Learn what Microsoft Flight Simulator is, how its flight model, streamed world, aircraft systems and controls work, and what you need to start.
Microsoft Flight Simulator is a civil flight-simulation series that lets you operate aircraft in a digital model of Earth. It combines aerodynamic calculations, working cockpit systems, terrain and airport data, weather, traffic and player controls, then updates the aircraft and displayed world continuously as you fly.
How does Microsoft Flight Simulator work?
The simulator turns control inputs and environmental data into a continuously recalculated aircraft state, then draws the corresponding cockpit and world view.
- You provide an input: moving a joystick, yoke, controller or keyboard command changes the flight controls, throttle, brakes or cockpit systems.
- The flight model calculates the result: the software evaluates lift, drag, thrust, weight, control-surface position, air density, wind and the aircraft's configuration. It updates speed, attitude, altitude and position many times per second.
- The aircraft systems respond: engines, fuel, electrics, hydraulics, navigation instruments and autopilot logic operate according to the modelling supplied with that aircraft. System depth varies considerably between aircraft.
- The environment affects the flight: wind, turbulence, temperature, pressure, precipitation and icing can alter performance and handling. Our guide to live weather, presets and their limitations explains how those conditions enter the simulation.
- Your device renders the view: the PC or console produces the cockpit, aircraft and scenery frames while sound and force-feedback-capable hardware provide additional cues.
The streamed world should not be confused with streamed video. The aircraft simulation and graphics rendering run on your own PC or console; online services supply terrain assets, imagery and live data.
Is the whole Earth included, and does it need internet?
Microsoft Flight Simulator provides a flyable global world, but it does not store a full photographic copy of Earth on your drive.
The world is assembled from elevation data, aerial imagery, procedural buildings and vegetation, photogrammetry in supported areas, and handcrafted or automatically generated airports. Local detail therefore varies. A major airport may have carefully modelled terminals, while a small airfield might use generic buildings and imperfect runway data.
An internet connection is central to the normal experience, particularly in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. Installation, authentication, updates and on-demand world assets require online access, while live weather and multiplayer depend on it. Limited or cached operation differs by version and installed content, so do not assume that offline mode reproduces the full streamed world; see the specific MSFS 2024 internet and offline restrictions before choosing that version.
If terrain becomes blurry or generic, check that online world data is enabled and that the connection is not saturated before reducing graphics settings. Graphics quality controls what your device can draw; bandwidth controls which streamed assets reach it.
What is the difference between MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024?
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 are separate modern entries in the same series, with 2024 expanding the activity structure and relying more heavily on on-demand content delivery.
| Version | Platforms | Main emphasis |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 | PC and Xbox Series X|S; never released on PlayStation | Global free flight, challenges and an established add-on environment |
| Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 | PC, Xbox Series X|S, PS5 and PS5 Pro | Global free flight plus career progression, structured activities, pre-flight interaction and greater cloud-based content delivery |
Both versions use the same broad idea: simulate an aircraft locally while retrieving parts of the world and optional live services online. Add-on compatibility is not universal, however. Do not assume that every aircraft, scenery package, peripheral profile or utility made for 2020 will work unchanged in 2024.
Is Microsoft Flight Simulator a game or a real simulator?
Microsoft Flight Simulator is consumer entertainment software with genuine simulation systems, but an ordinary home installation is not, by itself, an approved flight-training device.
It can teach cockpit orientation, checklists, navigation concepts, instrument scanning and the basic relationship between control inputs and aircraft response. It cannot reproduce every aerodynamic edge case, physical sensation, system fault or consequence of real flight. Visual scenery, traffic and air traffic control also contain simplifications and occasional data errors.
Realism depends heavily on the selected aircraft. The core simulator supplies the aerodynamic and environmental framework, while each aircraft's configuration and custom code determine how accurately its engines, avionics and systems behave. A simple default aircraft may omit switches or failure modes that a more detailed add-on models.
Assistance settings matter as well. Auto-rudder, assisted controls, AI piloting and simplified procedures can make the aircraft behave differently from expected. Turn off assists selectively rather than disabling everything before learning the controls.
What do you need to start flying?
You need a supported PC or console, enough storage, a suitable controller and a dependable internet connection for the complete Microsoft Flight Simulator experience.
- PC or console: PC offers the widest choice of peripherals and utilities, while console provides a more fixed hardware target. For PC, compare your processor, graphics card, memory and storage against our practical MSFS hardware guidance.
- Flight controls: an Xbox-style controller works, but a joystick or yoke gives finer pitch and roll control. Rudder pedals and a separate throttle are useful rather than essential. Keyboard-only flying is possible but makes smooth analogue control difficult.
- Control configuration: bind pitch, roll, yaw, throttle, brakes, trim and camera controls first. A mistake we see constantly is the same axis assigned to two devices, which causes twitching controls or throttles that move by themselves.
- A simple training aircraft: begin with a basic piston trainer in calm weather rather than a complex airliner. The simulator's built-in Flight Training lessons and assistance options cover the first take-offs, turns and landings.
If an aircraft will not move, check the parking brake, wheel chocks or tie-downs, throttle assignment and engine state. If it veers or oscillates, inspect duplicated bindings and controller dead zones. Blurry scenery usually points to disabled online data or a connection problem, whereas low frame rate is primarily a local hardware and graphics-settings issue.