XLinSpeak
XLinSpeak is a Linux-only plugin that adds text-to-speech (TTS) support for X-Plane plugins. On Windows and macOS, X-Plane uses the platform's native speech engines — on Linux, this integration is missing. XLinSpeak fills this gap via speech-dispatcher.
Background
- Developer: uglyDwarf (Michal), XP12 fork: sparker256 (William Good)
- Repository: github.com/sparker256/XLinSpeak (XP12)
- Original: github.com/uglyDwarf/x-plane_plugins
- Platform: Linux only
- Compatibility: X-Plane 12 (sparker256 fork)
X-Plane 12 uses pre-recorded audio files for its built-in ATC, which work on Linux without any TTS engine. XLinSpeak is primarily needed for plugin-generated speech — such as XChecklist announcements, 124thATC, or other plugins calling XPLMSpeakString().
Features
- Binary hooking: Intercepts X-Plane's internal speech functions at the machine code level and routes text to speech-dispatcher
- Transparent integration: Works automatically with any plugin that uses X-Plane's speech output
- No configuration: Fully automatic after installation — no UI needed
Value in Flight Simulation
Without XLinSpeak, Linux users only get a text overlay on screen when plugins request speech output — no audio. This plugin restores parity with Windows and macOS, so that checklist callouts, ATC plugins, and other speech-enabled extensions are audible on Linux.
Installation
Download: sparker256/XLinSpeak
The pre-compiled binary is in the repository at XLinSpeak/lin_x64/XLinSpeak.xpl. Copy the XLinSpeak folder to Resources/plugins/.
Prerequisite: speech-dispatcher
The default espeak-ng backend works reliably. Piper as an alternative TTS backend currently causes a crash.