Microsoft's Flight Simulator Is Officially out and Here's How Not to Suck at Flying

Flying around and travelling the world is one of the greatest joys in life, pilots get to do this and even get paid in the process.

Microsoft Flight Simulator or MSFS 2020 is now available for both Windows and Xbox console platforms that let aspiring pilots and aviators take the joy of flying right at their fingertips featuring an interactive handcrafted environment.

Players would not feel very far away because of the simulator's stunning graphics and environment that is handcrafted to suit the feeling of travelling to another location and experiencing the place. Tech Crunch reports that the current release is highly anticipated by aspiring flyers gathering a huge fan and player base since its announcement just last year.

August 18 is the official launch of the simulator for both PC and console gaming platforms and pre-orders for the beta game will automatically download the sim for Windows. The simulator comes in three different versions: Standard, Deluxe, and Premium; each having their price point and add-on packages.

The base standard version already offers multiple aircraft to fly and 38,000 airports to land on all-around the world. Famous cities can also be found that emulates real ones, including their airports and structures.

The Sky is Calling

Bing Map's data was used to accurately convey the surroundings around the world that also gives a real-time weather situation, bringing humidity, wind, direction, and rain. Time zones also change varying on your location and computer time, giving players a chance to experience night-time flying.

The application is genuinely advanced with real-world flying situations and actual instruments in the cockpit working; it can prove hard for users of the MSFS 2020 to take part.

How Not to Suck and Earning Your Wings

Despite the sim being viewed as a game and form of entertainment, the application gives a real feel of traversing the skies. Controlling the aircraft on MSFS is quite technical, and the simulator advises for users to learn the entirety of the plane they prefer.

Earning wings in real life is portrayed by the sim, from the basics to the most advanced, it will teach users to read instruments and gauges, accomplish checklists that relate to real-world flight, and calculate all the factors, much like what a real pilot would do.

Just like in the real world, MSFS gives-off different feels of the variety of aircraft available, from single-engines to the sleek jets, and even the commercial Airbusses that is used to travel across locations. It is essential to take-in all those factors because these planes vary. Patience is needed to learn and practice with different aircraft to master the craft of sim-flying.

Flight Simulator Franchise

The Flight Simulator franchise has been around for quite some time, dating back to its original release date during the 1980s. The software simulator is even supposed to be discontinued following 2017's last release.

Microsoft's Flight Simulator YouTube channel recently released a historical video of the sim's development since 1982. The simulator is a mainstay in the industry and is around for almost two decades. Microsoft's effort in the 2020 release shows the company's dedication to creating a flight simulation for everyone to experience.

Here are the three different versions, price breakdown, and what it includes in Xbox's beta release.

• Standard ($59.99) - includes 20 highly detailed planes with unique models and 30 handcrafted airports.
• Deluxe ($89.99) - Additional five highly-detailed planes with unique models and five handcrafted airports
• Premium ($119.99) - Additional ten highly-detailed planes with unique models and ten handcrafted airports