Register

Simulated Flight in Real, Uninterrupted Time

Microsoft Flight Simulator offers the experience of navigating live weather while flying to far-flung destinations.

Microsoft Flight Simulator offers the experience of navigating live weather while flying to far-flung destinations. [Image courtesy: Peter James]
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • The author embarked on an extensive multi-day virtual journey in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020, flying from the U.S. to Alaska, Russia, and Japan, showcasing the simulator's global scope.
  • The journey included an experience with the hypersonic "Darkstar" jet and culminated in a detailed simulation of the challenging "checkerboard" approach and landing at the iconic, retired Kai Tak International Airport in Hong Kong.
  • The article highlights MSFS 2020's immersive realism, allowing enthusiasts to experience legendary aviation scenarios and fulfill dreams of flying in challenging aircraft and locations.
See a mistake? Contact us.

Recently I took a real-time trip in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 (MSFS 2020) over multiple days, from the contiguous U.S. to far western Alaska—a place I would love to see in real life, and certainly a popular place for aviation in general. Although frequently associated with horrendous weather, Alaska is a place that’s probably not often seen except in the last few seconds at minimums and below, or on the TV show, “The Deadliest Catch.” 

My weather was live and real-time as usual, and I was greeted by ceiling and visibility unlimited (CAVU) the day I started this trip. Once there, I marveled at the incredible scenery and beauty of it all, with lots of snowy landscapes to view. It was early spring but winter in Alaska using the live weather features of MSFS, showed the heavy snows they have been having this year are still in place. 

Peter James

Peter is an experienced Part 135 business jet pilot with a passion for simulators and how they blend with the real world. Learning to fly at age 12, he supplemented his passion and career goals with the early versions of Microsoft Flight Simulator. With the growing realism of all PC simulators today, he frequently uses them for extra proficiency, and loves to show other pilots how great they are.

Ready to Sell Your Aircraft?

List your airplane on AircraftForSale.com and reach qualified buyers.

List Your Aircraft
AircraftForSale Logo | FLYING Logo
Pilot in aircraft
Sign-up for newsletters & special offers!

Get the latest stories & special offers delivered directly to your inbox.

SUBSCRIBE