<s>
Microsoft	B-Application
Flight	I-Application
Simulator	I-Application
is	O
a	O
series	O
of	O
flight	B-Application
simulator	I-Application
programs	O
for	O
MS-DOS	B-Application
,	O
Classic	B-Application
Mac	I-Application
OS	I-Application
and	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
operating	I-Application
systems	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
of	O
November	O
2022	O
,	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Flight	I-Application
Simulator	I-Application
is	O
the	O
longest-running	O
software	O
product	O
line	O
for	O
Microsoft	O
,	O
predating	O
Windows	B-Application
by	O
three	O
years	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Microsoft	B-Application
Flight	I-Application
Simulator	I-Application
is	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
longest-running	O
PC	O
video	O
game	O
series	O
of	O
all	O
time	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Bruce	O
Artwick	O
began	O
the	O
development	O
of	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
in	O
1977	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
1981	O
,	O
Artwick	O
was	O
approached	O
by	O
Microsoft	O
's	O
Alan	O
M	O
.	O
Boyd	O
who	O
was	O
interested	O
in	O
creating	O
a	O
"	O
definitive	O
game	O
"	O
that	O
would	O
graphically	O
demonstrate	O
the	O
difference	O
between	O
older	O
8-bit	O
computers	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
Apple	B-Device
II	I-Device
,	O
and	O
the	O
new	O
16-bit	O
computers	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
IBM	B-Device
PC	I-Device
,	O
still	O
in	O
development	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
1982	O
,	O
Artwick	O
's	O
company	O
licensed	O
a	O
version	O
of	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
for	O
the	O
IBM	B-Device
PC	I-Device
to	O
Microsoft	O
,	O
which	O
marketed	O
it	O
as	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Flight	I-Application
Simulator	I-Application
1.00	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2009	O
,	O
Microsoft	O
closed	O
down	O
Aces	B-Application
Game	I-Application
Studio	I-Application
,	O
which	O
was	O
the	O
department	O
responsible	O
for	O
creating	O
and	O
maintaining	O
the	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2014	O
,	O
Dovetail	O
Games	O
were	O
granted	O
the	O
rights	O
by	O
Microsoft	O
to	O
port	O
the	O
Gold	O
Edition	O
of	O
Microsoft	O
's	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
X	I-Application
to	O
Steam	B-Application
and	O
publish	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
X	I-Application
:	O
Steam	B-Application
Edition	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Microsoft	O
announced	O
a	O
new	O
installment	O
at	O
E3	O
in	O
2019	O
,	O
simply	O
titled	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Flight	I-Application
Simulator	I-Application
,	O
to	O
be	O
released	O
initially	O
on	O
PC	O
and	O
ported	O
over	O
to	O
the	O
Xbox	B-Device
Series	I-Device
X	I-Device
at	O
a	O
later	O
date	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
July	O
12	O
,	O
2020	O
,	O
Microsoft	O
opened	O
up	O
preorders	O
and	O
announced	O
that	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Flight	I-Application
Simulator	I-Application
for	O
PC	O
will	O
be	O
available	O
on	O
August	O
18	O
,	O
2020	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Xbox	B-Device
edition	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
July	O
27	O
,	O
2021	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Microsoft	B-Application
Flight	I-Application
Simulator	I-Application
began	O
as	O
a	O
set	O
of	O
articles	O
written	O
by	O
Bruce	O
Artwick	O
in	O
1976	O
about	O
a	O
3D	O
computer	O
graphics	O
program	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
company	O
began	O
selling	O
flight	B-Application
simulators	I-Application
for	O
several	O
computer	O
platforms	O
,	O
including	O
the	O
8080	B-General_Concept
,	O
Altair	B-Architecture
8800	I-Architecture
,	O
and	O
IMSAI	B-Device
8080	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
1979	O
Sublogic	O
released	O
FS1	B-Application
Flight	I-Application
Simulator	I-Application
for	O
the	O
Apple	B-Device
II	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
1980	O
,	O
Sublogic	O
released	O
a	O
version	O
for	O
the	O
TRS-80	B-Device
,	O
and	O
in	O
1982	O
they	O
licensed	O
an	O
IBM	B-Device
PC	I-Device
version	O
with	O
CGA	B-Device
graphics	I-Device
to	O
Microsoft	O
,	O
which	O
was	O
released	O
as	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Flight	I-Application
Simulator	I-Application
1.00	O
on	O
a	O
self-booting	O
disk	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
early	O
days	O
of	O
less-than-100	O
%	O
IBM	B-Device
PC	I-Device
compatible	O
systems	O
,	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
and	O
Lotus	B-Application
1-2-3	I-Application
were	O
used	O
as	O
unofficial	O
compatibility	O
test	O
software	O
for	O
new	O
PC	O
clone	O
models	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sublogic	O
continued	O
to	O
develop	O
for	O
other	O
platforms	O
and	O
ported	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
II	I-Application
to	O
the	O
Apple	B-Device
II	I-Device
in	O
1983	O
;	O
the	O
Commodore	O
64	O
,	O
MSX	B-Operating_System
,	O
and	O
Atari	B-Device
800	I-Device
in	O
1984	O
;	O
and	O
to	O
the	O
Amiga	B-Device
and	O
Atari	B-Device
ST	I-Device
in	O
1986	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Meanwhile	O
,	O
Bruce	O
Artwick	O
left	O
Sublogic	O
and	O
founded	O
The	O
Bruce	O
Artwick	O
Organization	O
to	O
continue	O
his	O
work	O
on	O
subsequent	O
Microsoft	O
releases	O
,	O
beginning	O
with	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Flight	I-Application
Simulator	I-Application
3.0	I-Application
in	O
1988	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Microsoft	B-Application
Flight	I-Application
Simulator	I-Application
reached	O
commercial	O
maturity	O
with	O
version	O
3.1	O
,	O
and	O
went	O
on	O
to	O
encompass	O
the	O
use	O
of	O
3D	O
graphics	O
and	O
graphic	O
hardware	O
acceleration	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
X	I-Application
,	O
released	O
in	O
2006	O
,	O
returned	O
to	O
dual	O
versions	O
with	O
a	O
"	O
Standard	O
"	O
and	O
a	O
"	O
Deluxe	O
"	O
edition	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Landscape	O
details	O
become	O
sparse	O
as	O
gameplay	O
moves	O
away	O
from	O
population	O
centers	O
within	O
the	O
flight	B-Application
simulator	I-Application
,	O
particularly	O
outside	O
the	O
United	O
States	O
,	O
although	O
a	O
variety	O
of	O
websites	O
offer	O
scenery	O
add-ons	O
to	O
remedy	O
this	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
three	O
latest	O
versions	O
incorporate	O
sophisticated	O
weather	O
simulation	O
,	O
along	O
with	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
download	O
real-world	O
weather	O
data	O
(	O
first	O
available	O
with	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
2000	I-Application
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Additional	O
features	O
in	O
these	O
newer	O
versions	O
include	O
air	B-Application
traffic	I-Application
environments	O
with	O
interactive	O
air	B-Application
traffic	I-Application
control	I-Application
functions	O
,	O
new	O
aircraft	O
models	O
from	O
the	O
historical	O
Douglas	O
DC-3	O
to	O
the	O
modern	O
Boeing	O
777	O
,	O
interactive	O
lessons	O
,	O
challenges	O
,	O
and	O
aircraft	O
checklists	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
two	O
latest	O
versions	O
of	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Flight	I-Application
Simulator	I-Application
have	O
a	O
"	O
kiosk	B-Application
mode	I-Application
"	O
,	O
which	O
allows	O
the	O
application	O
to	O
be	O
run	O
in	O
electronic	O
kiosks	B-Application
located	O
in	O
public	O
places	O
like	O
shopping	O
malls	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Microsoft	B-Application
Flight	I-Application
Simulator	I-Application
has	O
a	O
wide	O
selection	O
of	O
upgrades	O
and	O
add-ons	O
,	O
both	O
free	O
and	O
commercial	O
,	O
official	O
and	O
fan-made	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Microsoft	B-Application
Flight	I-Application
Simulator	I-Application
X	I-Application
is	O
the	O
third	O
most	O
recent	O
major	O
release	O
of	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Flight	I-Application
Simulator	I-Application
,	O
and	O
the	O
last	O
one	O
developed	O
by	O
Aces	B-Application
Game	I-Application
Studio	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
includes	O
a	O
graphics	O
engine	O
upgrade	O
and	O
compatibility	O
with	O
preview	O
DirectX	B-Application
10	I-Application
and	O
Windows	B-Application
Vista	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
"	O
Deluxe	O
"	O
edition	O
contains	O
the	O
new	O
Garmin	O
G1000	O
integrated	O
flight	O
instrument	O
system	O
in	O
three	O
cockpits	O
,	O
additional	O
aircraft	O
,	O
and	O
missions	O
;	O
Tower	O
Control	O
capability	O
in	O
multiplayer	O
mode	O
;	O
higher	O
detail	O
scenery	O
for	O
cities	O
and	O
airports	O
;	O
and	O
a	O
Software	B-Application
Development	I-Application
Kit	I-Application
(	O
SDK	O
)	O
for	O
development	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Microsoft	O
has	O
also	O
released	O
a	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
X	I-Application
demo	O
,	O
which	O
contains	O
three	O
aircraft	O
,	O
two	O
airports	O
,	O
and	O
two	O
missions	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
is	O
compatible	O
with	O
Windows	B-Application
XP	O
SP2	O
and	O
Windows	B-Application
Vista	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
January	O
22	O
,	O
2009	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
reported	O
that	O
the	O
development	O
team	O
was	O
heavily	O
affected	O
by	O
Microsoft	O
's	O
program	O
of	O
job	O
cuts	O
,	O
with	O
indications	O
that	O
the	O
entire	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Flight	I-Application
Simulator	I-Application
team	O
had	O
been	O
laid	O
off	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Microsoft	O
confirmed	O
the	O
closure	O
of	O
the	O
Aces	B-Application
Game	I-Application
Studio	I-Application
on	O
January	O
26	O
,	O
2009	O
,	O
in	O
a	O
post	O
on	O
the	O
official	O
FSInsider	O
Web	O
site	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Microsoft	B-Application
Flight	I-Application
Simulator	I-Application
X	I-Application
will	O
remain	O
available	O
at	O
retail	O
stores	O
and	O
Web	O
retailers	O
,	O
the	O
Flight	O
Sim	O
community	O
will	O
continue	O
to	O
learn	O
from	O
and	O
encourage	O
one	O
another	O
,	O
and	O
we	O
remain	O
committed	O
to	O
the	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
franchise	O
for	O
the	O
long	O
term.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
According	O
to	O
former	O
Aces	O
employee	O
Phil	O
Taylor	O
,	O
the	O
shutdown	O
was	O
not	O
due	O
to	O
sales	O
performance	O
of	O
FSX	B-Application
,	O
but	O
due	O
to	O
management	O
problems	O
and	O
delays	O
in	O
project	O
delivery	O
,	O
combined	O
with	O
increased	O
demand	O
for	O
staff	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Speculation	O
in	O
the	O
mainstream	O
and	O
gaming	O
media	O
was	O
that	O
future	O
versions	O
could	O
be	O
released	O
as	O
an	O
Internet-based	O
version	O
,	O
or	O
on	O
Microsoft	O
's	O
Xbox	B-Device
platform	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
October	O
2009	O
,	O
two	O
(	O
out	O
of	O
over	O
fifty	O
)	O
former	O
members	O
of	O
the	O
Aces	B-Application
Game	I-Application
Studio	I-Application
formed	O
a	O
new	O
game	O
studio	O
called	O
the	O
Cascade	O
Game	O
Foundry	O
for	O
the	O
development	O
of	O
simulation	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
late	O
2007	O
,	O
Aces	B-Application
Game	I-Application
Studio	I-Application
announced	O
Microsoft	O
ESP	O
(	O
Enterprise	O
Simulation	O
Platform	O
)	O
,	O
a	O
development	O
platform	O
for	O
companies	O
that	O
want	O
to	O
create	O
products	O
that	O
use	O
the	O
technology	O
in	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Following	O
the	O
closure	O
of	O
the	O
Aces	B-Application
Game	I-Application
Studio	I-Application
in	O
January	O
2009	O
,	O
Lockheed	O
Martin	O
announced	O
in	O
late	O
2009	O
that	O
they	O
had	O
negotiated	O
with	O
Microsoft	O
a	O
licensing	O
agreement	O
to	O
purchase	O
the	O
intellectual	O
property	O
(	O
including	O
source	O
code	O
)	O
for	O
the	O
Microsoft	O
ESP	O
product	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
is	O
the	O
commercial-use	O
version	O
of	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
X	I-Application
SP2	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Lockheed	O
hired	O
members	O
of	O
the	O
original	O
Aces	B-Application
Game	I-Application
Studio	I-Application
team	O
to	O
continue	O
development	O
of	O
the	O
product	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Often	O
touted	O
as	O
'	O
FSX	B-Application
on	O
steroids	O
 '	O
,	O
P3D	O
has	O
so	O
far	O
had	O
5	O
versions	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
latest	O
launched	O
on	O
April	O
14	O
,	O
2020	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
July	O
9	O
,	O
2014	O
,	O
Dovetail	O
Games	O
announced	O
that	O
Microsoft	O
had	O
granted	O
them	O
rights	O
to	O
develop	O
the	O
next	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
in	O
the	O
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Dovetail	O
Games	O
also	O
announced	O
the	O
release	O
of	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
X	I-Application
:	O
Gold	O
Edition	O
on	O
Steam	B-Application
for	O
late	O
2014	O
,	O
titled	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Flight	I-Application
Simulator	I-Application
X	I-Application
:	O
Steam	B-Application
Edition	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
is	O
a	O
re-release	O
and	O
includes	O
content	O
that	O
was	O
provided	O
with	O
the	O
original	O
FSX	B-Application
:	O
Gold	O
Edition	O
which	O
includes	O
FSX	B-Application
:	O
Deluxe	O
Edition	O
,	O
the	O
Acceleration	O
expansion	O
pack	O
,	O
and	O
both	O
official	O
Service	O
Packs	O
and	O
repackages	O
them	O
in	O
one	O
bundle	O
and	O
a	O
single	O
installation	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Steam	B-Application
Edition	O
includes	O
"	O
all	O
standard	O
Steam	B-Application
functionality	O
"	O
,	O
including	O
an	O
overhaul	O
of	O
the	O
multiplayer	O
support	O
to	O
go	O
through	O
Steam	B-Application
rather	O
than	O
the	O
now-defunct	O
GameSpy	O
,	O
improved	O
stability	O
on	O
Windows	B-Device
7	I-Device
and	O
8	B-Application
,	O
and	O
features	O
minor	O
performance	O
tweaks	O
including	O
a	O
complete	O
recompile	O
using	O
VS2013	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Additionally	O
,	O
Dovetail	O
Games	O
has	O
worked	O
with	O
existing	O
developers	O
and	O
publishers	O
to	O
distribute	O
their	O
content	O
on	O
Steam	B-Application
as	O
DLC	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Currently	O
,	O
there	O
are	O
over	O
100	O
add-ons	O
for	O
FSX	B-Application
:	O
Steam	B-Application
Edition	O
from	O
over	O
35	O
developers	O
available	O
on	O
the	O
Steam	B-Application
store	I-Application
including	O
Aerosoft	O
,	O
Captain	O
Sim	O
,	O
Orbx	O
Simulation	O
Systems	O
,	O
Real	O
Environment	O
Xtreme	O
(	O
REX	O
)	O
,	O
Carenado	O
,	O
Virtavia	O
,	O
and	O
others	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
May	O
2017	O
,	O
Dovetail	O
Games	O
announced	O
Flight	O
Sim	O
World	O
,	O
based	O
on	O
the	O
codebase	O
of	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
X	I-Application
,	O
and	O
released	O
later	O
that	O
month	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Microsoft	O
released	O
a	O
new	O
flight	B-Application
simulator	I-Application
titled	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Flight	I-Application
in	O
February	O
2012	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Developed	O
by	O
The	O
Coalition	O
(	O
as	O
Microsoft	O
Game	O
Studios	O
Vancouver	O
)	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
not	O
part	O
of	O
the	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Flight	I-Application
Simulator	I-Application
series	O
,	O
but	O
instead	O
was	O
designed	O
to	O
replace	O
it	O
and	O
aimed	O
at	O
drawing	O
new	O
users	O
into	O
flight	O
gaming	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
claiming	O
to	O
be	O
simpler	O
to	O
use	O
for	O
inexperienced	O
users	O
,	O
it	O
is	O
incompatible	O
with	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
and	O
does	O
not	O
allow	O
the	O
use	O
of	O
existing	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
add-ons	O
(	O
including	O
aircraft	O
,	O
objects	O
,	O
and	O
photographic	O
scenery	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
June	O
9	O
,	O
2019	O
,	O
as	O
part	O
of	O
their	O
E3	O
conference	O
announcements	O
Microsoft	O
revealed	O
that	O
they	O
would	O
be	O
bringing	O
back	O
the	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
series	O
with	O
an	O
updated	O
release	O
,	O
simply	O
titled	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Flight	I-Application
Simulator	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
the	O
same	O
day	O
,	O
Microsoft	O
launched	O
a	O
new	O
website	O
for	O
the	O
title	O
and	O
posted	O
a	O
teaser	O
video	O
on	O
their	O
Xbox	B-Device
YouTube	B-General_Concept
channel	I-General_Concept
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
is	O
Microsoft	O
's	O
first	O
simulator	O
since	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Flight	I-Application
in	O
2012	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
addition	O
to	O
the	O
PC	O
release	O
it	O
was	O
also	O
released	O
for	O
the	O
Xbox	B-Device
Series	I-Device
X	I-Device
and	I-Device
Series	I-Device
S	I-Device
,	O
making	O
it	O
the	O
first	O
entry	O
in	O
the	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Flight	I-Application
Simulator	I-Application
series	O
to	O
be	O
released	O
for	O
a	O
gaming	O
console	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Windows	B-Application
PC	I-Application
version	O
of	O
the	O
simulator	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
August	O
18	O
,	O
2020	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Microsoft	B-Application
Flight	I-Application
Simulator	I-Application
launched	O
for	O
Xbox	B-Device
Series	I-Device
X	I-Device
and	I-Device
Series	I-Device
S	I-Device
on	O
July	O
27	O
,	O
2021	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
long	O
history	O
and	O
consistent	O
sales	O
of	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
has	O
encouraged	O
a	O
very	O
large	O
body	O
of	O
add-on	O
packages	O
to	O
be	O
developed	O
as	O
both	O
commercial	O
and	O
volunteer	O
ventures	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
formal	O
software	B-Application
development	I-Application
kit	I-Application
and	O
other	O
tools	O
for	O
the	O
simulator	O
exist	O
to	O
further	O
facilitate	O
third-party	O
efforts	O
,	O
and	O
some	O
third	O
parties	O
have	O
also	O
learned	O
to	O
'	O
tweak	O
 '	O
the	O
simulator	O
in	O
various	O
ways	O
by	O
trial	O
and	O
error	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
for	O
number	O
of	O
add-ons	O
,	O
tweaks	O
,	O
and	O
modifications	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
can	O
accommodate	O
solely	O
depends	O
on	O
the	O
user	O
's	O
hardware	O
setup	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
number	O
is	O
not	O
limited	O
by	O
the	O
simulator	O
,	O
and	O
when	O
multiple	O
computers	O
are	O
linked	O
together	O
with	O
multiple	O
monitors	O
and	O
third-party	O
software	O
and	O
controls	O
,	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
enthusiasts	O
can	O
build	O
their	O
own	O
realistic	O
home	O
cockpits	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Individual	O
attributes	O
of	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
aircraft	O
that	O
can	O
be	O
customized	O
include	O
;	O
cockpit	O
layout	O
,	O
cockpit	O
image	O
,	O
aircraft	O
model	O
,	O
aircraft	O
model	O
textures	O
,	O
aircraft	O
flight	O
characteristics	O
,	O
scenery	O
models	O
,	O
scenery	O
layouts	O
,	O
and	O
scenery	O
textures	O
,	O
often	O
with	O
simple-to-use	O
programs	O
,	O
or	O
only	O
a	O
text	O
editor	O
such	O
as	O
'	O
Notepad	O
 '	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Dedicated	O
'	O
flight	O
simmers	O
have	O
taken	O
advantage	O
of	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
's	O
vast	O
add-on	O
capabilities	O
,	O
having	O
successfully	O
linked	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
to	O
homebuilt	O
hardware	O
,	O
some	O
of	O
which	O
approaches	O
the	O
complexity	O
of	O
commercial	O
full-motion	O
flight	B-Application
simulators	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Most	O
versions	O
of	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Flight	I-Application
Simulator	I-Application
include	O
some	O
of	O
the	O
world	O
's	O
most	O
popular	O
aircraft	O
from	O
different	O
categories	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
Mooney	O
Bravo	O
and	O
Beechcraft	O
Baron	O
58	O
,	O
which	O
fall	O
into	O
the	O
general	O
aviation	O
category	O
;	O
the	O
Airbus	O
A321	O
and	O
Boeing	O
737	O
,	O
which	O
fall	O
into	O
the	O
civil	O
jets	O
category	O
;	O
the	O
Robinson	O
R22	O
,	O
which	O
falls	O
into	O
the	O
helicopter	O
category	O
;	O
the	O
Air	O
Scheffel	O
738	O
,	O
which	O
falls	O
into	O
the	O
general	O
aviation	O
category	O
again	O
;	O
and	O
many	O
other	O
planes	O
commonly	O
used	O
around	O
the	O
world	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Not	O
being	O
limited	O
to	O
using	O
the	O
default	O
aircraft	O
,	O
add-on	O
planes	O
can	O
be	O
downloaded	O
from	O
many	O
sources	O
for	O
free	O
or	O
purchased	O
,	O
which	O
can	O
then	O
be	O
installed	O
into	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Flight	I-Application
Simulator	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
growing	O
add-on	O
category	O
for	O
the	O
series	O
is	O
AI	O
(	O
artificial	B-Application
intelligence	I-Application
)	O
traffic	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Virtual	O
flight	O
networks	O
such	O
as	O
IVAO	B-Protocol
,	O
VATSIM	O
,	O
and	O
Pilot	O
Edge	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
Virtual	O
Skies	O
,	O
and	O
Mindstar	O
Aviation	O
's	O
AirspaceVR	O
use	O
special	O
,	O
small	O
add-on	O
modules	O
for	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
to	O
enable	O
connection	O
to	O
their	O
proprietary	O
networks	O
in	O
multiplayer	O
mode	O
,	O
and	O
to	O
allow	O
for	O
voice	O
and	O
text	O
communication	O
with	O
other	O
virtual	O
pilots	O
and	O
controllers	O
over	O
the	O
network	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
These	O
networks	O
are	O
for	O
ATC	O
(	O
air	B-Application
traffic	I-Application
control	I-Application
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
hosts	O
two	O
versions	O
of	O
flight	B-Application
simulator	I-Application
downloads	O
and	O
tutorials	O
,	O
built	O
from	O
scratch	O
with	O
only	O
VBA	O
and	O
cell	O
formulas	O
,	O
in	O
both	O
2D	O
and	O
3D	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
PC	O
Magazine	O
in	O
January	O
1983	O
called	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
"	O
extraordinarily	O
realistic	O
...	O
a	O
classic	O
program	O
,	O
unique	O
in	O
the	O
market	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
praised	O
the	O
graphics	O
and	O
detailed	O
scenery	O
,	O
and	O
concluded	O
"	O
I	O
think	O
it	O
's	O
going	O
to	O
sell	O
its	O
share	O
of	O
IBM	B-Device
PCs	I-Device
,	O
and	O
will	O
certainly	O
sell	O
some	O
color/graphics	B-Device
adapters	I-Device
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
BYTE	B-Application
in	O
December	O
1983	O
wrote	O
that	O
"	O
this	O
amazing	O
package	O
does	O
an	O
incredible	O
job	O
of	O
making	O
you	O
think	O
you	O
're	O
actually	O
flying	O
a	O
small	O
plane	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
criticizing	O
the	O
requirement	O
of	O
using	O
the	O
keyboard	O
to	O
fly	O
,	O
he	O
concluded	O
"	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Flight	I-Application
Simulator	I-Application
is	O
a	O
tour	O
de	O
force	O
of	O
the	O
programmer	O
's	O
art	O
...	O
</s>
<s>
Another	O
pilot	O
similarly	O
praised	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
2.0	I-Application
in	O
PC	O
Magazine	O
that	O
year	O
,	O
giving	O
it	O
18	O
out	O
of	O
18	O
points	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
reported	O
that	O
its	O
realism	O
compared	O
well	O
to	O
two	O
$3	O
million	O
hardware	O
flight	B-Application
simulators	I-Application
he	O
had	O
recently	O
flown	O
,	O
and	O
that	O
he	O
could	O
use	O
real	O
approach	O
plates	O
to	O
land	O
at	O
and	O
navigate	O
airports	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulators	I-Application
manual	O
did	O
not	O
document	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
magazine	O
concluded	O
that	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
"	O
is	O
interesting	O
,	O
challenging	O
,	O
graphically	O
superb	O
,	O
diverse	O
,	O
rewarding	O
,	O
and	O
just	O
plain	O
fun	O
...	O
sheer	O
delight	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
2.0	I-Application
was	O
reviewed	O
in	O
1989	O
in	O
Dragon	O
#142	O
by	O
Hartley	O
,	O
Patricia	O
,	O
and	O
Kirk	O
Lesser	O
in	O
"	O
The	O
Role	O
of	O
Computers	O
"	O
column	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Computer	O
Gaming	O
World	O
stated	O
in	O
1994	O
that	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
5	O
"	O
is	O
closer	O
to	O
simulating	O
real	O
flight	O
than	O
ever	O
before	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Microsoft	B-Application
Flight	I-Application
Simulator	I-Application
X	I-Application
was	O
reviewed	O
in	O
2006	O
by	O
GameSpot	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
reviewer	O
gave	O
the	O
game	O
an	O
8.4	O
out	O
of	O
10	O
and	O
commented	O
on	O
how	O
it	O
was	O
realistic	O
enough	O
to	O
be	O
used	O
for	O
real-life	O
flight	O
training	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
By	O
June	O
1999	O
,	O
the	O
series	O
had	O
sold	O
units	O
worldwide	O
,	O
for	O
which	O
it	O
was	O
awarded	O
the	O
Guinness	O
World	O
Record	O
for	O
best-selling	O
flight	B-Application
simulator	I-Application
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
success	O
of	O
the	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Flight	I-Application
Simulator	I-Application
series	O
has	O
led	O
to	O
Guinness	O
World	O
Records	O
awarding	O
the	O
series	O
seven	O
world	O
records	O
in	O
the	O
Guinness	O
World	O
Records	O
:	O
Gamer	O
's	O
Edition	O
2008	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
These	O
records	O
include	O
"	O
Longest	O
Running	O
Flight	O
Sim	O
Series	O
"	O
,	O
"	O
Most	O
Successful	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
Series	O
"	O
,	O
and	O
"	O
Most	O
Expensive	O
Home	O
Flight	B-Application
Simulator	I-Application
Cockpit	O
"	O
,	O
which	O
was	O
built	O
by	O
Australian	O
trucking	O
tycoon	O
Matthew	O
Sheil	O
,	O
and	O
cost	O
around	O
$	O
200,000	O
to	O
build	O
.	O
</s>
