Unique Features

FlightGear...

• is published as free software under the GNU General Public License.
• is not one flightsimulator, FlightGear contains three (actually more) flight dynamics models with one interface around it.
• is created, maintained and updated by an international crowd of volunteers that donate their time and work for free.
• models are based on XML files that can be tweaked, adjusted and improved by anyone.
• is flexible in nature, inputs and outputs can be networked (over TCP/IP and UDP) making multi PC configurations easy possible. One master and several slave computers can be configured to display 180 degrees around you with instruments and controls. All the hooks are available to include Real instruments into a virtual cockpit.
• poses as less limits as possible opposed to commercial packages that impose limits trying to seduce to pay for enhancements.
• has a very stable 3D engine that works on high-end gaming machines but also on cheep second-hand machines.
• provides, with the inclusion of JSBsim, the standard for fluid simulation and is used as such by government and education.
• is modular, enhancements are provided by the FlightGear community, to the FlightGear community, for free.
• offers with a single download well over 10 aircraft and most aircraft have several paint-jobs available. If 10 aircraft isn't enough, the community offers well over 400 other aircraft for anyone to download. Above that there is a huge database of liveries for anyone to try out.
• is fully community driven. Currency has no influence.
• offers anyone the opportunity to develop the software, to develop the landscape, to create 3D landmarks, to create the 3D model of aircraft, to re-create the flight dynamic of aircraft, to paint aircraft, to create flight instruments and controls, to develop enhancements. You can even create a rocket and place a satellite in orbit around the world.
• aircraft can be flown alone or within a simulated world including traffic control.
• cockpits can be manned with a crew, one in Poland and one in Malaysia. They can refuel their aircraft that is manned with a crew from Germany and Japan. All on one network, together, live.
• is not (only) for the geek and nerd. The easy single download makes flying possible for pilots that want to lay their hands on the yokes, push the throttle and twist the heading bug, not caring about peek and poke, differentials, iterations and integrals.
• is not a single platform simulator, it will run on Windows, Linux and Mac, and more! (ok, it won't run on the ZX81 but that is being worked on)
• can be improved by anybody using free tools.
• was the first flightsimulator to include a comprehensive celestial simulation. Sun, moon, planets and stars are drawn on the accurate position in the sky with the phases in synchronisation with the selected time and date. The scenery includes lighting on roads and urban areas making night flights as realistic as possible.
• is not only a simulator, it is the international community that wants to give everybody the opportunity to feel like a real pilot.