2026-04-27

  • XEarthLayer updated for v0.4.4: Long-haul prefetch fix (dead state on flights >2h eliminated, verified on 9h LOWW log), max_concurrent_jobs default halved to 50% of logical CPUs for less X-Plane stutter, separate hit rates for Memory/DDS-Disk/Chunks tiers in the TUI

2026-04-08

  • XEarthLayer updated for v0.4.3: Three-tier cache with DDS disk layer eliminates re-encoding, speed-proportional prefetch box reduces over-fetching by ~45%, GPU encoding now built-in, CPU concurrency defaults to 50%

2026-04-04

  • XEarthLayer updated for v0.4.1: Streaming mipmap architecture cuts peak memory by 21–44%, parallel package downloads, temp directory moved to ~/.xearthlayer/tmp
  • SimLoad Manager updated for v3.7: Flight save/resume system, ACARS loadsheet uplink for ToLiss via Hoppie, new aircraft support (Flight Factor 757/767, FPS 747-800)