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.

France VFR South-East-Riviera for MSFS released

France VFR South-East-Riviera for Microsoft Flight Simulator brings together in a single pack all the elements needed for VFR flying in the southeast of France.

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Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024

A few months ago, Microsoft announced that 2024 would herald the release of a new flight simulator with a completely new engine, which generated a lot of controversy in the community. In this feature, we find out what to expect from this new platform.

X-Plane touches down in Alaska

Scenery developer, Northern Sky Studio has announced Wrangell Airport for X-Plane 11 and 12 is now available.

Tucson for Microsoft Flight Simulator released

FeelThere has announced Tucson International Airport for Microsoft Flight Simulator is out now.

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Orbx's Sacramento Airport review

Created by Indie developer Matteo Veneziani, Sacramento Airport is a great place to visit and makes a fantastic addition to any North American pilot's arsenal. For airline pilots, this is a great airport, while lower, slower pilots will love the easy access to the Rockies and places like Lake Tahoe. We take a closer look at Orbx's rendition of this popular destination.

Nardi FN.333 lifts off in MSFS

Mario Noriega Designs releases the Nardi FN-333 Riviera for Microsoft Flight Simulator.

DHC-2 Beaver upgraded to X-Plane 12

Thranda Design has announced the DHC-2 Beaver has been upgraded to be compatible with X-Plane 12.

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Flight Adventure: de Havilland DHC-1 Chipmunk

This series is spoilt for choice as we explore classic aircraft available to flight simulation pilots. This time, we fly one that has happily transcended the centuries and still manages to turn heads – the de Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk.

New Caribbean destination for Microsoft Flight Simulator

TropicalSim has announced Antigua VC Bird International Airport version 2 for Microsoft Flight Simulator is out now.

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Back to Basics – Series 4, Lesson 10

In previous lessons, we became familiar with the basic navigation aids and some elementary holding techniques. This time, we continue to up the ante by moving into the dark and mysterious world of SIDs and STARs.

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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