A series of flight simulator programs for Microsoft Windows operating systems, allowing users to pilot realistic aircraft in varying weather and landscapes around the world
The Microsoft Flight Simulator series is a long-running line of flight simulator programs published by Microsoft and Xbox Game Studios. The games allow players to pilot highly detailed aircraft in regions around the world, taking off and landing at real-world airports. Weather, terrain, and air traffic can be set to real-world conditions to create an authentic piloting experience.
The first Microsoft Flight Simulator was released in 1982 for MS-DOS and popularized flight simulation on personal computers. New versions added improved graphics, hardware support, more aircraft and airports, and online multiplayer capabilities. The latest entry, Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020), uses satellite data and Azure cloud computing to render high-fidelity graphics and accurate replicas of entire countries with photorealistic terrain and structures.
Key features of the Microsoft Flight Simulator games include a large selection of accurate flight models for planes and gliders from Cessna single-engines to commercial airliners, high-resolution terrain mapping using Bing Maps data, real-time weather based on meteorological models, and simulated air traffic with interactive ATC communications. Add-ons created by third-party developers greatly expand the simulator's content.
With its in-depth piloting mechanics and visualization of real-world locations, the long-running Microsoft Flight Simulator franchise allows aviation enthusiasts to experience the joy and challenge of controlling aircraft in a virtual environment.