The Flight Simulator gets even bigger with the Australia update. New airports and activities promise fresh fun for all hobby pilots.
In the past few months, it has been a bit quiet around Microsoft Flight Simulator after the game fired from all engines, especially at release. After all, hobby pilots had to wait long enough before they could finally get the well-worn joystick out of the basement again.
Now it’s time for new content. From now on, the endless expanses (well, the sea will come at some point) of Australia lie at your feet in even greater detail. Included in the hand luggage: Over 500 previously missing airports, new activities and more.
Before we get down to the nitty-gritty, we’ll take you to cloud nine with the official trailer for the new update:
Pirouetting in the Outback
The Australia update is released on 31 January 2022 and is duty free for all owners of the main game. So you don’t have to reach for your wallet to see the habitat of the kangaroo, koala and wombat from above.
Although you have been able to explore Australia with the aircraft of your choice since the release, the new update is said to have significantly improved the quality of the underlying satellite data. Whether Adelaide, Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane – these and 7 other cities have been revised using photogrammetry.
The Australian landscape also looks breathtaking in the lofty heights. Thanks to a total of 94 points-of-interest, there is also plenty to discover.
And there is more than enough to do: In addition to relaxing sightseeing, you can of course also occupy yourself with a total of 16 new activities. These are made up of 5 trips into the outback, 6 discovery flights and 5 landing challenges.
These bush trips are waiting for you:
- Tasmania
- Southeastern Australia
- Sea to Desert
- Great Barrier Reef
- Northwestern Kimberly Coast
Following exploratory flights are available:
- Gold Coast
- Sydney
- Perth
- Darwin
- Melbourne
- Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park
Landing Challenges that want to be completed:
- Brisbane
- Shellharbour
- Mt Hotham
- Katoomba
- Mabuiag
Missing airports finally come into play
But every tank runs dry: then it’s time to land, and not necessarily in the middle of nowhere with Mrs Platypus, but properly at an airport. For Australia, the Melbourne-based company Orbx Simulation Systems has recreated a total of 4 airports by hand:
- YLRE – Longreach
- YMBT – Mount Beauty
- YPBO – Paraburdoo
- YSHL – Shellharbour
Another 100 landing stations have been provided with high-resolution details after all. And more than 500 other airports around the world, which have so far been conspicuous by their absence, are also finally finding their way into the game.
So if you’ve always wanted to travel to Australia without being bitten by a poisonous spider or snake after three metres, you can now make this dream come true, at least virtually. But please always wear your seat belt!
Can the new Australia update lure you back into the cockpit, or have you already given up your pilot’s licence for Microsoft Flight Simulator? Feel free to write us your opinion in the comments!
