I’m actually surprised this didn’t already exist, but Google has launched a new competitor for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024.
Okay, that’s not actually the case, but it has released an experimental flight simulator mode in the Google Earth web application. It’s very basic, but combined with aerial imagery from Google Earth, it’s actually a lot of fun to tour our beautiful planet.
Google even it says in its documentation that the Google Earth flight simulator is “designed for casual exploration rather than high-fidelity aerodynamic training.”
It’s definitely not your new alternative to Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 or X-Plane 12.
However, it’s now available for anyone to try and since it’s a web app, you don’t need to install anything and you definitely don’t need a beefy graphics card.
As you fly around 3D buildings, high-resolution images appear, not unlike how Microsoft handles them in modern versions of Flight Simulator. If you go too fast or your connection is not as good, this could affect the quality.
The controls are simple and are all done from the right side of the keyboard. Use the arrow keys to go up and down, left and right and the page up and down keys to go faster or slower. No need for a controller or fancy HOTAS system here.
You don’t have to worry about taxiing, taking off or landing or any of that realistic jazz. Find a location in Google Earth, open the flight simulator from tools menu, and it’s up and running.
Is it a bit gimmicky? Sure. But in the context of Google Earth, it’s actually a nice feature to add and I hope they keep working on it. If you’re using Google Earth anyway, why not add a little more fun to the mix?
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