Enable FlightGear's web interface, open its browser map on a PC or phone, fix connection errors and keep the local HTTP server secure.
FlightGear's web interface is a browser-based companion to the desktop simulator, not a browser edition of FlightGear. Start FlightGear with --httpd=8080, keep it running, then open . From another device on the same trusted network, use the simulator PC's private IP address instead of localhost.
Can I play FlightGear in a web browser?
No: a FlightGear browser page does not run or stream the simulator itself. FlightGear must be installed and running on the host computer because that running process supplies the web pages, live aircraft data, map and any available controls.
Closing FlightGear also stops the web interface. This is not a public FlightGear website or cloud gaming service, and entering the address when the simulator is not running will normally produce a connection-refused message.
How do I enable the FlightGear web interface?
Enable FlightGear's built-in HTTP server with the --httpd=PORT startup option, then visit that port in an ordinary browser.
- Close FlightGear. The HTTP service is enabled during startup, so adding the option after a flight has loaded will not start it.
- Add the HTTP option. Enter
--httpd=8080in the launcher's field for additional command-line options. The field's wording varies between launcher versions. If you use a terminal, script or shortcut, append the same option to the command that starts FlightGear. - Launch FlightGear. Keep the simulator open while using the browser pages.
- Open the local address. On the same computer, enter
or. Usehttp://, nothttps://. - Start from the root page. Use the map, property or control links supplied there rather than relying on an old bookmarked subpage.
The port is not fixed. If 8080 is occupied by another programme, choose an unused port such as 8081 and use it in both places: --httpd=8081 and . Our explanation of passing FlightGear startup options through a launcher, shortcut or terminal covers the different launch methods.
How do I open FlightGear web pages on a phone or second computer?
Use the FlightGear computer's private LAN address and HTTP port when connecting from another device on the same trusted network.
- Find the host computer's address. On Windows, run
ipconfigand locate the IPv4 address for the active Ethernet or Wi-Fi adaptor. On other systems, check the active connection in the network settings. - Confirm both devices share the LAN. Guest Wi-Fi commonly blocks communication between devices, even when both appear to use the same router.
- Enter the complete URL. If the FlightGear computer is actually assigned
192.168.1.50and you selected port8080, open. - Allow private-network access. If the host firewall asks, permit FlightGear or the selected TCP port only on trusted private networks.
A mistake we see constantly is treating 192.168.1.50 as FlightGear's fixed address. It is only an example of a private network address. Your computer may use a different 192.168 address, a 10 address or another private range, and the router may assign a new address after a restart.
The port suffix matters. Entering only asks for the default HTTP port 80, not the 8080 service started by --httpd=8080. Likewise, localhost on a phone refers to the phone itself rather than the FlightGear computer.
What can the FlightGear web interface do?
The available pages depend on the FlightGear release, its installed data files and, in some cases, the selected aircraft.
| Browser tool | What it is useful for | What to watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Moving map | Follow your aircraft, route, airports and supported traffic layers on a second display. | Map layouts and layers vary. Follow our instructions for setting up and using FlightGear's browser moving map if the map is your main goal. |
| Property browser | Inspect live values in FlightGear's property tree when configuring or diagnosing an aircraft. | Changing a writable property can affect the flight immediately. Aircraft-specific property paths are not interchangeable. |
| Control pages | Operate controls exposed by the installed web front end. | This is not a full remote desktop, and the available controls differ between versions and aircraft. |
| Status and data pages | Monitor position, speed, systems or other simulator properties. | The browser is suitable for human-readable monitoring, not necessarily high-rate telemetry. |
Older FlightGear documentation may call the browser front end Phi or link directly to a particular route. Those paths are not consistent across all installations. If an old URL returns a 404 error while the root page works, use the links provided by your installed version.
For a hardware panel, telemetry recorder or custom application that needs continuous structured data, the browser interface is usually the wrong tool. Use FlightGear's UDP interface for external applications instead.
Is the FlightGear web map an online multiplayer map?
The page is hosted locally by FlightGear, even though it opens in a browser; it is not a standalone online map that remains available after the simulator closes.
Your own aircraft can be displayed without using multiplayer. Online aircraft appear only when FlightGear is connected to multiplayer and the installed map supports the relevant traffic layer. If your aircraft appears but other pilots do not, check multiplayer before changing the HTTP server; our multiplayer connection and firewall troubleshooting steps cover that separate network service.
Depending on the installed map front end, background mapping or particular layers may also require an internet connection. That does not make the HTTP page itself public: the page is still being served by the FlightGear computer.
Why is the FlightGear web interface not working?
Most failures are caused by an option that was not applied at startup, a mismatched port, the wrong LAN address, a firewall rule or an obsolete saved route.
| Symptom | Likely cause and fix |
|---|---|
ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED at localhost | FlightGear is closed, --httpd was not applied, or the browser is using the wrong port. Restart FlightGear with the option and check its startup log for HTTP server messages. |
| FlightGear reports that the port is unavailable | Another programme is already using it. Select another unused port and change both the startup option and browser URL. |
| The local page works but a phone times out | Check the host's actual IPv4 address, private-network firewall permission, guest-network isolation and VPN routing. Temporarily disabling a VPN is a useful diagnostic step. |
192.168.1.50 does not respond | That address may belong to another device or may only have been an example. Read the active address from the FlightGear computer rather than copying it from instructions. |
| The browser opens the wrong service or nothing responds | The port may have been omitted. Use the full address, including :8080 or whichever port you selected. |
| An HTTPS or certificate error appears | Type the complete http:// URL. If the browser automatically upgrades local addresses to HTTPS, override that behaviour for this address. |
| The root page works but a bookmark returns 404 | The route changed between FlightGear web front ends. Return to |
| Pages are blank, incomplete or missing controls | The programme and data files may not match, web resources may be incomplete, or the browser may have cached older assets. Force-reload the page, inspect the startup log and repair the installation if necessary. |
| The map shows your aircraft but no online traffic | The HTTP server is working. Check the multiplayer connection and whether that map version provides a multiplayer traffic layer. |
Is FlightGear safe, and is its HTTP server safe?
FlightGear is a legitimate open-source flight simulator, but installation safety and network exposure are separate issues. Obtain the simulator from the official project distribution or a trusted operating-system package source, and treat unofficial installers or add-ons with the same caution as any downloaded software.
The built-in web server is intended for local or trusted-network use. Treat it as an unauthenticated, unencrypted HTTP service: pages may reveal simulator data, and some interfaces can alter writable properties or controls.
- Do not forward the selected port through your router or expose it directly to the internet.
- Do not permit it through a public-network firewall profile.
- Use it only on a LAN where you trust the other connected devices.
- Remember that opening
localhostin your browser does not by itself restrict who can reach the service; firewall rules control network access. - Remove the
--httpdoption and restart FlightGear when browser access is no longer required.