Universal Announcer

Install and open the app

Universal Announcer runs beside the simulator. It reads flight information and plays cabin audio through your chosen Windows audio device. It works with default and add-on aircraft; Fenix ownership is not required. The announcement sequence is intended mainly for airliners.

Install

1. Download the application ZIP from the GitHub releases page or the flightsim.to listing.
2. Extract the whole ZIP into a folder you can write to, such as D:\MSFS\UniversalAnnouncer. Do not run the executable from inside the ZIP or move it away from its accompanying files.
3. Run UniversalAnnouncer.exe. The app is for 64-bit Windows 10 or 11. The normal self-contained release includes its .NET runtime; .NET 8 is not part of Windows by default.
4. Find its icon in the Windows system tray beside the clock. If it is hidden, open the tray's overflow area. Right-click the icon and choose Settings....

The main application stays outside the Community folder. Only the optional toolbar package goes into Community; see MSFS toolbar.

First launch

Use the setup dialog to install the default sound pack or select your existing Fenix files. You can run it again from Sound Files > Run setup.... Then choose an audio device on the Audio tab and play a preview on Sound Files.

Load a flight and check Status for a simulator connection. For the first test, start parked at a gate with the engines and beacon off. Leave camera-based volume disabled until a sound preview works.

Closing the Settings window does not necessarily exit the app. Use Close App or the tray menu's Exit when you want to shut it down. If a second launch says the app is already running, check the tray first.

Get sound packs

Default pack or existing Fenix files

The default pack is the quickest way to check the app without collecting airline packs first. Open Sound Files > Run setup... and use the download option.

If you already own Fenix, the setup dialog can use your installed announcement collection. Keep a backup before changing files you also use with another aircraft. Fenix ownership is not required to use Universal Announcer.

Community packs on Discord

Announcement Hangar is an independent third-party Discord server. It is not owned, operated or affiliated with Universal Announcer. Its community packs are supplied by their authors, not by Universal Announcer.

Join Announcement Hangar on Discord and follow the server's joining instructions. Packs from both announcement categories work with Universal Announcer:

• FENIX ANNOUNCEMENT PACKS
• UNIVERSAL ANNOUNCEMENT PACKS

Fenix-format packs are compatible, so you do not need to own Fenix or limit your search to the Universal Announcement Packs category.

Open the pack channel in either category, find the airline you want, and download its pack. Extract the ZIP and follow any instructions supplied by its author. The screenshot shows the two categories to look for.

Before installing a pack

Read the author's notes for supported aircraft and included announcements. A missing call does not mean the whole pack is unusable; packs contain different selections.

Keep original filenames and .ogg extensions unless you are deliberately changing their tags. Avoid leaving an extra wrapper folder after extraction, such as BAW\BAW\.... Use the folder layout on the next page.

Set up and preview sounds

On Sound Files, use Change Folder... to select the parent containing Default and the airline folders. The parent can have any name; the example below calls it UA.

Announcements/             <- select this parent
    Default/BoardingWelcome.ogg
    BAW/BoardingWelcome.ogg
    UAL/BoardingWelcome.ogg

Airline folders go beside Default, not inside it. BAW and UAL are three-letter ICAO airline codes.

Click Refresh, choose an airline and select a file, then click Preview. No file is selected in the screenshot, so Preview is disabled. Test Default too. On Announcements, enable Use Default folder announcements if airline-specific files are missing if you want that fallback.

Load your flight details

SimBrief is optional. It supplies the airline, aircraft, route and planned duration, including values used in generated announcements.

1. Create and generate your plan in SimBrief. Check its airline, callsign, aircraft and airports.
2. Open Settings > Integrations. Enter your SimBrief Username, using the name rather than the numeric pilot ID. No SimBrief password is entered here.
3. Click Fetch Latest Plan. Check the returned aircraft, airline, origin and destination. Successfully fetching yesterday's plan still gives you the wrong flight.

Refresh plan before Boarding Welcome plays performs another fetch at boarding. Fetch manually first while learning the setup.

The detected airline selects its sound folder: BAW uses Announcements\BAW. Check the returned code if a codeshare or callsign gives an unexpected result.

Without SimBrief, use simulator aircraft data or the Status overrides described under Everyday controls. For the full preflight checklist, see Before your next flight.

Boarding to takeoff

The app follows aircraft signals. Each call needs an enabled announcement type and a usable sound file or generated replacement. Let each call finish; see Flight steps for the complete trigger tables.

1. Start boarding

With GSX: enable Integrations > Enable GSX Integration, then start boarding through GSX. The welcome begins when GSX reports boarding in progress, with the aircraft on the ground and beacon off. Simply requesting the service is not the same as boarding having started.

Without GSX: clear Enable GSX Integration. With the aircraft on the ground and beacon off, turn the logo light on to start boarding. The app has a fallback when GSX is unavailable, but explicitly disabling it makes the intended workflow clear.

Boarding music follows the welcome and normally loops between announcements. The welcome repeats at the interval set in Tweaks. Optional pilot welcomes and Skip First BoardingWelcome change what you hear, so leave those alone for your first test.

2. Finish boarding and push back

Turning on the beacon, or GSX reporting boarding complete, ends the boarding phase. The app plays Boarding Complete. As the aircraft moves or the engines start, it can play Arm Doors.

The pre-safety announcement waits for the engines to be running and Arm Doors to finish. The safety briefing follows it. At night, a cabin-dimming announcement may follow. The optional Arm Doors after Boarding Complete Automatically setting removes the need to wait for movement or engine start for Arm Doors itself.

3. Taxi and take off

With the engines running, the selected takeoff light signal triggers Crew Seats for Takeoff. By default this is the landing lights; Tweaks can use strobes instead. Cabin Secure follows after the preceding call finishes.

If the sequence stops, read Waiting for and Next Announcement in the tray menu or toolbar. If an aircraft does not report the expected signal, use Play Next once when that call makes sense. It interrupts current audio and bypasses the normal wait; it is not a harmless preview.

Climb to the next flight

Climb and cruise

After Takeoff waits until the aircraft is airborne above the takeoff detection height, normally 3,000 ft above ground, and the post-takeoff delay has elapsed. It is not an immediate wheels-up call.

Optional pilot calls and cruise announcements must be enabled on Announcements and have suitable audio or templates. Files such as CruiseElapsed50Percent.ogg are scheduled against elapsed flight time and the planned duration. They are not triggered by being halfway along the route on a map. SimBrief supplies the planned flight time.

Seatbelt announcements depend on signals exported by the aircraft. Many aircraft use their own switches, so automatic detection is not universal. Use the app's Seatbelt button or the toolbar's Seatbelt button when needed.

Descent and landing

During the arrival sequence, descending below the configured height or switching on landing lights can trigger the descent seatbelt call. The usual descent height is 10,000 ft above ground. Crew Seats for Landing normally uses 3,000 ft above ground, descent, and landing lights. These are detection settings, not instructions for operating your aircraft.

After landing, slow below 15 knots. The current code also requires the arrival sequence to have been recognized before After Landing plays. An optional AfterLanding delay (min) can postpone it further. Retracting spoilers alone is not the current trigger.

Landing music can follow. Once parked with engines off and the parking brake set, Disarm Doors can play. With that complete, beacon off or GSX deboarding starts the disembarkation call.

A second leg

Generate the next SimBrief plan and fetch it. Check the route and airline again before boarding. GSX deboarding completion can reset the sequence automatically. For a deliberate fresh start, choose Restart in the app or Restart in the toolbar once the aircraft is back in a suitable parked state.

Restart stops current audio and clears the sequence's played-announcement tracking. It does not reset all Settings. If boarding conditions are already active, announcements may begin again.

Everyday controls

You can leave the app in the tray for most of a flight. Open Settings... when you need the full controls.

Stop, mute, skip or restart?

• Stop / Resume: suspend and re-enable automatic announcements. Resume is not a promise to replay an interrupted recording from the same word.
• Mute / Unmute: silence the audio while the flight continues. A mute binding is available through Bind Mute for a keyboard or controller button.
• Play Next: force the next announcement using the last simulator data. It can interrupt the current recording and stop boarding music. Use it to recover a missed trigger.
• Restart: stop current audio and reset the flight sequence to automatic detection.
• Manual flight phases: skip the sequence ahead to a chosen phase. Earlier announcements are marked as dealt with; these buttons are not a playlist. Use Auto to return to detection. Use Restart for a fresh boarding sequence.

Sound and timing

On Audio, select Audio Device and set the main Volume. Music Volume controls music and the optional cabin-noise track. On Announcements, enable the announcement types you want to hear. A checked type still needs a matching file or generated audio.

Tweaks holds repeat intervals and detection heights. Enable Music Resume (Boarding and AfterLanding) when interrupted resumes music from its previous position; otherwise it starts again.

Play cabin noise when idle (no announcement playing) adds background sound while passengers are aboard. Replace it with CabinNoise.ogg in an airline or Default folder. Camera volumes still apply.

Without SimBrief

The app can extract an airline code from the simulator's tail number, such as BAW123. Set it in aircraft customization before loading. Alternatively, enter airline and aircraft ICAO overrides on Status. The Reset beside those fields clears the overrides; it does not restart the sequence. Without plan data, use recordings or templates that do not need route and duration values.

Startup and focus

Enable Start with MSFS on Status if you want the simulator to launch the app. Show this window when the app starts makes Settings easier to find.

If Only play when MSFS or this app is focused is enabled, audio becomes silent while another application has focus. Playback continues silently, so switching back does not replay the part you missed.

Use the MSFS toolbar

The toolbar controls the app from inside MSFS. The desktop application must still be running.

1. Close the simulator. Copy universalannouncer-toolbar from the release ZIP into its active Community folder. MSFS 2020 and 2024 can use different folders.
2. Keep the whole package together, without an extra nested folder of the same name.
3. Restart MSFS, load a flight and open Universal Announcer from the in-game toolbar. Enable its icon in toolbar settings if needed.
4. Check Tweaks > Enable MSFS Toolbar link (experimental) in the desktop app.

The panel shows the connection, current state, aircraft and route, playback, Waiting for and Next Announcement.

Play Next forces the next call. Seatbelt plays a seatbelt call. Settings... opens the desktop window. Restart resets the announcement sequence, not the simulator flight. Some older panel versions label it Reset Flight. The slider changes main volume; camera multipliers still apply.

If the icon is missing, check Community installation and restart MSFS. If the panel opens but is disconnected, check that the desktop app is running and the toolbar link is enabled. The connection stays on this PC; no router port forwarding is needed.

Choose the right recordings

Start with plain filenames. Add tags when you need a different recording for a particular aircraft, time or destination. Keep an untagged fallback if a pack should work on other flights too.

Aircraft and variants

• SafetyBriefing[A20N].ogg matches that specific aircraft type.
• SafetyBriefing[320].ogg covers the Airbus A320 family, including A20N and A21N. [A320] is an exact type, not the whole family.
• BoardingWelcome[Morning].ogg is a time-of-day variant.
• BoardingWelcome[1].ogg and BoardingWelcome[2].ogg provide numbered alternatives. Variant selection is kept consistent during a flight.

Put tags between the announcement name and .ogg, for example AfterTakeoff[A359][2].ogg.

Airports and languages

Ordinary airport tags use the departure context for early announcements through After Takeoff, and the arrival context later. Explicit [ARR] and [DEP] tags choose the context themselves.

AfterLanding[EGLL].ogg
BoardingWelcome[ARR][EGLL].ogg
BoardingWelcome[ARR][ED##].ogg

The first is an arrival at Heathrow. The second mentions Heathrow during boarding. The third targets German destination codes beginning with ED. Use # wildcards with ARR or DEP to select recordings by region. See All filename tags for the rules.

Fallback and intentional silence

An airline recording normally takes priority. If none matches, enabled generated fallback can fill the gap before the app looks in Default. Default fallback must be enabled on Announcements. See generation modes before allowing existing recordings to be replaced.

The [mute] filename tag deliberately skips a matching announcement while counting it as handled. Use it only when you want that behavior; lowering the volume is a different action.

For the complete list, see All filename tags, matching rules and aircraft families.

Set camera volumes

Open Audio and enable Enable Camera Based Volume. The three controls are multipliers of the main volume, not three independent main-volume settings.

This is a useful starting point. Set Cockpit (main view) to 25%, Showcase (Cabin) to 100%, and External Views to 0%. Adjust to taste after listening through your usual device.

Test the three levels in a native cockpit, passenger and exterior view. If you cannot hear anything, check the main volume and mute controls before changing the multipliers.

Use Advanced... for individual quickviews; see the next page. The PA and cabin-noise options are separate choices, not requirements for camera volume.

Set rules for individual views

1. Load the aircraft whose views you want to configure.
2. Open Audio > Advanced... and check the aircraft named at the top.
3. Find the relevant Cockpit Quickview, Showcase Fixed, External Quickview or Drone row.
4. Set Treat as to Cabin, Cockpit, or External. Use Auto for normal classification. Mute silences that particular view.
5. Click OK, switch to the view in the simulator, and listen again.

Rules are saved for the detected aircraft model; without an active aircraft the dialog edits global defaults. Assume Cockpit QuickViews as Showcase/Cabin is a broader shortcut when all cockpit quickviews should use the cabin level.

The app usually identifies the camera type and saved view, not your exact position inside the aircraft. A passenger quickview can therefore need an explicit Cabin rule. In this example, Quickview 2 uses Cabin, Quickviews 3 and 4 are muted, and Quickview 6 uses External. Choose rules for your own saved views rather than copying every row.

The optional Use Showcase/Cabin volume if door open setting needs GSX. Unsupported door data can be treated as an open door. Leave it off while establishing your basic camera levels, particularly if the main cockpit sounds unexpectedly loud.

Use ChasePlane

ChasePlane can select cockpit, passenger and exterior views without reporting them in the same way as the simulator's own cameras. Universal Announcer 0.9.9.7 includes specific handling for its view identity and presets.

Set it up

1. Run ChasePlane and load the aircraft you want to use.
2. In ChasePlane preferences, open General Functionality and set Enable 3rd party plugins to ON.
3. Run Universal Announcer and enable Audio > Enable Camera Based Volume.
4. Set clearly different levels for the test: Cockpit 25%, Showcase/Cabin 100%, External 0%.
5. During audible playback, select a saved pilot view, a saved passenger view, and an external view. Allow the view to settle before judging the volume change.

How it chooses the volume

A recognized ChasePlane preset uses the app's Cockpit, Cabin or External category. When that identification is active, it takes priority over the ordinary MSFS quickview rules. Editing an MSFS Quickview row is therefore not a general way to reclassify a ChasePlane preset.

The three volume categories still apply. No server address or configuration-file edits are needed.

If pilot and passenger views sound the same

First confirm that their category volumes differ and the master volume is audible. Check the third-party setting in ChasePlane, then test saved presets rather than a free camera position between them. If necessary, restart the two applications after changing integration settings.

Try a native MSFS camera as a comparison. If native camera volumes work but ChasePlane views do not, collect a short debug log while switching between the failing presets. Include the simulator version, ChasePlane version, aircraft and preset names in the report.

For an unrecognized view, include its name and your ChasePlane version in the report.

Generate your first announcement

Generated announcements turn text into .ogg recordings. You do not have to use English: choose translated templates and a suitable voice. Start in a test airline folder or back up your pack.

1. Configure the sound root, create the target airline folder if needed, and fetch your SimBrief plan.
2. Open Generated. Select Airline, Provider: Edge, and BoardingWelcome. Choose a voice (use Roles if indicated).
3. Check the text, including any ##Voice: or ##Role: override. Click Test Voice to hear it with available flight data.
4. Edit the wording, click Save txt, then Generate. Open Sound Files, refresh, select the new file and Preview it.

The screenshot shows replacement options enabled. Leave both off to preserve recordings during automatic playback. Read generation modes before enabling them.

Edge needs internet access but no personal API key. Saved recordings play offline. For automatic creation, enable Enable Generated TTS fallback. Manual generation requires an airline folder; Default cannot be the output target.

Edit templates

Templates are .txt files named for a call, such as BoardingWelcome.txt. The editor loads airline text first, then Default text, then a built-in template.

Start in your language

Built-in templates cover English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Brazilian Portuguese, Japanese, Korean and Simplified Chinese. Choose Help & About > Default language, restart the app, then open Generated and select a template. This also changes the interface language.

Saved airline or Default .txt files still take priority. Back them up before using Revert txt to expose the built-in translation. Alternatively, write or paste your own translated text into the editor; you can do this while keeping the interface in English.

Flight numbers in French and Spanish

Keep placeholder names unchanged in translated text. For example:

Bienvenue à bord du vol {FLIGHT_NUMBER_DIGITS}
à destination de {DESTINATION_CITY}.
Bienvenidos al vuelo {FLIGHT_NUMBER_DIGITS}
con destino a {DESTINATION_CITY}.

Use either language, or both with a multilingual voice. {FLIGHT_NUMBER_DIGITS} turns AFR123 into 123. The voice reads the number in the surrounding text's language, rather than receiving English number words. Use Test Voice to check pronunciation and number grouping.

Save, generate and revert

Save txt saves text in the selected Airline folder, including Default. Generate creates audio; saving text alone does not change a recording. Automatic replacement depends on the generation settings.

Revert txt deletes the selected airline override if present; otherwise it can delete the Default override. It does not restore an overwritten recording.

Useful placeholders

• {AIRLINE_NAME} and {AIRCRAFT_NAME} supply names; {AIRLINE_CODE} and {AIRCRAFT_CODE} supply codes.
• {ORIGIN_CITY} and {DESTINATION_CITY} supply city names; {ORIGIN_CODE} and {DESTINATION_CODE} supply airport codes.
• {CRUISE_ALTITUDE_FT} supplies the planned cruise altitude.

Some placeholders already contain English words, including {FLIGHT_TIME} and {LOCAL_TIME}. For a non-English call, replace those phrases with wording in your language or omit them. A multilingual voice does not translate text. See the full dynamic-tag reference for values and template syntax for conditions.

Choose voices and roles

For French, Spanish and bilingual calls, try Ava Multilingual (en-US-AvaMultilingualNeural, the app's default) or Emma Multilingual (en-US-EmmaMultilingualNeural, shown on Generated). Look for MultilingualNeural in the voice name: the en-US prefix does not limit these voices to English. Supply text in the language you want spoken and listen with Test Voice.

For English, try Sonia and Ryan for British English, or Aria and Jenny for US English. The example below pairs Ryan with the pilot and Sonia with the cabin crew. Choose from your current provider's voice list and test airport names and flight numbers.

Assign a pilot and flight attendant

Open Generated > Roles, choose the provider and airline, select Pilot Voice and Flight Attendant Voice, then Save Roles. Choose (Default) for voices shared by airlines without their own assignment. The settings are stored in roles.json in the corresponding sound folder.

Templates beginning with ##Role: Pilot or ##Role: FA use those assignments. An explicit ##Voice: takes priority over a role. Airline role settings take priority over Default role settings; the selected main voice is the fallback. Templates without a role use the flight-attendant role when one is available.

Auto pick Roles based on Airline Country chooses voices when no airline roles file exists. Leave it off for predictable manual assignments. Voice selection does not translate your text.

Override one announcement

Use Insert Voice to insert the selected voice, or enter:

##Voice: Edge/en-GB-SoniaNeural
##rate:-10%
##pitch:0Hz
Welcome aboard. Please keep the aisle clear.

Rate adjusts speed: -10% is slower, +10% faster, and +0% unchanged. Pitch adjusts Hz; 0Hz is unchanged. These directives work with Edge and Azure. Test small changes before generating a pack.

Choose how generation is used

Keep recordings and fill gaps

Enable Enable Generated TTS fallback, but leave both Replace existing .ogg options off. Matching airline recordings are kept. If one is missing, generation can supply it before Default fallback is considered. The target airline folder must exist, or Auto create missing airline folder must be enabled.

Refresh flight-specific recordings

Replace existing .ogg if Airline txt permits regeneration when the airline has its own template. Replace existing .ogg Always broadens replacement to allow Default text too. Regenerate only if dynamic limits regeneration to templates containing dynamic placeholders.

The app also uses per-flight guards and filename matching, so this is not continuous live speech. For a predictable result, fetch the correct plan, generate once before departure, and preview it. Keep a separate copy of recordings you cannot easily replace.

Generate before flying

Generate As.. lets you choose a filename, including supported tags. Manual generation writes audio to the selected airline folder. You can save text and role defaults under Default, but cannot select Default as a manual audio-generation target.

Use Generate for one item or Generate All for the set after checking the selected airline and voice. This is useful when you prefer recordings to be ready before boarding rather than waiting for an online service during playback. Keep replacement disabled during the flight if you intend to use those prepared files unchanged.

Other providers

Windows uses voices installed locally and can work offline. Available voices depend on your Windows installation. It is a useful fallback when an online service is unavailable.

Azure needs an Azure Speech resource, its API key and matching region. ElevenLabs needs its API key and a supported voice/model. Enter these in Generated when that provider is selected. Check each provider's current account limits and pricing before generating large batches; no free allowance is promised here.

For less studio-like audio, enable Audio > PA Audio Mix (simulates cabin speaker noise) and select a preset. This affects generated audio. Regenerate and preview a sample to judge the result. Do not expect a new setting to rewrite previously saved files automatically.

Long templates take longer to generate. Keep each call focused, and use recordings for music rather than trying to make the voice service produce it.

Common questions

Can I use packs from the Fenix channel on Discord?

Yes. Packs from both the Fenix and Universal Announcer channels work, without owning Fenix or finding a separate edition of the pack. Use the folder layout in Set up and preview sounds.

Nothing happens when I turn on the logo light

Check the simulator connection, beacon off, ground state and enabled Boarding Welcome. Without GSX, disable its integration. With GSX, start actual boarding. Preview the relevant file to separate a sound problem from a trigger problem. Check Waiting for before pressing Play Next.

I can preview a file, but cannot hear it in flight

Check Stop/Resume, Mute, the selected audio device and camera multipliers. Temporarily disable camera volume and the foreground-only option. An exterior multiplier of zero or a muted quickview can explain silence even when the main volume is high.

Check the filename too. 1-BoardingWelcome.ogg can preview but will not be found in flight: remove 1- to get BoardingWelcome.ogg. BoardingWelcome.mp3 is not recognised for automatic announcements. Convert the audio to OGG; renaming the extension does not convert it.

I can hear double announcements

The Fenix may be playing its own announcements alongside Universal Announcer. Disable them in the Fenix EFB or using the cockpit radio panel's PA knob. Alternatively, select Stop in Universal Announcer to use only the Fenix's built-in announcements.

It chooses the wrong airline, aircraft or language

Fetch the correct SimBrief plan and read the returned values. Check Status overrides and the exact folder code. A20N does not match an exact [A320] tag; use [A20N] or the family [320]. Use arrival/departure tags to select regional recordings. Changing the UI language does not translate recorded audio.

The aircraft's seatbelt switch does nothing

Some add-ons do not expose a usable standard switch signal. Try the app or toolbar seatbelt button. A simulator Annunciator On/Off binding is another supported signal path, but verify it with your aircraft rather than assuming its panel switch is connected.

It skips ahead or gets stuck after pushback

Some aircraft, such as the Synaptic A220, do not report reliable engine signals to MSFS apps. If this stalls the announcement sequence, use Play Next when the next call is appropriate.

My edited words or new voice are not being used

Check the selected airline, Save txt destination, explicit ##Voice: lines, role assignments and existing .ogg files. Text changes alone do not replace audio. Generate and preview the exact file you expect to hear before changing automatic overwrite settings.

Troubleshooting and support

Edge generation fails or its voice list is empty

Check internet access and try a short Test Voice. Try another currently listed voice and check for an app update. A service-side change can affect every voice. Use existing recordings or Windows voices while diagnosing it; reinstalling sound packs is unlikely to repair a voice-service problem.

The Discord invitation does not open

Try the invitation in another browser or the Discord app. Complete the server's normal joining steps. If the invitation has expired, use the current link on the project's help page or ask the pack community for an updated invitation. Do not assume that an inaccessible channel means your sound files are installed incorrectly.

Updating and preserving your setup

Use the app's Check for updates..., or download a new release and follow its notes. Exit the running app before replacing files manually. Keep your sound packs, custom .txt templates and roles.json files backed up. Only update the Community toolbar package when the release instructions require it.

Settings and logs live in %APPDATA%\UniversalAnnouncer. Paste that into File Explorer's address bar. Your sound root can be somewhere else; check Sound Files > Current Location before backing it up.

Make a useful bug report

1. Open Help & About and click the logo three times quickly. Confirm the debug-mode message.
2. Reproduce the problem once, noting the flight phase and the action you took. Restart the app first if the problem happens during startup.
3. Open %APPDATA%\UniversalAnnouncer\debug.log, or use the tray's View Debug Log.
4. Report the app version, simulator version, aircraft, relevant GSX/ChasePlane versions, expected result and actual result. Include the relevant log and a screenshot if useful.
5. Toggle debug mode off with three quick logo clicks when finished.

Check logs and configuration for personal paths, usernames and credentials before sharing. Use GitHub Issues so the report can be tracked.

If Windows security flags a download, verify its source and consult the project's security-software notes. Do not disable protection just to make a warning disappear.

Before your next flight

At the gate

1. Start the app and confirm the simulator connection.
2. Generate and fetch the correct SimBrief plan, or check your manual airline/aircraft selection.
3. Confirm the sound root and preview a relevant file if you changed packs.
4. Check the audio device, main volume, mute and camera levels.
5. Choose GSX boarding or the logo-light workflow.
6. If using generated audio, check the airline, template and voice. Generate before boarding if you want to avoid online delays.
7. Start boarding with the beacon off. Let the sequence follow the flight.

When something stops

Read Waiting for and Next Announcement first. Check the required signal and the selected file. Use Play Next once to recover a missed trigger. Use Restart only when you want a new sequence.

Names worth keeping handy

Announcements\Default\BoardingWelcome.ogg
Announcements\BAW\SafetyBriefing[320].ogg
Announcements\BAW\AfterLanding[EGLL].ogg
Announcements\BAW\BoardingWelcome.txt
Announcements\BAW\roles.json

In templates, ##Role: Pilot and ##Role: FA select crew roles. ##Voice: Edge/en-GB-SoniaNeural overrides the role for that template. {DESTINATION_CITY} and {FLIGHT_TIME} are examples of values supplied at generation time.

Further help

• Project help and current download links
• Generated-announcement reference
• Flight steps, dynamic tags, filename tags, aircraft families and Tweaks settings
• Announcement Hangar Discord
• Bug reports

Older reference pages describe earlier versions in places. This manual's app version is printed on the contents page; check release notes when a newer version changes a control or trigger.

Flight steps: departure

This reference describes automatic sequencing in app 0.9.9.7. Add .ogg to the names below. Calls must be enabled on Announcements and have a matching recording or generated replacement. AGL means height above ground; MSL means altitude above sea level. Timing is subject to audio finishing and announcement spacing.

With GSX enabled but unavailable, the app can fall back to the logo light. For a deliberate non-GSX workflow, disable GSX integration. GSX requesting boarding (state 4) is not the same as active boarding (state 5).

For the arrival sequence, continue to Flight steps: arrival. Play Next bypasses normal waiting conditions; it is not a preview button.

Flight steps: arrival

Normal calls play once per flight unless noted. Optional pilot and cruise calls need enabling. Thresholds below are the current defaults; see the Tweaks reference for settings and ranges.

Additional sound files

LandingGreat.ogg and LandingTerrible.ogg are optional touchdown reactions controlled by Tweaks. Current default thresholds are at most 200 ft/min and 1.2g for a great landing, or at least 800 ft/min or 1.6g for a terrible landing. Built-in reaction sounds are available if a custom file is absent.

CabinNoise.ogg supplies optional idle cabin ambience after boarding and before disembarkation. It uses the music volume and camera multipliers. It is not another flight-sequence step.

Dynamic tags: flight and route

Dynamic tags are placeholders inside template text, written in braces. They are different from filename tags, which use square brackets to select recordings. Use these names exactly, in uppercase. Values are inserted when audio is generated; an existing recording does not update itself.

Names and cities come from the lookup files shipped in Tools; they are not automatically translated. Missing data usually produces an empty value. A misspelled or unsupported placeholder can remain as literal text, so preview your output.

For language-sensitive flight numbers, keep {FLIGHT_NUMBER_DIGITS} as digits rather than writing English number words. For digit-by-digit pronunciation, see xml_digits in template syntax.

Dynamic tags: time and weather

These values are resolved at generation time. SimBrief supplies the plan and destination weather; it is not a live weather feed. English wording below remains English even with a multilingual voice.

Delay values compare the plan with the computer's current UTC time, not the simulator clock. Status sentences treat a difference of up to 5 minutes as on time; the numeric early/late values can still be non-empty within that window. This differs from the configurable threshold for the Departure Delayed announcement.

For another language, use numeric minute values with your own wording, for example: Nous avons {DEP_LATE_MINUTES} minutes de retard. Wrap optional phrases in an IF condition as shown on the next page.

Template syntax reference

Optional text

Use a single-line condition to omit a phrase when a value is missing. A condition is true when the value is non-empty and is not exactly 0.

{IF DESTINATION_CITY}Welcome to {DESTINATION_CITY}.{END}
{IF DEP_LATE_MINUTES}Nous avons {DEP_LATE_MINUTES} minutes de retard.{END}

The current parser ends a condition at {END}, the next newline or the end of the text, whichever comes first. Keep each condition on one line. Nested conditions and multi-line blocks are not reliable in this version, despite examples in older guides. There is no ELSE or comparison expression.

Direct SimBrief XML values

Each <name> follows a child element from the preceding one in the plan. Missing XML or a missing path produces empty text. Inspect your own SimBrief plan to choose a valid path. These XML lookups run before ordinary placeholders and IF conditions.

Voice directives

Put directives on separate lines before the spoken text. They select how the text is generated and are not read aloud.

Airline role assignments take priority over Default role assignments, with the main selected voice as fallback. A template without a role uses the flight-attendant role when available. See voice setup and generation modes before replacing recordings.

All filename tags

Use AnnouncementName[tag][tag].ogg, with tags immediately before the extension. For example, SafetyBriefing[A20N][Morning].ogg. Use the exact announcement names in Flight steps. An extra prefix, suffix or .mp3 extension prevents normal matching. Templates use .txt; generated recordings use .ogg.

There is no special language tag such as [French]. Select a recording through aircraft, time, airport or numbered variants, or put translated text into a generated template. Tag values are compared without case sensitivity; keep the announcement name's spelling and capitalisation as listed.

BoardingWelcome[ARR][ED##].ogg
AfterLanding[EGLL][mute].ogg
SafetyBriefing[320][Morning][1].ogg

File selection and cruise names

How matching files are chosen

Scores add together for matching tags; they are not a fixed priority ladder. A tag that does not match normally excludes the file. An untagged file scores zero and is a useful fallback. Folder priority still applies: matching airline files are considered before Default fallback.

Thus [320][Morning] scores 130 on a matching morning flight and can beat a file with only [A20N] at 100. Among equal top scores, non-muted files are preferred. Numbered alternatives try to reuse the flight's established number if available; other ties are random. Numbered cabin-noise tracks instead rotate.

With ARR/DEP, separate airport tags are alternatives: [ARR][EGLL][EGKK] matches either destination. Without ARR/DEP, multiple airport tags are not an OR list. Avoid combining ARR/DEP with a 3- or 4-letter family helper such as [CRJ]: the parser can treat that helper as another airport alternative.

Airport context without ARR or DEP

Origin is used for BoardingWelcome, BoardingWelcomePilot, BoardingMusic, BoardingComplete, ArmDoors, PreSafetyBriefing, SafetyBriefing, CabinDimTakeoff, CrewSeatsTakeoff, CallCabinSecureTakeoff and AfterTakeoff. Other announcement types use destination, including DepartureDelayed. Cabin noise uses origin context. Airport matching requires SimBrief route data.

Cruise filenames and timing

Use CruiseElapsed1Percent.ogg through CruiseElapsed100Percent.ogg, or corresponding .txt templates. Cruise.ogg is an alias at 50%. Enable CruiseElapsed. This measures elapsed simulator air time against planned duration, not map distance.

For plans of 45-59, 30-44, 20-29 and under 20 minutes, milestones are shifted earlier by 12, 14, 18 and 22 percentage points respectively; plans of 60 minutes or more have no shift. Milestones of 40% or above are suppressed below 10,000 ft AGL or when descending faster than 500 ft/min. When several thresholds are crossed together, the highest available eligible call wins; every intermediate file is not guaranteed to play.

Aircraft families: Boeing and Airbus

These are the exact family mappings in the current code. Use a helper in square brackets, for example SafetyBriefing[320].ogg. The table lists codes that receive the family-match score. Check the aircraft code on Status or in the retrieved SimBrief plan.

Exact type or family?

[A20N] is an exact type match worth 100 points. [320] is the family match worth 80. [A320] matches only A320, not A20N. Other matching tags add points, so use the selection table when several files qualify.

Likewise, use [BCS1] or [BCS3] for a particular A220 type, or [A220] for both. A helper does not fix a missing or unexpected aircraft code. Check the detected code before renaming a whole pack.

Numeric helpers also count as numbered variants. If [320] does not match the detected family, the current parser can still accept it as variant number 320, worth 10 points. The same applies to other numeric helpers. Use exact non-numeric codes such as [A20N] when a file must be restricted to that aircraft.

Keep one untagged recording when a call should also work on aircraft outside the listed family. Families are a convenience for file selection; they do not restrict which aircraft can use Universal Announcer.

Aircraft families: other aircraft

The remaining helpers are below, including single-type mappings. Use the spelling shown; comparisons are case-insensitive. These mappings describe the app's current lookup, not every member of each real aircraft family.

Examples: BoardingWelcome[EJET].ogg covers the four listed E-Jets; SafetyBriefing[Citation].ogg covers the listed Citation codes. Unlisted types do not automatically inherit a helper based on their manufacturer or name.

For basic folder setup see Set up and preview sounds. For the supported tag forms and combinations see All filename tags.

Tweaks: settings overview

Open Settings > Tweaks to adjust announcement timing, music behaviour and aircraft compatibility. The next two pages explain every setting shown here. AGL means height above the ground below the aircraft, not altitude above sea level.

The screenshot shows one user's settings, not the defaults. In particular, its departure delay is 15 minutes and its great-landing G-force threshold is 1.11g; the code defaults are 10 minutes and 1.20g. The tables give defaults for a new configuration in app 0.9.9.7. Your saved values may differ.

Select Apply to save your changes, or OK to save and close. Some compatibility and landing-reaction controls save immediately when changed, so Cancel does not undo every change on this tab. Change settings before starting the flight.

Tweaks: timing and music

These settings adjust the flight steps; they do not enable a disabled announcement or supply a missing sound file. Keep the relevant calls enabled on Announcements.

For a quieter start to boarding, enable Skip First BoardingWelcome. To remove repeated welcome calls entirely, use the announcement controls rather than expecting this checkbox to do it.

Tweaks: compatibility and landing reactions

Aircraft and toolbar options

Landing Cabin Reactions

Default off. Enables a short reaction to a great or terrible landing. An ordinary landing produces no reaction. The app uses the magnitude of vertical speed just before touchdown and the peak G-force around the landing. VS is vertical speed in feet per minute; G-force measures acceleration, with 1g approximately normal gravity.

Keep the great limits below the terrible limits. At the defaults, 180 fpm / 1.15g gives a great reaction, 450 fpm / 1.30g gives none, and 450 fpm / 1.70g gives a terrible reaction. Enter descent-rate thresholds as positive numbers.

Custom LandingGreat.ogg and LandingTerrible.ogg recordings can replace the built-in reactions. Camera volume rules still apply. Detection needs running engines, at least 50 knots groundspeed and a recognised in-flight camera view; a 10-second cooldown after a reaction helps avoid repeats from a bounce.