Install the Hub

The Headingstar Hub is an ordinary Windows program that runs beside your simulator. It reads the simulator through its own interfaces (SimConnect for MSFS, UDP for X-Plane) and sends the data to your devices over Wi-Fi. It isn’t a simulator add-on: it needs nothing in MSFS’s Community folder.

Download

Download the Hub for Windows (HeadingstarHub-<version>-win-x64.zip). What’s in each version is in the release notes.
Unzip it anywhere, for example in Documents\Headingstar.
Run HeadingstarHub.exe. It includes .NET: there’s nothing to install.

Allow it through the firewall

The first time the Hub runs, Windows asks whether to allow it on networks. Allow it on private networks, or your iPad won’t find it. If you missed the prompt, see Troubleshooting.

SimConnect

For MSFS, the Hub needs SimConnect.dll. MSFS doesn’t put it where programs can find it, so the Hub looks in this order:

next to HeadingstarHub.exe;
the MSFS SDK (2024 or 2020), in C:\MSFS 2024 SDK or C:\MSFS SDK, under SimConnect SDK\lib;
MobiFlight Connector’s folder, if MobiFlight is installed.

If you use MobiFlight, there’s nothing to do. Otherwise install the SDK from MSFS: Options → General → Developers, turn on Developer Mode, then Help → SDK Installer. You can also copy the SDK’s SimConnect.dll next to HeadingstarHub.exe.

The Hub’s activity list says where it found SimConnect. Without it, the header says so; the demo flight still works.

Start flying

Start the simulator and the Hub in any order. The Hub’s header shows the link to the simulator (a green dot while data flows) and the aircraft you’re flying. Then connect your iPad or iPhone.

Demo flight: the Hub’s demo switch flies a flight by itself, to try everything without the simulator.
X-Plane: choose X-Plane next to the demo switch (X-Plane).

Settings and updates

The Hub’s settings and logs are in %APPDATA%\HeadingstarHub (its settings in settings.json).
To update, download the new zip and replace HeadingstarHub.exe. The release notes say when a new Hub is out.