The latest World Update for Microsoft Flight Simulator covers the vast region of Oceania and Antarctica.
Known as both a continent and a geographic region, Oceania consists of remote coral islands, long stretches of white sand beaches, volcanoes, vast uninhabited rainforests and cities.
The update covers a total of 13 countries and 28 territories based on the latest aerial photographs, satellite imagery and digital elevation data. Some of the islands include Polynesia (Hawaii and Easter Island), Melanesia (Fiji, New Caledonia, New Guinea, Indonesia’s West Papua, and the Solomon Islands), the Galapagos Islands and key regions of Antarctica, notably the Antarctic Peninsula. Moreover, Hawaii also has updated height field data and Honolulu features dozens of handmade buildings.
Additionally, Orbx has created 150 Points of Interest (POIs) throughout the region, including four series of Moai monoliths on Easter Island, The Autograph Tower – the tallest building in Indonesia and the Southern Hemisphere and The Point Venus Lighthouse on Tahiti, to name a few.
Antarctica features three bases, McMurdo Station (USA), Ross Island Scott Base (New Zealand) and Davis Station Princess Elizabeth Land (Australia).
Orbx has also produced more than a dozen handmade airports, including:
- A collection of highlands dirt airstrips in Papua New Guinea
- Easter Island’s Mataveri International Airport (SCIP)
- Hawaii’s Kona International Airport (PHKO)
- Nusatupe Airport (AGGN) on the Solomon Islands
- Bora Bora Airport (NTTB) in French Polynesia
- Moorea Airport (NTTM) in French Polynesia.
Additionally, Perfect Flight has created 11 missions to showcase the best of Oceania. These include five discovery flights:
Discovery Flights:
- The West Maui Mountains in a DG Aviation LS8-18 glider
- Tahiti in a Cessna 152
- Kiribati’s Tarawa in a Guimbal Cabri G2 helicopter
- Hawaii’s Mauna Kea in a Diamond Aircraft DA62
- Central Java in a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan.
Landing Challenges:
- Fiji’s Nadi International Airport (NFFN) in an Airbus A320
- Palmyra Airport (PLPA) on Palmyra Atoll in a Bonanza G36
- Busilmin Airstrip (AYIN) on Papua New Guinea in a CubCrafters XCub.
Bush Trips:
- New Caledonia Tour in a Diamond Aircraft DA62
- New Guinea Challenge in a CubCrafters XCub
- Aloha Hawaii in a Cessna 172.
World Update XIII: Oceania and Antarctica is available free to all owners of Microsoft Flight Simulator on PC and Xbox on the in-sim Marketplace. A complete changelog is available on the Microsoft Flight Simulator website.
