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.

News Premium

iniBuilds’ A300-600R review

The wide-body design and the use of modern materials put the Airbus A300 on the cutting edge of 1970s technology. We take a closer look at iniBuilds rendition of this high-performance airliner for Microsoft Flight Simulator.

News Premium

Maxx Tech’s HOTAS Pro Flight Combo Kit

In this review, we take a look at Maxx Tech’s first hardware controller designed specifically for flight simulation. Dubbed the HOTAS Flight Combo Kit, the unit consists of a flight stick and a throttle quadrant aimed at the beginner/intermediary flight simulation enthusiast.

RJ Professional development update

Following the release of the 146 Professional Version 2, Just Flight has unveiled a new development update for the upcoming RJ Professional for Microsoft Flight Simulator.

Newcastle Airport for X-Plane out now

Aerosoft has announced Airport Newcastle XP for X-Plane 11 and 12 is now available.

News Premium

Drzewiecki Design’s Boeing Field review

This time, we explore Drzewiecki Design’s rendition of Boeing Field.

Lelystad Airport for MSFS

Scenery developer Papa Hotel has announced Lelystad Airport for Microsoft Flight Simulator is out now.

Review Premium

iniBuilds’ Leeds Bradford Airport (EGNM)

In this review, we travel to the north of England and explore iniBuilds' rendition of Lees Bradford Airport, located in the heart of Yorkshire.

Palm Beach for Microsoft Flight Simulator

BMWorld and AmSim have released KPBI Palm Beach International Airport for Microsoft Flight Simulator.

Review Premium

iniBuilds’ OMDB Dubai International reviewed

Yet again, prolific scenery developer iniBuilds has released another major airport for Microsoft Flight Simulator. This time, we travel to Dubai and explore its superb rendition of this iconic destination.

Review Premium

​Microsoft Flight Simulator World Update XVI: Caribbean

So here we have another monumental update from Asobo. This time, it depicts the beautiful islands of the Caribbean…

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.

Subscribe to Key.Aero

Become a part of our aviation community and subscribe to Key.Aero now. You can get all the aviation information you'll ever need, whenever you want, with access to all the latest aviation updates, news, events and more.