Australia gets an update in Microsoft Flight Simulator – finally

More than a year after its launch the seventh “World Update” to Microsoft Flight Simulator is all about Australia with some new detail and challenges coming for us Aussies and to bring people from all around the world here virtually.

A new level of detail over the Great Barrier Reef, as well as huge parts of Australia will make for hours of scenic exploration for the many fans of Microsoft Flight Simulator.t

Microsoft say Melbourne based Orbx Simulation Systems have handcrafted four airports and added new resolution to 100 others.

Orbx is the company PC users have been able to go to to buy detailed updates like Sydney already however for Xbox owners those updates are limited to the Microsoft Flight Sim Store.

There are 94 custom made points of interest to find, plus 16 new activities which includes bush trips (perfect for Australia) and discovery flights, plus landing challenges too! Shellharbour’s landing challenge must surely be a 747 given the complexity of getting that Qantas bird into there for the museum back in the day, and I can’t wait to see the Katoomba challenge:)

New to Microsoft Flight Simulator in World Update VII – Australia :

Handcrafted airports:

• YLRE – Longreach
• YMBT – Mount Beauty
• YPBO – Paraburdoo
• YSHL – Shellharbour

Bush Trips :

• Tasmania
• Southeastern Australia
• Sea to Desert
• Great Barrier Reef
• Northwestern Kimberly Coast

Landing Challenges

• Brisbane
• Shellharbour
• Mt Hotham
• Katoomba
• Mabuiag

Discovery Flights

• Gold Coast
• Sydney
• Perth
• Darwin
• Melbourne
• Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park

Hand-Crafted Points of Interest

• 1 William Street
• 108 St Georges Terrace
• 443 Queen Street
• 568 Collins Street
• Abbot Point Coal Terminal
• Adelaide Oval
• Albion Viaduct
• Anzac Bridge
• Aurora Melbourne Central
• Australia 108
• Bathurst Mount Panorama Racing Circuit
• Bathurst Point Lighthouse
• Batman Bridge
• Bay of Islands
• Bolte Bridge
• Brisbane Skytower
• Broadcast Australia Tower
• Brookfield Place
• Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex
• Cape Byron Lighthouse
• Cape Cleveland Lighthouse
• Cape Don Lighthouse
• Cape Nelson Lighthouse
• Cape Wickham Lighthouse
• Cascade Dam
• Central Park
• Devils Gate Dam
• Eureka Tower
• Federation Square
• Flinders Street Railway Station
• Gabo Island Lighthouse
• Gladesville Bridge
• Gordon Dam
• Grange Resources Port Latta Pier
• Great Barrier Reef Activity Platform
• Green Island Jetty
• Hawkesbury River Rail Bridge
• Houghton Highway Viaduct
• Infinity Tower
• Longitude 131° Lodge
• Luna Park
• Marvel Stadium
• Melbourne Cricket Ground
• Melbourne Grand
• Melbourne Square
• Mooney Mooney Bridge
• Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory
• Narrows Bridge
• Ocean, 88 The Esplanade
• One Barangaroo
• Optus Stadium
• Parkes Observatory
• Paul Wild Observatory
• Peats Ferry Bridge
• Perth Arena
• Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit
• Pine Gap Joint Defence Facility
• Premier Tower
• Prima Pearl Tower
• Queen’s Wharf Brisbane
• Queens Place North Tower
• Rialto Towers
• Siding Spring Observatory
• Sir Leo Hielscher Bridges (Gateway Bridges)
• Soleil Brisbane
• South Sister Lookout Antennae
• Split Point Lighthouse
• Stadium Australia
• Story Bridge
• Strangways Springs Ruins
• Suncorp Stadium
• Swanston Central
• Sydney Cricket Ground
• Sydney Football Stadium
• Sydney Harbour Bridge
• Sydney Tower
• Tasman Bridge
• Telstra Tower
• The Big Banana Fun Park
• The Big Merino
• The Big Pineapple
• The Big Prawn
• The Gabba
• The One
• The WACA Ground
• Three Sisters
• Townsville Port
• Twelve Apostles
• Victoria Police Centre Towers
• Wadjemup Lighthouse
• Warragamba Dam
• West Gate Bridge
• West Side Place
• Wilsons Promontory Lighthouse

Best of all, it’s free and we think it starts rolling out today!

(We’ll update with some real pics from the game through the day)