Flight Simulation

Key.Aero is home to PC Pilot, the world’s favourite flight simulation magazine which brings sense and expert opinion to the exciting and often daunting world of flight simulation. Contributors include many real-world pilots and aviation professionals to ensure what you read is as real as it gets. Articles cater for those interested in both civilian and military aircraft and include news on the latest standalone and add-on software products, news and reviews of flight sim hardware, tutorials, features and interviews.

Oslo Gardermoen for Prepar3D released

JustSim has announced Oslo Gardermoen Airport for Prepar3D v5 is out now.

Messerschmitt Bf 109 for MSFS ready for take-off

FlyingIron Simulations has announced the Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6 for Microsoft Flight Simulator is now available.

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Air Combat Simulation – Part 2

In this instalment of our series on air combat simulation, we look at a couple of important topics we need to address before discussing the 'mechanics' of aerial combat. The first is the software you will use to study the subject, while the second covers the hardware, such as the joystick, rudder pedals, throttles and head-tracking.

Daytona Beach for MSFS released

Scenery developers BMWorld and AmSim have teamed up to release KDAB Daytona Beach International Airport for Microsoft Flight Simulator.

Wired2Fire Sim X Valkyrie PC review News Premium

Wired2Fire’sSim X Valkyrie PC review

We review Wired2Fire’s Sim X Valkyrie PC, quoted as being: “A purebred flight simulation monster from our in-house testing team, it’s the fastest PC in the world for flight sim.”

Flight Simulator Training - Part 2 Feature Premium

Flight Simulator Training - Part 2

In this lesson, we look at how the Cockpit Resource Management concept has evolved not only to train pilots what to do when things go wrong but how to mitigate failures and communicate with others.

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FlightSim Studio’s Tecnam P2006T Mk.II review

FlightSim Studio has designed a range of aircraft for Microsoft Flight Simulator and X-Plane, from the SeaRey flying boat right through to the Embraer E175. We take a look at its most recent release, Tecnam P2006T very light twin.

Take Command! DA40NG takes flight in X-Plane

X-Aviation has announced the Take Command! DA40NG for X-Plane 12 is now available.

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NZA Simulations’ Christchurch International Airport review

They say good things take time and that has certainly been the case with NZA Simulations’ latest scenery release for Microsoft Flight Simulator, Christchurch International Airport.

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IL-2 Sturmovik: Battle of Normandy Tutorial - Part 3

In this instalment, we focus on the individual flyable aircraft. For each type, we will give a brief history, along with their respective roles in the Normandy campaign and then look at how each aircraft has been modelled in the simulation.

All the latest news and updates from the world’s favourite Flight Simulators

Whilst flight simulators have been around for over a century in one form or another, it is only since the advent of the home computer that hobbyists and home users have been able to get a taster of what it’s like to fly the real thing.

Since before World War One, military commanders have been using land-based facilities to train their pilots, these mechanical simulators are now seen as the precursors for modern computer simulators. In the late 1970s, the very first flight simulators using 3-D graphics were launched and they’ve been a staple of the home PC market ever since.

With more than 4 decades of advancements in computer processing power, the flight simulators of today are almost unrecognisable compared to those early versions, but the principles remain the same. Modern flight sims bring photo-realistic graphics, realistic weather conditions and faithful recreations of an enormous range of aircraft including civilian, military and historic aircraft.

Key Aero is the only place you need to go to find out all the latest news, updates and big new releases from the world’s most popular flight simulators including Microsoft, X-Plane and Aerofly FS 2.

Microsoft Flight Simulator

Microsoft Flight Simulator has been around since the early 1980s with multiple versions, making it a popular choice amongst home and pro users. The latest version of the famous flight sim has taken the whole industry to another level, faithfully recreating the entire planet down to an accuracy of a centimetre and delivering this level of data via an online streaming connection. Serving data via a streaming service also opens up more avenues including real-time weather conditions and up-to-date maps and locations.

Discover great articles about all the latest updates and releases from Microsoft Flight Simulator.

X-Plane

Since the mid-90s, X-Plane has separated itself from the competition thanks to its use of real-world physics. This implementation has made it one of the most realistic simulators in terms of weather conditions, aerodynamics and user experience. However, the same algorithms that have made it possible to recreate the physics of the real world also enable users to create their own hypothetical aircraft and environments. In fact, X-Plane has even aided in the design and development of aircraft in the real world.

Read more about X-Plane.

Aerofly FS 2

Aerofly FS 2 has delivered some truly stunning, photo-realistic scenery as well as incredibly detailed cockpits and controls. As a result, the user experience is second to none. Aerofly have also built-in support for Virtual Reality (VR) headsets, allowing the user to fully immerse themselves into the virtual world.

Browse our flight simulation articles to find all the latest news from Aerofly, including new releases, software updates and forthcoming releases.

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