Microsoft Flight Simulator X Gold Edition (DVD)

Microsoft

$53.30

Media Format: DVD-ROM
Compatibility: Windows XP / Windows Vista / Windows 7

It’s time for a ceremonial fly-by and a tip of the wings! The best selling flight simulator of all time has released its 10th edition: Microsoft Flight Simulator X is the latest and greatest chapter in a real software success story. No other flight simulator has come close in market share.

Microsoft Flight Simulator X Gold Edition delivers both the core program and the powerful Flight Simulator X: Acceleration expansion package. There is so much content Microsoft decided it was time to make this the first version delivered on DVDs! It is compatible with Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7.

Microsoft Flight Simulator X, released in 2006, is the product of 25 years of innovation. It lets pilots explore the entire globe with dozens of aircraft and exciting missions. For example, Free Flight sets users free to fly anywhere they choose: Want to take short jaunts exploring the area around home? No problem. Or perhaps new countries and exotic locales beckon? Everything is possible.

This is a truly rich gaming environment with boatloads of new technology, improved graphics, and increased realism. Pilots will experience realistic weather, seasons and time of day. They can watch cars move on the ground below, and marvel at the detail in each building in the cities, the traffic on the freeways, farmhouses and animals, as well as natural habitats full of indigenous wildlife.

Deluxe Vs. Gold Editions

What is the difference between the Deluxe edition and Gold edition? Flight Simulator has three different flavors: first Standard, later Deluxe, and now Gold. The Deluxe release provides extra features including

A software development kit (SDK).
Three aircraft that featured the Garmin G1000 Flightdeck.
Optional Air Traffic Control including a radar screen.
24 aircraft. (Standard Edition shipped with 18).
45 high-detail airports. (Standard Edition has 40).
38 high-detail cities. (Standard Edition has 28).
51 structured missions. (Standard Edition has 30+).

The Gold Edition pairs the Deluxe package with the Microsoft Flight Simulator X Acceleration Pack into one product.

New Features and Upgrades

Microsoft Flight Simulator X included many new features and upgrades. Microsoft Flight Simulator’s development team has listened closely to the user community. Since the last iteration of the product, they have gathered input from pilots, users, and designers and plugged them in to their decision process.

Microsoft Flight Simulator X is the result. It takes complete advantage of the latest Windows technology to paint beautiful 3-D worlds for aviation aficionados of all ages to explore. The improvements in graphics, aircraft, and scenery will amaze every fan.

Realistic details like sunshine reflecting off of glass, shaded rivets, and a detailed fuselage provide a level of realism never seen before. Game play is also at a whole new level with exciting new missions that will develop pilot’s skills, and provide a sense of purpose and adventure with every flight. Improvements in the multiplayer technology let pilots interact with each other in new and exciting ways.

Improved Graphics

The new features in Flight Simulator X include a host of upgrades including significantly improved graphic imagery with:

Improved textures.
Completely new Earth model that accommodates polar flights.
Accurate road data.
Textures specific to each region.
3D animals.
Constellations of stars.
Scene textures automatically align with buildings.
Users can look forward to exploring 24,000 airports spread over every continent on earth.

The aircraft selection has been improved including a new Airbus A321. Aircraft systems including fire protection, CPU, and passenger advisory sign indicators have all been improved.

Weather systems have been upgraded including better models for visibility. Multiplayer functionality has been redone with a new feature called shared skies, which lets multiple users share the same aircraft cockpit. They can choose to be the pilot, copilot or air traffic control. The Tower Controller feature lets users take local control of the ATC during multiplayer games. The sound system has been totally upgraded with support for surround sound (5.1).

Over 50 Missions

There are now more than 50 missions with a few extra in the Acceleration Pack. Dynamic missions can be created with control over many variables including AI air traffic, sound files, and more. This is an evolutionary step in programming from the APL and ABL languages used in previous editions of the program.

Several vintage aircraft have been eliminated from this release. The only two that remain are the DC-3 and Piper J3. Both are used in default missions contained in the core product.

Airport jetways can move right to the airplanes with designated keystroke combinations. Airport baggage cars, fuel vehicles, and push trucks also drive to the aircraft. Air Traffic Control has been upgraded with a better progressive-taxi method.

Increased Altitude

Other changes include the altitude, which has been increased to 100,000,000 feet. This altitude is around 2.3 times greater than the Earth's diameter! The virtual cockpit includes camera shaking as the aircraft experiences turbulence, banking, acceleration and braking. Realistic wing flex has been added to several aircraft including the Boeing 747-400. The wings will flex during major movements including turbulence and full extension of flaps.

Wave imagery has been improved with 3-D waves complete with light refraction depending on wave movement and reflection from the sun. Players can more easily take screenshots during game play. A simple press of the "V" key grabs a screenshot, and saves it in the “My Pictures” folder as a bitmap image (.bmp).

Aircraft can now cast shadows on their own body. The interiors use different files from the exteriors. This makes it easier for developers to create separate exteriors from completely different interiors created by another use.

Wide Variety of Aircraft

Aircraft include jetliners, seaplanes, fighter jets, helicopters, prop planes, an ultralight and a glider. Featured aircraft include:

Airbus A321
Air Creation 582-SL Trike Ultralight
Agusta Westland AW101
Beechcraft Baron 58
Beechcraft Baron 58 G1000
Beechcraft King Air 350
Bell 206B JetRanger
Boeing 737-800
Boeing 747-400
Boeing F/A-18 Hornet
Bombardier CRJ-700
Bombardier Learjet LJ-45
Cessna 208-B Grand Caravan
Cessna 172S SkyhawkSP
Cessna 172S Skyhawk SP G1000
de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver floatplane
De Havilland Canada DHC-8 (AI only)
DG-808-S Competition Sailplane
Douglas DC-3
Extra EA-300-S
Grumman G-21-A Goose
McDonnell Douglas MD-83 (AI only)
Maule Orion M-7-260-C Super Rocket on skis
Maule Orion M-7-260-C Super Rocket
Mooney M-20-M Bravo
Mooney M-20-M Bravo G1000
North American P-51D Racer
Piper PA-28 Cherokee 180 (AI only)
Piper J-3C-65 Cub
Robinson R-22 Beta II

Artificial Intelligence

Aircraft marked “AI only” indicates Artificial Intelligence. They are for background and scenery only and cannot be piloted. They are often used in missions to provide ambience. The “AI only” aircraft shown here are the Piper Cherokee, McDonnell Douglas MD-83 and the DeHavilland Dash 8. Here’s a little secret, though: developers and flightsim enthusiasts have created several add-ons that allow these aircraft to be flyable! They can be found on various sites around the web.

Several missions have extra AI aircraft that are not available to the user during normal Free Flight operation:

Flight 19 TBM Avenger ghost planes from Lost in the Triangle.
Antonov AN-225, Boeing 787-9 and Airbus A380-800 in the Jet Truck Drag Race, Loopy Larry and Paris Airshow.
Caspian Sea Monster in Tokyo Executive Transport and Aleutian Cargo Run.
Aerospatiale-BAC Concorde in the Jet Truck Drag Race and Loopy Larry.
UFOs in Secret Shuttle--there are two different types. The first practically crashes right into you. The second type is dramatic-looking black UFOs shaped like triangles. One can be seen coming in to Area 51 just before touching down, and another one is parked to the side.
There are also UFOs, one small one and another larger one, in the background in High Altitude Intercept. (Part of the Acceleration Pack.)
Different versions of helicopters and military jets, for example the Being B-52 Stratofortress and the F22 Raptor, can be seen in a wide range of missions including Tutorial 11: Helicopter Maneuvers 1, Loopy Larry, Jet Truck Drag Race, Civil Air Patrol Search, Tutorial 1: First Take-off, Flour Power, Catalina Day Spa and Africa Relief.
Tutorial 1: First Take-off and Secret Shuttle both have a Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird.
Secret Shuttle users will see a Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II as well as a Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird.
The imposing Boeing B-52H Stratofortress is seen in several missions including Executive Tour, Loopy Larry and Tutorial 1: First Take-off.
Executive Tour and Tutorial 1: First Take-off features an F-117 Nighthawk and a V-22 Osprey.
Paris Airshow Demonstration Flight, Tutorial 1: First Takeoff and Secret Shuttle have an F-22 Raptor and Su-37 Flanker.
Rocket Launch Air Cover mission players should look for a NASA rocket called "Delta V". It can be seen next to an Atlas V 500 rocket.
Other aircraft seen in missions include a Focke Wulf FW 190 Fighter, Messerschmitt Me 410 Multirole Fighter-Bomber/Reconnaissance, Hughes XF-11 Reconnaissance Aircraft, Douglas XB-19 Heavy Bomber, Antonov AN-32 Transport/Bomber, Messerschmitt BF 109 Fighter, Antonov AN-12 Military transport aircraft, BAe Jetstream 41 Regional Airliner, and a Convair B-58 Hustler Military jet fighter. The B-58 cannot actually be seen, but audio refers to it as, "a vintage B-58 that needs to be recovered."

Airlines

FSX Gold ships with several fictional airlines. The only real airline is Kenmore Air. The other airlines are:

Airwave Airlines has aircraft available in AI mode only including the McDonnell Douglas MD-83, and the de Havilland Canada DHC-8.
American Pacific Airlines has a de Havilland Canada DHC-8 in AI mode, and “Call sign only” in the standard livery.
Emerald Harbour Air has no AI aircraft, and provides a Douglas DC-3 in the standard livery.
Both Landmark and Gaia Airlines have no AI aircraft, and provide “Call sign only” in the standard livery.
Global Freightways gives users a Cessna 208-B Grand Caravan, and Boeing 747-400 F in both the standard livery and AI mode.
Kenmore Air features a de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver, and a Cessna 208-B Grand Caravan in both standard delivery and AI mode.
Orbit Airlines provides pilots with a Boeing 747-400, a Bombardier CRJ-700, a Boeing 737-880 and an Airbus A321 in standard livery. AI mode includes the same aircraft and a De Havilland Canada DHC-8 as well.
Pacific Airlines boasts a Bombardier CRJ-700, a Boeing 747-400, an Airbus A321, and a Boeing 737 -880 in standard livery mode. In AI mode, they add a McDonnell Douglas MD-83.
Soar Airlines gives users a McDonnell Douglas MD-83 in AI mode, and provide "Call sign only" in standard livery.
World Traveler Airlines feature a Boeing 737-800, an Airbus A321, a Douglas DC-3 and a Boeing 747-400. AI mode includes all of these aircraft except the Douglas DC-3.

Acceleration Pack

In the Acceleration Pack, players can qualify for the Red Bull Air Race World Championship Racing Team. Players in multiplayer mode can engage in several racing styles: Reno high-speed, sailplane, cross-country and aerobatics. Players can challenge each other in three different skill levels from pylon racing to harsh weather battles.

The Acceleration Package also includes three new aircraft: the EH-101 chopper, the F/A-18A Hornet and the P-51D Mustang. The package also introduces scenery such as Cape Canaveral, Istanbul, Edwards Air Force Base and Berlin. There are 20 new missions from being a test pilot to exciting search and rescues. Pilots can interact with other players around the corner, or around the world in real time over their headsets and keyboards. They can even share photos and videos with each other, and the flight community in general.

Setup is much easier this time around and the program supports specific features of Windows Vista, like Parental Controls and the Games Explorer. Users can rest assured that their code will be completely up to date with the Acceleration Pack, because it includes both Service Pack One and Service Pack Two.

Product Details

Microsoft Flight Simulator X Gold Edition (DVD)
Media Format: DVD-ROM
Compatibility: Windows XP / Windows Vista / Windows 7
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Developer: ACES Studio
Format: DVD for the Microsoft® Windows® XP and Windows Vista™ operating systems
ESRB Rating: “E” for Everyone

Amazon User Reviews

Jon L. Albee said,

“Flight simulation for your PC just doesn't get any better than this. Microsoft has been at this for a long time, and they make it better with every release.”

Bruce L. Torelli said,

“I'm using MS Flight Sim with a CH Yoke to practice cockpit procedures as I work through my pilot instrument rating. I believe it’s saving me 100s of dollars to practice cognitive and interpretation skills before going out and spending big bucks flying them in a real airplane, when I'm much busier. It's been great for basic maneuvers, flying VOR radial intercepts, and holds.”

Carol A. Harris said,

“Warning – after long periods of time playing, may actually feel like you’re still flying when you are done.”

Minimum System Requirements

Not everyone was a fan, however. Some users complained that the program was slow. Usually this is a case of not enough computing power. Microsoft recommends these minimum requirements:

Windows XP SP2 / Windows Vista / Windows 7
Processor: 1.0 GHz
RAM: Windows XP SP2 - 256MB, Windows Vista – 512MB
Hard Drive: 14GB
Video Card: 32MB DirectX 9 compatible
Other: DX9 hardware compatibility and audio board with speakers and/or headphones
Online/Multiplayer Requirements: 56.6 kbps or better for online play

In reality, most users will find they need more firepower. 4GB RAM (or more) and powerful video cards will help tremendously.

Gold Standard

Microsoft has been the market leader in flight simulation for so long they have become the benchmark other programs must match. They have achieved the creation of a product that people of all ages can enjoy, no matter their experience level. Complete beginners, intermediate flyers, and even real pilots will be able to test their skills with Microsoft Flight Simulator X.

The Gold Edition makes things even more fun with plenty of new aircraft, scenes, and missions. As soon as it hit the market, Microsoft Flight Simulator Gold Edition established itself as the best edition ever of the top selling flight simulator of all time. In short, the Gold Edition is the Gold standard in flight simulation!

Videos

Microsoft Flight Simulator X

Microsoft Flight Simulator X Acceleration Expansion

Review

"Microsoft Flight Simulator X is an incredible piece of software, providing almost unbelievable capabilities for a consumer product. Unfortunately, on most systems at anything other than the lowest of the game's graphics settings, the simulation has significant performance issues. How much these issues hinder your enjoyment of the game will depend upon what kind of frame rates you need to enjoy a civilian flight sim." - Yahoo Reviews

"Flight Simulator is best-known as an authentic if forgiving simulation, and has been heralded for introducing many a future pilot to the wonders of air flight. With realism settings dialed all the way up, the experience is as close to a simulation as you can get without moving to dedicated hardware and software packages. But with realism settings moved to the Beginner level, it becomes less a simulator and more a game; a relaxing way to enjoy the various locales highlighted by the game's missions. Flight Simulator X: Acceleration is a fresh coat of paint on the mostly mundane gameplay; the new missions and head-to-head online multiplayer races are designed to satisfy those with a hankering for action. In addition to the expanded multiplayer and new missions, the expansion includes some new locales and aircraft. In all, nothing spectacular, but a decent value nonetheless." - YouGamers

Images / Screenshots

Customer Reviews

Rated 4.7/5.0 based on 3 customer reviews

Jonathan Bate - 03/16/2013

5/5

This is the first and only non-combat flight simulator that I have ever used. I am not a real-life pilot (yet).

I was greatly intrigued by flying; now I am completely hooked and am an avid "flusi".

This program is truly amazing, allowing you to fly a great variety of aircraft that have been provided and you can do so all over the world. There are tens of thousands of correctly-placed and labeled airfields available. If you fly using IFR (instrument flight rules), all of the equipment and support required for this is set up for use in the game. Weather is present, either of your own choosing at the moment, or current weather data for anywhere can be instantly imported and is ready for use during your flight. At any time in a flight, you can pause and change basically everything right in mid-air: aircraft, altitude, direction, wind direction and strength, time of day, position on the earth......... get the picture?

A short break here - if you want to fly and do it well, you simply must buy, at a minimum, a good yoke (steering wheel) and rudder pedals (and if you use a helicopter, also a joystick. I also believe that a separate throttle control makes life much easier. OK, back to the software...

For beginners, you can set the reality very low and concentrate on basics, if you desire. For more advanced flyers or for the bold, like me, you can set all things to full reality from the beginning on. It is all up to you and you can, of course, modify such things concerning many individual flying characteristics as you go.

There are even flight lessons included as well as some missions that you can fly and earn some little rewards to make you feel good.

Everything that you need, from a software point of view, is here and ready to use in a very good program that is well worth the money invested.

That completes my review of this product.

A couple of extra notes if you care to hear more. These are based on many thousands of hours of flusi adventures using MS FSX (Microsoft Flight Simulator X), naturally gold (or with acceleration):

This program is quite old, so the graphics are not the newest of the new. But, I find that the world looks wonderful and there is just so much there, that to make the world up-to-date would probably overtax most pcs out there.

After discovering just what joy I could get out of the quiet challenges of difficult landings and the excitement of really navigating just like a real-world pilot does, I became hooked. This condition has motivated me to want my experience to be as realistic and beautiful and exciting as possible. Thus, I have since bought many, many, many add-on things.

Here are my recommendations:

1) Equipment - A separate throttle quadrant for aircraft (I use a programmable Saitek 3-axis lever) and an extra throttle flight controller / joystick set for helicopters to get a more realistic feel for each (a Saitek X52 is my choice here). - If your budget is not constrained, buy a TrackIR head tracking device. I hesitated long because of the cost, but this device made such a great difference in my ability to fly realistically. With it, you can move your view around by moving your head and you can really see like in real life. Rotating a joystick button really feels like the stone ages afterwards. Unbelievably good (and it also works in some ego shooters and such).

2) Software - improve your terrain detail and the correctness of the things displayed for individual parts of the world to a great extent by purchasing global add-ons. I have tried every single one of these that are available. I am trying to save you some work (and money), so I highly recommend the Ground Environment X from Flight One. Try one out and see if the eye candy value is right for you.

There are many internet sites out there that sell things as well as offering tons of software missions, airports, areas, cities, etc. for free. It took me a long time to compile a very useful list of these. This site is of course one of these. So, go out and have fun looking.

Have a great flight!

Mohamed El mohtasseb - 03/18/2013

5/5

I consider Microsoft Flight Simulator X Gold Edition one of most sophisticated product issued in flight simulation's field compared with other products for the time being.

I purchased this product almost three years ago. I tested well all this program items and I'm satisfied with all.

Learning Center: Is a good introduction for this program, provides users with well organised essential Key topics to go fast throughout the program. Site map articles support you with all basic aeronautical information you need about the program. Index list is generally well classified one let users to search and find easily experiences they are looking for, it considered as a good reference list for the program. Lessons section is a generous class let users gain well explained flying lessons as it supports good aeronautical introduction information for all users' levels either you are student pilot, private pilot, commercial pilot or even experienced airliner transport pilot.

Settings: Are very easy to change and compatible with all requirements. Once you change your aircraft type you can choose settings compatible with your selection. Settings compatibility are also applied for weather, traffic and other items listed over this program.

Missions: The fifty one missions already installed are nice and attractive. They meet all user skill levels either you are beginner, intermediate, advanced or even an expert. They are also cover all categories used and known in flight simulation field specifically at some certain pilot cases such as emergency, challenges and pilot for hire.

Free Flight: Over free flight page user can select his aircraft from a variety aircraft's list already installed with different types he like; this is up to his aeronautical background and his flying information. The user here is of course free to select to fly on board a glider, rotorcraft, single or twin engine aircraft, and turbo or jet models. The most advantage item of this wonderful program is the Location, as user can take off and land over 24000 different airports all over the world. User can fly from destination to another comfortably with different time and season and also in different kind of weather conditions up to his request.

Once you achieve a flight and you enjoyed or you like it, you can record a clip or save your flight in load flight list to re-fly once again later, of course after create a flight plan. this advantage cannot be found in other flight simulation products.

Finally, I feel enjoy once I fly over this program. I feel satisfaction when I spend some of my time with this awesome product. Really it is a good step and large jump off an sophisticated technology. It will be so important here to reregister my recommendation for this product to my relatives, friends and for those who looks for flying enhancements.

It is a good product, good job have been done by Microsoft Flight simulation Team. Thanks for experts who participate to achieve this valued job. I'm grateful and I appreciate their hard efforts to let this product comes on.

Thanks for Microsoft Flight Simulation Team. Good luck for another more improvement product.

Samuel Gomez Recuero - 12/05/2006

4/5

I have a bag of mixed feelings about FSX. It runs fine most of the times and them lags a bit some other times. My system: AM2 4600+, 2gb DDR2 @667mhz, Asus 7600GT 256mb, 2x250gb Sata2 WD HDD, Audigy 2 ZS sound card.

Visuals are great, VC cockpits looks much realistic compared to default planes from the previous version, well 2004 had no VC to begin with. Landclass and texture resolution are improved for the most part for well know places. Water effects and looks are nice.

Sadly MS missed improving AI and ATC and there is something odd with the sounds too. But I don't know of anyone not running any kind of traffic enhancements so that is no biggie. Sure I wish they had done more but they didn't, I like looking around when flying to new and old familiar places so the improvements I see are good for me. I do fly with a VA so ATC and AI behaviour improvements are a sure miss, but at least multiplayer is way easier now that it used to be.

When it comes down to flaws, I will say only that ATC will be what I would be more dissapointed on.

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Current Reviews: 3

This product was added to our catalog on Thursday 20 July, 2006.

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