diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 973c7a2a..64aa9684 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -47,3 +47,8 @@ plugins/*/assets/**/*_backup/
 # ledmatrix-music/emulator_config.json is committed on purpose and stays
 # tracked -- .gitignore does not apply to files already in the index.
 emulator_config.json
+
+# Debug output the flights map composer writes when debug logging is on.
+# It lands in the process CWD, which on an install is the core checkout.
+debug_composite.png
+debug_cropped.png
diff --git a/plugins.json b/plugins.json
index fe71fed6..0873cd64 100644
--- a/plugins.json
+++ b/plugins.json
@@ -439,7 +439,7 @@
       "last_updated": "2026-08-03",
       "verified": true,
       "screenshot": "",
-      "latest_version": "1.12.13"
+      "latest_version": "1.12.17"
     },
     {
       "id": "march-madness",
diff --git a/plugins/ledmatrix-flights/debug_composite.png b/plugins/ledmatrix-flights/debug_composite.png
deleted file mode 100644
index c899e0e3..00000000
Binary files a/plugins/ledmatrix-flights/debug_composite.png and /dev/null differ
diff --git a/plugins/ledmatrix-flights/debug_cropped.png b/plugins/ledmatrix-flights/debug_cropped.png
deleted file mode 100644
index 2c2cc736..00000000
Binary files a/plugins/ledmatrix-flights/debug_cropped.png and /dev/null differ
diff --git a/plugins/ledmatrix-flights/manager.py b/plugins/ledmatrix-flights/manager.py
index 06385747..237b0267 100644
--- a/plugins/ledmatrix-flights/manager.py
+++ b/plugins/ledmatrix-flights/manager.py
@@ -591,6 +591,29 @@ def _resolve_metar_airports(self, codes) -> list:
 
     @property
     def display_width(self) -> int:
+        """Width to render at: the panel, or the slice Vegas asked for.
+
+        Vegas requests a narrower render so a layout built for the full panel
+        does not read as sparse in the ticker. It normally delivers that by
+        narrowing the shared canvas for the duration of the call, which this
+        property picks up for free through matrix.width -- but it cannot narrow
+        the canvas in offscreen mode, where it only sets the hint. Reading the
+        hint covers both paths.
+
+        Without this the map was composed at the full panel width and then
+        cropped by the adapter: on one rig, of twelve narrow requests only
+        three were honoured and nine rendered full width. The composite cache
+        below is already keyed by size and expects both widths, so honouring
+        the request adds an entry rather than thrashing.
+        """
+        hint = getattr(self, "get_vegas_render_width", None)
+        if callable(hint):
+            try:
+                requested = int(hint())
+                if requested > 0:
+                    return requested
+            except (TypeError, ValueError):
+                pass
         return self._display_manager_ref.matrix.width
 
     @property
@@ -1703,7 +1726,11 @@ def _process_aircraft_data(self, data: Dict) -> None:
             return
         
         total_aircraft = len(data['aircraft'])
-        self.logger.info(f"[Flight Tracker] Processing {total_aircraft} aircraft from SkyAware")
+        # Trace, not news: the Summary line below reports the same total, and
+        # this pair ran every few seconds. Lazy %-args so a disabled level
+        # costs nothing.
+        self.logger.debug("[Flight Tracker] Processing %d aircraft from SkyAware",
+                          total_aircraft)
         
         current_time = time.time()
         active_icao = set()
@@ -1820,7 +1847,30 @@ def _process_aircraft_data(self, data: Dict) -> None:
         for icao in stale_all:
             del self.all_aircraft_data[icao]
         
-        self.logger.info(f"[Flight Tracker] Summary - Total: {total_aircraft}, With position: {aircraft_with_position}, In range ({self.map_radius_miles}mi): {aircraft_in_range}, Tracking: {len(self.aircraft_data)}, Removed stale: {len(stale_icao)}")
+        # This ran on every poll -- roughly every five seconds, so ~690 lines
+        # per half hour, most of the device's log volume and a steady trickle
+        # of SD writes for a line that usually repeats itself.
+        #
+        # Keyed on what the plugin actually shows: aircraft in range and
+        # tracked. Total and With-position jitter every poll as distant
+        # traffic drifts in and out of the receiver, so keying on them
+        # collapsed almost nothing (343 lines -> 210 on measured data);
+        # keying on these two gives 343 -> 67. The jittery counts still ride
+        # along in the message, where they cost nothing.
+        summary = (aircraft_in_range, len(self.aircraft_data))
+        last_logged = getattr(self, '_last_summary_log', 0.0)
+        message = ("[Flight Tracker] Summary - Total: %d, With position: %d, "
+                   "In range (%smi): %d, Tracking: %d, Removed stale: %d")
+        args = (total_aircraft, aircraft_with_position, self.map_radius_miles,
+                aircraft_in_range, len(self.aircraft_data), len(stale_icao))
+        # The heartbeat keeps a quiet sky from looking like a stalled tracker.
+        if summary != getattr(self, '_last_summary', None) or \
+                current_time - last_logged >= 300:
+            self.logger.info(message, *args)
+            self._last_summary_log = current_time
+        else:
+            self.logger.debug(message, *args)
+        self._last_summary = summary
         self._update_flight_records()
     
     def _altitude_to_color(self, altitude: float) -> Tuple[int, int, int]:
@@ -2406,17 +2456,29 @@ def _get_map_background(self, center_lat: float, center_lon: float,
         self.logger.debug(f"[Flight Tracker] Map displays {desired_miles_wide:.1f} miles wide x {desired_miles_high:.1f} miles high (no stretching)")
         self.logger.debug(f"[Flight Tracker] Native tile scale: {pixels_per_mile_at_zoom:.3f} pixels/mile, cropped {crop_width_needed}x{crop_height_needed} pixels, scaled to {self.display_width}x{self.display_height}")
         
-        # Debug: Save composite image to see what's happening
-        try:
-            debug_composite = Path("debug_composite.png")
-            composite.save(debug_composite)
-            self.logger.debug(f"[Flight Tracker] Saved composite to: {debug_composite}")
-            
-            debug_cropped = Path("debug_cropped.png")
-            cropped.save(debug_cropped)
-            self.logger.debug(f"[Flight Tracker] Saved cropped to: {debug_cropped}")
-        except Exception as e:
-            self.logger.debug(f"[Flight Tracker] Could not save debug images: {e}")
+        # Debug aid, off unless debug logging is on. This used to run
+        # unconditionally, writing both PNGs on every composite: measured on a
+        # live rig at 5.36 MB for the composite and 0.04 MB for the crop, five
+        # composites in six hours -- about 108 MB a day written to an SD card
+        # for files nothing reads. They also landed in the process's working
+        # directory, which is the install root, where a pre-commit hook has
+        # previously swept them into a commit.
+        if self.logger.isEnabledFor(logging.DEBUG):
+            debug_dir = getattr(self, "tile_cache_dir", None)
+            if debug_dir is None:
+                self.logger.debug(
+                    "[Flight Tracker] No cache directory; skipping debug images")
+            else:
+                try:
+                    composite_path = Path(debug_dir) / "debug_composite.png"
+                    composite.save(composite_path)
+                    cropped_path = Path(debug_dir) / "debug_cropped.png"
+                    cropped.save(cropped_path)
+                    self.logger.debug(
+                        "[Flight Tracker] Saved debug images to: %s", debug_dir)
+                except OSError as e:
+                    self.logger.debug(
+                        f"[Flight Tracker] Could not save debug images: {e}")
         
         return cropped
     
diff --git a/plugins/ledmatrix-flights/manifest.json b/plugins/ledmatrix-flights/manifest.json
index a293588b..cc586c16 100644
--- a/plugins/ledmatrix-flights/manifest.json
+++ b/plugins/ledmatrix-flights/manifest.json
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
   "id": "ledmatrix-flights",
   "name": "Flight Tracker",
-  "version": "1.12.13",
+  "version": "1.12.17",
   "description": "Real-time aircraft tracking with ADS-B/FlightRadar24/OpenSky/adsb.fi/adsb.lol data, map backgrounds, area mode, flight tracking, anchor airport, flight records, and optional airport weather (METAR/TAF/PIREP/SIGMET via the free NOAA Aviation Weather Center API)",
   "author": "ChuckBuilds",
   "entry_point": "manager.py",
diff --git a/plugins/ledmatrix-flights/test_no_debug_image_writes.py b/plugins/ledmatrix-flights/test_no_debug_image_writes.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..dff0249d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/ledmatrix-flights/test_no_debug_image_writes.py
@@ -0,0 +1,83 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+"""Composing the map must not write debug PNGs unless debug logging is on.
+
+_get_map_background() saved two images on every composite, ungated -- no debug
+flag, no config check, and the comment above it read "Debug: Save composite
+image to see what's happening". Left-over debugging shipped as production
+behaviour.
+
+Measured on a live rig: debug_composite.png is 5.36 MB and debug_cropped.png
+0.04 MB, with five composites in six hours. That is roughly 108 MB a day
+written to an SD card for files nothing reads, on a device whose cards have
+already failed twice. Honouring the ticker's narrower render request makes the
+plugin compose at two widths rather than one, so the count roughly doubles.
+
+They also landed in the process's working directory -- the install root --
+where a pre-commit hook has previously swept them into a commit.
+
+Run: <core-venv>/bin/python plugins/ledmatrix-flights/test_no_debug_image_writes.py
+"""
+
+import ast
+import sys
+from pathlib import Path
+
+PLUGIN = Path(__file__).resolve().parent
+MANAGER = PLUGIN / "manager.py"
+failures = []
+
+
+def check(label, ok):
+    print(("  PASS  " if ok else "  FAIL  ") + label)
+    if not ok:
+        failures.append(label)
+
+
+def _save_calls(tree):
+    """Every `<something>.save(...)` in the module, with its line number."""
+    return [n for n in ast.walk(tree)
+            if isinstance(n, ast.Call)
+            and getattr(n.func, "attr", None) == "save"]
+
+
+def _guarding_debug_check(tree, lineno):
+    """True when the statement at `lineno` sits under an isEnabledFor guard."""
+    for node in ast.walk(tree):
+        if not isinstance(node, ast.If):
+            continue
+        test = ast.dump(node.test)
+        if "isEnabledFor" not in test:
+            continue
+        for child in ast.walk(node):
+            if getattr(child, "lineno", None) == lineno:
+                return True
+    return False
+
+
+def main():
+    tree = ast.parse(MANAGER.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
+
+    print("debug images are written only when debug logging is enabled")
+    saves = _save_calls(tree)
+    check(f"{len(saves)} save() call(s) found in manager.py", bool(saves))
+    for call in saves:
+        guarded = _guarding_debug_check(tree, call.lineno)
+        check(f"the save at line {call.lineno} is behind a debug-level guard",
+              guarded)
+
+    print("\nand not into the process working directory")
+    source = MANAGER.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+    check('no bare Path("debug_composite.png")',
+          'Path("debug_composite.png")' not in source)
+    check('no bare Path("debug_cropped.png")',
+          'Path("debug_cropped.png")' not in source)
+    check("debug images go under the tile cache directory",
+          "tile_cache_dir" in source.split("debug_composite.png")[0][-600:])
+
+    print("\n%s" % ("FAILED: %d" % len(failures) if failures
+                    else "All checks passed"))
+    return 1 if failures else 0
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    sys.exit(main())
diff --git a/plugins/ledmatrix-flights/test_vegas_render_width.py b/plugins/ledmatrix-flights/test_vegas_render_width.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..78f22c93
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/ledmatrix-flights/test_vegas_render_width.py
@@ -0,0 +1,117 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+"""The map must be composed at the width the ticker asked for.
+
+Vegas asks a plugin for a narrower render so a layout built for the full panel
+does not read as sparse in the ticker. It normally delivers that by narrowing
+the shared canvas for the duration of the call, which a plugin sizing itself
+from ``matrix.width`` picks up for free. But it cannot narrow the canvas in
+offscreen mode -- ``_render_at`` swaps the shared canvas, which is unsafe
+there -- so it only sets ``_vegas_render_width`` and notes that a plugin
+reading ``get_vegas_render_width()`` still gets the narrow size while one that
+only reads ``matrix.width`` "renders full width and is trimmed instead".
+
+This plugin relied on the canvas being narrowed. Its own docstring said the
+projection scales "without any extra plumbing". On a live rig that assumption
+held three times out of twelve:
+
+    [ledmatrix-flights] Native: requesting 256px instead of 512px
+    [ledmatrix-flights] Native: SUCCESS - 1 images, 512px total width
+    [ledmatrix-flights] Native: SUCCESS - 1 images, 256px total width
+
+so the same map came back at two different widths depending on which path the
+adapter took, and the full-width renders were cropped afterwards.
+
+No plugin in the repo read get_vegas_render_width() before this.
+
+Run: <core-venv>/bin/python plugins/ledmatrix-flights/test_vegas_render_width.py
+"""
+
+import sys
+from pathlib import Path
+
+plugin_dir = Path(__file__).resolve().parent
+sys.path.insert(0, str(plugin_dir))
+for candidate in (Path("/home/rackpi/projects/LEDMatrix"),
+                  plugin_dir.parents[2] / "LEDMatrix"):
+    if (candidate / "src" / "plugin_system" / "base_plugin.py").exists():
+        sys.path.insert(0, str(candidate))
+        break
+
+failures = []
+
+
+def check(label, ok):
+    print(("  PASS  " if ok else "  FAIL  ") + label)
+    if not ok:
+        failures.append(label)
+
+
+class _Matrix:
+    width, height = 512, 64
+
+
+class _DisplayManager:
+    matrix = _Matrix()
+
+
+def _plugin():
+    """A FlightTracker carrying what the width property reads.
+
+    Both names are set on purpose. This plugin keeps its own
+    ``_display_manager_ref``, while BasePlugin.__init__ stores the same object
+    as ``display_manager`` -- and get_vegas_render_width()'s fallback reads the
+    latter. A stub with only the private name makes the fallback miss the
+    matrix and return its hard-coded 128, which looks exactly like the property
+    being broken.
+    """
+    from manager import FlightTrackerPlugin as _P
+    obj = object.__new__(_P)
+    dm = _DisplayManager()
+    obj._display_manager_ref = dm
+    obj.display_manager = dm
+    return obj
+
+
+def main():
+    print("the render width follows the ticker's request")
+    from src.plugin_system.base_plugin import BasePlugin
+
+    p = _plugin()
+    check("the plugin inherits get_vegas_render_width from BasePlugin",
+          isinstance(p, BasePlugin) or hasattr(p, "get_vegas_render_width"))
+
+    check("outside a Vegas request it is the panel width (%d)" % p.display_width,
+          p.display_width == 512)
+
+    # Exactly what PluginAdapter does before calling get_vegas_content(), and
+    # the only thing it can do in offscreen mode.
+    p._vegas_render_width = 256
+    check("during a narrow request it is the requested width (%d)" % p.display_width,
+          p.display_width == 256)
+
+    # And exactly what the adapter's finally clause does afterwards.
+    p._vegas_render_width = None
+    check("afterwards it is the panel width again (%d)" % p.display_width,
+          p.display_width == 512)
+
+    print("\nnonsense hints fall back rather than propagating")
+    for bad in (0, -1, "wide", None):
+        p._vegas_render_width = bad
+        ok = p.display_width == 512
+        check(f"a hint of {bad!r} falls back to the panel width", ok)
+
+    print("\nthe composite cache keys on the size, so both widths coexist")
+    source = (plugin_dir / "manager.py").read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+    check("cached_map_bgs is keyed by (width, height)",
+          "current_size = (self.display_width, self.display_height)" in source)
+    check("and it is only cleared when the view itself moves",
+          "if self.last_map_center != current_center or self.last_map_zoom != zoom:"
+          in source)
+
+    print("\n%s" % ("FAILED: %d" % len(failures) if failures
+                    else "All checks passed"))
+    return 1 if failures else 0
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    sys.exit(main())