On 29 February 2012, half a year after an official announcement, Microsoft released their latest flying product made by ACES Studios team. It was my honour to participate in beta testing, so I had some time to form my opinion on the Flight Simulator successor.

The main menu of Microsoft Flight

           Microsoft has changed not only the program name, but even its philosophy. They call the new flight simulation program simply Microsoft Flight. Microsoft announced that it was inspired by many years of FS tradition, but the result is more a game than flight simulation. I very like really great graphics, especially breakdown of terrain and fields cover with many different trees and buildings (landscape of Hawaii is amazing). It is important that you do not need new powerful computer. When you already run quite fluently previous Flight Simulator X, you will run the new Flight fluently as well. Unfortunately, the hard core virtual pilots will be unsatisfied. The feeling from flight is great, but Microsoft left their slogan: “As real as it gets”. The philosophy of the simulation approaches to flight arcade games. So it is completely different than in Microsoft Flight Simulator series.

           Microsoft Flight offers basic scenery of Big Island of Hawaii and two types of aircraft, Boeing Stearman N2S and ICON A5, and missions. This basic package is available for free. There is not a box distribution, but only Internet download. You can buy add-on sceneries and missions – Hawaiian Adventure Pack, Alaska and next planes like Vans RV-6A, Maule M-7-260C, P-51 Mustang and others. Some of the planes have individual cockpits. There are following modes: free flight, multiplayer through the Games for Windows LIVE account, missions and search for air caches. So you need Windows LIVE account which is created during the Flight installation.

External view of Boeing Stearman N2S

External view of ICON A5

           How to evaluate the Microsoft Flight? It is a game, but it is not the flight simulation. This answered for who is the game suitable. There are missing more types of planes like some of Boeing heavy family or helicopters. There are missing more sceneries, air traffic control as well. In my opinion Microsoft focused Flight to flying enthusiasts who have not enough time to study 500 pages manual to know flying the plane. The Flight is acceptable for game flyers, who have only few free time a day for playing games. Anyway, the graphics in the game is beautiful.

The menu to choose a mode - the map of Hawaii

Pilot profile

One of the missions - collect rings before the timer runs out

Multiplayer mode through the Games for Windows LIVE account, Vans RV-6A

You can buy for example P-51D Mustang

Mauna Kea Observatory located on the summit of Mauna Kea on the Big Island of Hawaii

           On 26 July 2012 Microsoft announced, that they cancelled next development of Microsoft Flight. It was very surprising decision without giving specific reasons, just five months after it was issued. Microsoft said, that it will continue to support the community and will continue to offer the simulator as a free download. Unfortunately you can not to buy neither additional planes nor Alaska scenery.

The main menu of Microsoft Flight with Alaska Wilderness Experience Pack

The map of the Alaska Wilderness Experience Pack

Maule M-7-260C Orion over the snow-covered landscape

One of the missions - fly Vans RV-6A through the green hoops

           Microsoft Flight with its philosophy is mostly focused to easy game flying. In my opinion, the Microsoft Flight has nearby nothing with previous long genealogy of Microsoft Flight Simulator. So I do not consider the Microsoft Flight a follower of Flight Simulator series, but I had to mention this side direction.

© 2005 - 2021 Josef  Havlík