How to Get Microsoft Flight Simulator 40th Ann. Ed. at $1

Discover how to download, install and play the Microsoft Flight Simulator 40th Anniversary Edition on Windows at 1 Dollar. Know everything through a video, an infographic, screenshots, and FAQs.

Humans always dreamt of flying. Today, we can even do it in the comfort of our homes but with total realism. This is the era of advanced flight simulators for consumers. Everyone can get on board and enjoy limitless flights around the world. Microsoft Flight Simulator (MSFS) lets you feel like a professional aircraft pilot, engaged in different situations in a real-world virtual environment.

Let’s see how to get this simulation game for just 1 Dollar, waiting for the 2024 release.

Microsoft Flight Simulator Info

Price	Free with PC Game Pass (or $59.99). It offers in-app purchases.
Approximate Size	157 GB
Genre	Flight Simulator; Open world; VR; Multiplayer; Realistic.
Platforms	Windows PC, Xbox Series X\|S
Capabilities	Online multiplayer (2-2); 4K Ultra HD; HDR10; Single player; Shared/split screen; Optimized for Xbox Series X\|S; Xbox achievements; Xbox presence; Xbox clubs; Xbox cloud saves; Xbox Live.
Audio	Custom volume controls; Spatial audio.
Gameplay	Pausable
Input	Adjustable input sensitivity; Single-stick gameplay.
Visual	Colour options; Steady camera.
Languages Supported	English (USA, UK), Albanian, Arabic, Bulgarian, Catalan, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, German, Greek, Estonian, Spanish (Spain, Mexico), Finnish, French, Hebrew, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latvian, Lithuanian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil), Romanian, Russian, Serbian (Latin), Chinese (Simplified, Traditional), Slovak, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, Vietnamese.
Publisher	Xbox Game Studios
Developer	Asobo Studio
Release date	11/11/2022

PC Game Pass

About Microsoft Flight Simulator

Microsoft started its first flight simulator in 1982. With this 40th Anniversary Edition, the company made the game more realistic and immersive. A whole world is around you, and you can feel it. Indeed, with this flight simulator game, you can enjoy incredibly realistic planes, helicopters, gliders, and jets.

The MSFS 40th Anniversary Edition introduced several community-requested features, such as the real-to-life Airbus A-310 with almost every button you can interact with as if you were on board as the actual pilot.

In the game, developers also added four classic airports and seven historical aircraft:

1903 Wright Flyer
1915 Curtiss JN-4 Jenny
1927 Ryan NYP Spirit of St. Louis
1935 Douglas DC-3
1937 Grumman G-21 Goose
1947 Havilland DHC-2 Beaver
1947 Hughes H-4 Hercules.

About PC Game Pass & Xbox App

We talked about the Xbox pass and app in our previous article. We showed how to join the PC Game Pass for just 1 Dollar and how to download and install the free Xbox app on your Windows PC. So, read the tutorial to get both in a few minutes hassle-free.

How to Download and Play Microsoft Fight Simulator in 6 Steps

How to Install and Configure Microsoft Flight Simulator

Make it detailed with step-by-step screenshots

Visit Microsoft Flight Simulator Page

1 Visit apps.microsoft.com/game and scroll down or type Microsoft Flight Simulator in the search bar. Then, click on the Standard edition (40th Anniversary) box, included with Game Pass, to visit the video game page.

b) Search for Microsoft Flight Simulator — a) Visit the Microsoft Apps Store

Get the PC Game Pass

2 Create a free Microsoft account or sign in if you have one already. Choose your Xbox avatar image and gamertag. Then, go to the PC Game Pass page and follow the steps shown in our previous tutorial.

Once you have installed the Xbox app for Windows PC and joined the Game Pass membership, move to step 3.

b) Enter your email, phone or Skype — a) Log in to your Microsoft account

Launch the Installation in the App

3 Return to the game page and click “INSTALL TO” on the left. Select “PC” and press “LAUNCH“. This will open the game page in your Xbox app.

b) Select PC and click Launch — a) Click INSTALL TO on the left

Install Microsoft Flight Simulator in the Xbox App

4 On the game page within the Xbox app, click INSTALL, choose a drive with enough storage space, and press INSTALL again. Remember, you need at least 157 Gigabytes of disk space. Excellent!

If you wish to check and manage the installation progress, click the game thumbnail on the left. You can pause and resume it at any time. So, relax and wait. This first installation stage will be completed pretty soon.

b) Select the game destination drive — a) Click INSTALL within the Xbox app

Complete The Installation

5 When the first installation is complete, click the game box on the left sidebar and then PLAY. Through your firewall app, allow the game access to your network, wait for loading, and set the accessibility parameters. You can also keep things as they are and press NEXT to move to the final installation step, where you will download the rest of the game package (the biggest one).

Here, you can update the installation path or keep the default one. When ready, click UPDATE and wait. How long it will take depends on your network speed. In the meantime, you can do whatever you want and keep the installation running in the background. Again, you can pause and resume the process at any time. It’s up to you!

a) Click the game box on the left sidebar

b) Click PLAY to continue the installation (part 2) — a) Click the game box on the left sidebar

Set the Graphics Parameters

6 At completion, after a couple of hours (or minutes), it’s time to select the graphics settings. The game will recommend the best preset based on your system capabilities. But you can customise them to set the PC or VR parameters. In the end, click “NEXT“.

b) Customise the graphics settings — a) Select a graphics preset

Select the Word Data Streaming Settings

7 Choose how you will see the world around you. Do you have a fast Internet connection with a high or unlimited data cap? Then, you can select SATELLITE DATA STREAMING for the best visual experience (and feel like a real-world pilot).

Is your Internet connection slow? You can choose NO WORLD STREAMING. You will still enjoy the flight simulator. However, you will need a constant connection for authentication. Now, click NEXT, set your data streaming usage limits (if you wish) and press NEXT again.

b) Edit the data cap — a) World data streaming settings

Customise the Control Settings

8 Set the control: keyboard, mouse, and gamepad (if any). I recommend using a joystick, a flight stick or a flight simulator controller bundle for best gaming. Read this complete review of The Best Controllers for Microsoft Flight Simulator. Finally, customise the assistance settings.

b) Set the keyboard controls — a) Customise the auto-detected controls

Get on Board, Train & Enjoy

9 And here you are! Now, you can: a) Start an easy flight around iconic locations; b) Create a flight plan for a Free Flight Mode; c) Learn fundamental skills and techniques to fly like a professional; d) Test your skills in challenges; e) Purchase assets in the marketplace (F14 TOMCAT, AIRBUS A3 30 900 NEO, ANTONOV A-N 2 25, etc.).

If you are a beginner, I suggest you start with the training sessions where you can familiarise yourself with the flight controls, cameras, instruments, and much more.

a) Get familiar with Microsoft Flight Simulator — a) Get familiar with the game

b) Select a game option and enjoy your flight — a) Get familiar with the game

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Minimum System Requirements

OS	Windows 10 version 18362.0 or higher
Architecture	x64
Graphics	NVIDIA GTX 770 \| AMD Radeon RX 570
Processor	Intel i5-4460 \| AMD Ryzen 3 1200
Keyboard	Integrated Keyboard
Mouse	Integrated Mouse
DirectX	Version 11
Memory	8 GB
Video Memory	2 GB

Recommended System Requirements

OS	Windows 10 version 18362.0 or higher
Architecture	x64
Graphics	NVIDIA GTX 970 \| AMD Radeon RX 590
Processor	Intel i5-8400 \| AMD Ryzen 5 1500X
Keyboard	Integrated Keyboard
Mouse	Integrated Mouse
DirectX	Version 11
Memory	16 GB
Video Memory	4 GB

*You must install the Xbox app for Windows PC and have Internet access when connected to your Microsoft account.

Xbox App Windows System Requirements

OS	Windows 10/11, version 19H1 or higher
Storage	150 MB
Display	720p

*System requirements vary by game, while performance scales with higher-end systems. Playing games on the Xbox app for PC may require switching out of Windows S mode.

Microsoft Flight Simulator Key Features

95 Flight Assets

37 aeroplanes, gliders, and helicopters
25 handcrafted airports
4 classic commercial airports
14 heliports and 15 glider airports.

Explore Your World

Vivid and Detailed Landscapes with over 1.5 billion buildings, 2 trillion trees, mountains, roads, rivers and more.
Living World (live traffic, real-time weather, and animals).

Earn Your Wings

Numerous aircraft options, from highly detailed light planes to accurate commercial jets.
Checklist System from full manual to full assist where the instrument guidance and checklist are interactive and highlighted.

Test Your Skills

Live Weather with accurate wind speed and direction, temperature, humidity, rain and more.
Day and Night Engine with night VFR, visual flight rules, and navigation.
Aerodynamic Modeling with a physics engine featuring 1000+ control surfaces per plane.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 40th Ann. Ed. updates

1 true-to-life Airbus A310 Airliner
2 helicopters and 14 heliports
2 gliders and 15 glider airports
7 iconic aircraft, including the Hughes H-4 Hercules (the Spruce Goose).
4 classic commercial airports
24 classic missions from the franchise’s past.

Microsoft Flight Simulator Photo Gallery

How to Play Microsoft Flight Simulator at $1

Watch the video guide

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FAQs

Can we learn how to fly using Microsoft Flight Simulator?

The game can teach you the fundamentals, such as climbing, turning, descending, reading instruments, using controls, and following flight and radio procedures. However, it doesn’t replace your flight training time for real-world pilot certification. Additionally, it doesn’t give you the same feel and physical feedback you can get from a real-life aircraft.

Does the game support VR?

You can use a VR (Virtual Reality) headset to make your experience immersive and feel like inside a real cockpit. Furthermore, VR headsets offer a more realistic visual representation.

Can I fly above my house?

Yes. The game can use real-world data streaming. Therefore, you may see your house from above on board a plane.

Can I download and play it for $1?

Yes. You can join the PC Game Pass trial, which costs just 1 Dollar (after expiration, it will renew at the standard price unless you cancel it before).

How much does Microsoft Flight Simulator cost?

The Standard Edition is included in the PC Game Pass, which you can join for 1$ with a 14-day trial.

How realistic is the game?

MSFS improved significantly since its first release in 1982. The virtual environment, aircraft, and flight model are accurate. However, it’s still a simulation and can’t be 100% perfect in some flight behaviours and nuances.

Does Microsoft Flight Simulator offer realistic flight time?

Yes. The clock in the game ticks as in real life (in real-time mode). Therefore, flying from Toronto to Tokyo would take 14 hours (just as long as in a real flight).

How many planes can I fly?

The Microsoft Flight Simulator 40th Anniversary Edition features 37 aircraft (aeroplanes, gliders, and helicopters).

How many airports are available in the simulator?

The MSFS 40th Anniversary Edition features 25 handcrafted airports, four classic commercial airports, 14 heliports, and 15 glider airports.

Is Microsoft Flight Simulator easy to play?

Although MSFS is not an FFA-recognised real flight simulator for training, the game can be challenging without prior flying experience. We also suggest you use a flight stick for better, more comfortable gameplay. Standard Edition requires 157 MB.

Can I play Microsoft Flight Simulator offline?

MSFS offers real-world satellite data streaming, which requires a fast Internet connection. The game can also work with no-world streaming (for players with a slow Internet connection) but needs a constant connection for authentication.

How much disk space do I need to install the game?

The MSFS Standard Edition requires 157 MB.

Can I fly across the whole world with this flight simulator?

Yes. MSFL represents the entire planet in high resolution. This makes your experience as more realistic as possible.

Can I play Microsoft Flight Simulator with a keyboard?

MSFS supports a keyboard, mouse, and gamepad. However, a flight controller will make your life easier as the game has many controls you have to deal with.

Flying can be an unforgettable experience both in real life and in gaming. The Microsoft Flight Simulator 40th Anniversary Standard Edition blends the two aspects with a realistic environment, physics, aircraft, and airports. It features real-to-life buttons, instruments, and procedures. Additionally, the VR support makes everything immersive and more accurate.

1 Dollar with the PC Game Pass trial, it is worth downloading and playing MSFS as we find it one of the best flight simulator games for Windows PC.