As someone that collects and plays retro video games as a hobby, the Atari 2600 has a special place in my collection. Something akin to honoring an ancestor. Getting my hands on a physical copy of Dan Kitchen's Tomcat: The F-14 Fighter Simulator (1989) for this game console felt like recovering an artifact of simulated aviation. It was rather impressive for a flight game on a second-generation game console. Its development team squeezed out every ounce of hardware performance, even using the game console itself as a controller. To build a perspective of when this game existed, it came out very late in the Atari 2600's life cycle. The Atari 2600 was released in 1977. Its fellow second-generation consoles included the Vectrex, ColecoVision, and Magnavox Odyssey². In 1989, the Nintendo Entertainment System had been around for a few years, and the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis had barely been released in Japan in 1988, with overseas models arriving in mid-1989. And yet, across all of those game consoles, the flight games on them did not pursue simulation as this title did. Most sought to emulate the insanely high speed, pure action titles like After Burner from the busy game arcades of the day. Image source: Atari Mania Rather than take that approach, Dan Kitchen's F-14 Tomcat Simulator grades players on how efficiently they fly and fight. Both during the day and at night. Its most notable feature is the management of aircraft systems for navigation and weapon systems. Navigation, weapon systems, and electronic countermeasures must be worked in unison for mission success. Approaching the aircraft carrier at the right speed and angle is paramount, and retaining as many weapons as possible increases player score. Takeoff, combat efficiency, and landing are all graded. Of course, it's still playing on an Atari 2600; having 1:1 simulated system accuracy is just not possible. Furthermore, managing everything with a single joystick and single-button controller sounds impractical. However, this lack of controls was overcome by utilizing both the physical switches on the console and combining button functions on the controller. You could say it is a "hands on console and stick" control layout made out of necessity. Most impressively, the switches on the top of the front and top of the Atari 2600 controlled a majority of the game's systems and functions: Atari 2600 game console. Game Reset : Starts the game. Enters function selection mode from the Threat screen. Holding reset for three seconds eventually causes the console to reset the game. Game Select : Cycles through computer display screens. Right Difficulty : Arresting hook toggle. (top of console, center-right) Left Difficulty : Landing Gear Toggle. (top of console, center-left) Atari 2600 joystick controller. When in the game's Threat screen, the joystick button acts as the launch button for the selected weapon. When not on the Threat screen, pressing and holding the joystick button while moving the joystick forward or backward controls the engine throttle. While the joystick button is not held down, the joystick is used for pitch and roll, with the engine throttle position remaining unchanged during maneuvers. Using these control methods, this F-14 Tomcat simulator suddenly had five buttons and one joystick with the equivalent of a computer modifier key to double the function of the joystick as a throttle . Scanned images of the game manual provide more detail: Image source: Atari Mania In the 2020s, most people would likely have played Dan Kitchen's Tomcat: F-14 Fighter Simulator through an emulation service or maybe from a compilation release like the absolutely excellent Activision Anthology (2002) for the Sony PlayStation 2. Unless someone owns an Atari 2600, a region-specific copy of the game cartridge, and a CRT television old enough to have a coax input and/or RF adapter, the experience cannot be recreated. It is genuinely a control method from a bygone era. Having to reach out and flip buttons on a game console to manage simulated systems is still a memorable experience. From the eyes of people interacting with this control method for the first time back in the late 80s, flipping the switches on their Atari 2600 was as tinglingly exciting as hitting the buttons on our Thrustmaster throttles, WinWing flight sticks, and BlackHog button boxes. About the Writer Aaron "Ribbon-Blue" Mendoza Co-founder of Skyward Flight Media. After founding Electrosphere.info , the first English Ace Combat database, he has been involved in creating flight game-related websites, communities, and events since 2005. He explores past and present flight games and simulators with his extensive collection of game consoles and computers. Read Staff Profile .

New SAM Behavior Means Renewed TALD Tactics The release of DCS 2.9.6 on July 12th, 2024 was exciting for many reasons. The release of the southwestern area of the Afghanistan Map, a new feature for DCS Supercarrier, Flaming Cliffs 2024, a proper app launcher for the simulator, and a toilet paper roll sized list of changes in the changelog. Nestled away in the updates is, in my opinion, one of the most important out-of-the-box improvements to AI unit behavior in the simulator. Under the DCS Key Updates was listed: "SAM units are smarter now, and based on their skill level, can turn off their radars and reposition if they detect an incoming anti-radiation missile." The Old Way For now I will set aside the inevitable new DCS World Mission Editor Series article I will be writing about this. In the mean time, I have to say that the new behavior of surface-to-air missiles (SAM) units without the need of intense .lua code running in the background of a mission is a fantastic upgrade. This new ability of SAM units to cycle search and track radars on and off as a skill level based reaction immediately breathes new life into all existing single player and multiplayer missions since it is turned on by default. Gone are the "easy" days of suppression of enemy air defense and destruction of enemy air defense in Digital Combat Simulator. The days where just getting into range with the right launch parameters for an anti-radiation missile (ARM) are almost guaranteed radar kill shots; unless another weapon system capable of point defense is nearby. Back in April 2022, I wrote an article about the utility of the ADM-141 TALD (Tactical Air Launched Decoy) against the then default representations of surface-to-air missile sites in DCS World. Previously, dumping many of these unpowered, gliding decoys from a Heatblur Simulations F-14A/B Tomcat or a Eagle Dynamics F/A-18C Hornet in the direction of a SAM site was enough for them to be effective. An active SAM unit with enough range to intercept a TALD would immediately launch as many missiles at them as possible. A pair of TALDs was enough to spur on the launch of at least four or more missiles from SAM sites laying in wait. Introduction to New Behavior Since July 2024, SAM sites in DCS not only take defensive measures against ARMs like the AGM-88 HARM, AS-17 Krypton or Laiden LD-10, but also ADM-141 TALDs. Depending on the skill level of the surface-to-air missile site and the type of unit they are. I first noticed this change in behavior while testing a mission which uses locations of historic strategic surface-to-air missiles sites in the Syrian integrated air defense system (IADS). SA-2 (green), SA-3 (yellow), SA-5 (red), SA-6 (blue). I had aircraft deploy decoys to test the reaction of static SA-2 Guideline, SA-3 Goa, and SA-5 Gammon SAM sites backed up by mobile units like SA-6 Gainful and SA-8 Gecko. It was notable that the more TALDs were in the air space the more the behavior of the SAMs changed. The amount of missiles launched to intercept the TALDs changed. When a large amount of decoys were in the airspace something truly unexpected happened. This led to an entire experiment with release altitudes, quantities and distances that made me re-examine just how these decoys could be used against new AI reactions. In my opinion, this has resulted in a change of effective TALD deployment tactics. F-14A beginning TALD deployment. Long-Range SAM Exhaustion Aircraft deploying the ADM-141 TALD are best used to force long-range SAMs to expend their missiles at near their maximum engagement ranges. Neutralizing their signature deterrent ability and opening them up to counterattack. For example, the standard SA-5 Gammon site includes six missile launcher rails with an on paper launch range of 150 to 300 kilometers. As impressive as this seems, once the SA-5 launches these missiles it is unable to defend itself or deter the ingress of enemy aircraft as it will need to take a long time to reload its missile launchers. The same is true for units like the Patriot Battery and SA-10 Grumble. One aircraft maintaining high altitude, at a safe distance, deploying one or two TALDs in intervals of two to five minutes, can force a SAM site to waste its missiles. But it is a process of patiently waiting for the decoys to be engaged, monitoring sensors to confirm their destruction, then sending the next wave of decoys in. Eventually, when the SAM site begins its reloading process, other friendly aircraft can begin their attacks. This extended time on station for the TALD aircraft does expose it to mobile enemies like combat aircraft to try scrambling to intercept it, so maintaining good situational awareness throughout the process is recommended. Point Defense Isolation Units capable of Point Defense can intercept anti-radiation missiles, glide weapons and air launched cruise missiles while simultaneously attacking incoming aircraft. They are high level obstacles. Even when not attempting to attack them directly, so long as any aircraft or weapon passes in their engagement range, they will launch their interceptors to defend their allies. For example, when directly targeting an SA-15 Tor, intermixing TALDs with other conventional weapons to attack it is highly recommended. Launching two to four TALDs at medium altitude to ensure the Tor can fire upon them will force it to begin launching its missiles in rapid succession. However, unlike a large, highly visible surface-to-air missile site that requires many types of support units around it and is unable to move, an SA-15 is a single, mobile unit capable of shutting down its radar while reloading its missiles - it is much harder to find on the battlefield in comparison. The best time to strike a point defense system is while it is actively defending against an incoming attack as it will be detected on radar warning receivers and electronic warfare sensors while being visually identifiable by missile contrails leaving the ground. While the TALDs are being destroyed, the point defense system should be attacked. F/A-18C Hornet with full "TALD Truck" loadout. Mass Attack Suppression The newest, most unexpected use of the decoys relies on the appearance of a saturation attack. In the real world, the TALD is designed to enhance its own radar signature to appear as larger aircraft or other potential threats when observed on radar. This is what makes SAM radar operators have to decide whether or not they should attack the decoys. In DCS World, SAM sites like the SA-2, SA-3 and SA-5 shut their radars off when eight or more ADM-141 TALDs are airborne and flying towards them. Even when a swarm of decoys flies directly over some of the SAM sites, their radars remain off. In the face of what seems to be a massive attack, the larger SAMs remain powered down while short and medium range SAMs are left to engage the TALDS. Hornet completing full TALD saturation attack. On its face this seems to be an ideal situation. With all long-ranged SAMs shut down, they are not firing their missiles at approaching friendly aircraft. But once the decoys either impact the land or ocean or are shot down by other air defenses, the long-ranged SAMs will be back online with their lethal missiles still available. The TALD swarm opens a window of opportunity to attack but once that window closes, any friendly aircraft in the SAM engagement range will immediately come under attack. While the large SAMs are powered down, friendly aircraft will need to either strike their pre-planned targets, then begin leaving the area or they will need to rush to attack the dormant SAM sites. Swarm of ADM-141 en route. Future Tactics There are many other surface-to-air systems on land and at sea that need to be tested to analyze their new behavior against the ADM-141 TALD. Expect this article to be updated sometime in the future. About the Writer Aaron "Ribbon-Blue" Mendoza Co-founder of Skyward Flight Media. After founding Electrosphere.info, the first English Ace Combat database, he has been involved in creating flight game-related websites, communities, and events since 2005. He explores past and present flight games and simulators with his extensive collection of game consoles and computers. Read Staff Profile .

Aviation Jobs, 16km x 16km map In 2023 I wrote about my first interactions with the PICO-8 and some of its flight focused games. I purchased the software back then and have gone back from time to time finding and playing games of all types. Once again, a flight game on this platform has caught my attention. PICO-8 Fantasy Console The PICO-8  is one of the coolest retro game consoles to never exist. And like the early game consoles of the past, it too has passionate developers willing to do a lot with very little file size. Most games on the platform come in well beneath 1 megabyte. What is a "fantasy console?" The FAQ page of the official website explains it as: "A fantasy console is like a regular console, but without the inconvenience of actual hardware. PICO-8 has everything else that makes a console a console: machine specifications and display format, development tools, design culture, distribution platform, community and playership. It is similar to a retro game emulator, but for a machine that never existed. PICO-8's specifications and ecosystem are instead designed from scratch to produce something that has its own identity and feels real. Instead of physical cartridges, programs made for PICO-8 are distributed on .png images that look like cartridges, complete with labels and a fixed 32k data capacity." Air Pico Recently my go-to flight simulator on this platform has been Air Pico by Tom Mulgrew . Taking a look at their Bluesky timeline, in April 2025, Air Pico's conceptual stage started as an offshoot of a textured ground rendering experiment that started for development of a different game from the same developer, Combat Chopper . On April 15th, 2025, the experiment resulted in the base map of the future game and spurred specific development of the expansive 16km x 16km map into a dedicated flight simulator. In terms of PICO-8 flight games, this is pretty massive. The next two embedded posts from the developer explain in more detail. Tom Mulgrew mentions that the inconsistency caused by repetition and tile variety causes the tiles to not always connect seamlessly. For a land-based game like a driving game or an on-foot game, these errors would be forefront. His logic is that a faster moving game like a flight simulator while the errors are visible but less of a factor seems to have worked out fine in this application. Air Pico would release for the PICO-8 on May 31st, 2025, with a few updates to follow shortly afterward. Story Mode The task driven Story Mode has players taking on different tasks and jobs that take them across all islands in the Pico Isles; the in-game world. Story Mode has 15 missions that will take players from simple tutorial missions for learning how to fly in Air Pico to performing specific jobs. The actual missions ask players to do specific tasks like charter flights, sports game fly overs, delivering USB cables to stores on another islands, etc. These tasks are explained by an assistant at the start of each mission and who also provides mid-flight updates. Some of these missions have requirements that can be met for higher rewards in the form of gold stars. Let us use crop dusting as an example. Players fly out to a designated area of farmland at altitude, then descend to a specific height (below 100 feet) and airspeed (below 70 knots) limitation above the fields. This challenges players to fly near stall speed at low altitude, mimicking agricultural operations. I say mimicking because there are no controls for dispersing any type of chemical or the need to load the chemical agents onto the aircraft. Free Flight Free Flight lets players wander around the map without any guidance. Players can select one of three aircraft to fly, though two of them do need to be unlocked through the reward system. In Story Mode each mission completed will give players Gold Stars as a reward. The more stars players get, the more aircraft are unlocked. Aircraft, location and flight model selection. Free Flight begins by letting players start at any airport on the map to then take off and wander the skies. Not infinitely however, as the aircraft does have a fuel tank. Though fuel state is not represented in the game's UI, extended periods of flying will eventually run the tank dry causing a sudden crash. Flight Model Whether they are in cockpit view or one of the external views, players have UI for instruments that show speed in knots, height in feet, vertical air speed in feet per minute, flap position and throttle. Air Pico does not have complex systems more akin to a traditional flight simulator, but the Full Simulation flight model is not as unrestricted as the retro look of the game may portray. Like in many GA aircraft, the airplanes do require stable turns, proper energy management and a light touch. Even in aerobatic aircraft like the Pitts Special, simply setting full throttle and throwing the flight stick around can lead to problems fast. Being more intentional with maneuvers is the key to success in Air Pico. In both Story Mode and Free Flight, the flight model can be changed to Simple or Easy to negate the more restrictive parts if desired. Pitts Special plane crash. Air Pico is one of the latest flight games to appear on the game console and its developer, in true PICO community fashion, pushed the boundaries within the platform to provide yet another innovative PICO-8 game. Take a few minutes to try it yourself in any web browser or mobile device. Connect with 'Air Pico' PICO-8 Game Page Developer Bluesky Developer Itch.io About the Writer Aaron "Ribbon-Blue" Mendoza Co-founder of Skyward Flight Media. After founding Electrosphere.info , the first English Ace Combat database, he has been involved in creating flight game-related websites, communities, and events since 2005. He explores past and present flight games and simulators with his extensive collection of game consoles and computers. Read Staff Profile .

Multirole Utility Helicopter Nuclear Option by Shockfront Studios is truly a shining star in the indie flight game genre. A significant portion of this success being its stout, but quality selection of original design aircraft. Each aircraft represents specific types of common aircraft types and roles. Strike bombers, heavy lift aircraft, counter insurgency aircraft, and others. On September 18th, 2025, the 10th aircraft has joined the roster. The UH-90 Ibis represents the utility helicopter portion of military aviation. Shockfront Studios revealed its development public on April 2nd, 2025 with the aircraft appearing in multiple developer livestreams up to its release in September of the same year. Design Nuclear Option has a heavy lift vertical lifter in the form of the VL-49 Tarantula, but the UH-90 now brings aircraft operations more in line with common rotary wing transports. Similar to the Sikorsky UH-60 Blackhawk or the NHIndustries NH90. However, in the now classic Nuclear Option fashion, the developer has taken design cues from other uncommon aircraft and enmeshes them into a new, fictional design. The design is inspired by aircraft prototypes developed for the now cancelled United States Army Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) program and aircraft that took design cues from that program. Features of the Sikorsky X2 coaxial rotor compound helicopter lineage of aircraft, like the S-97 Raider, the SB>1 Defiant. The in-game encyclopedia entry for the aircraft mentions a 'fast vertical lift program', most likely a development program similar to FARA. The rear of the fuselage is more cargo helicopter style. Like that of the Russian made Mil Mi-8 and Mi-26, capable of storing vehicles and large cargo pallets inside of them. The UH-90 can transition from traditional vertical lift to cruising speed in forward flight in 30 seconds, reaching speeds as fast as 260kt. The two pusher props at the tail of the aircraft facilities stable hover and seem to negate vortex ring state, but do not prevent it completely. In forward flight, they are the primary propulsion system. At the top of the aircraft is the compound rotor system, its most important facet. Even if the pusher fans are lost in combat, the aircraft can operate as a standard helicopter. These stacked, sturdy counter rotating main rotors can be folded, allowing the Ibis to operate from the hangars of Dynamo-class Destroyers. The aircraft is compact enough to land and resupply from Hyperion-class Aircraft Carriers, Annex-class Assault Ships and Shard-class Corvettes. This makes the Ibis a key part of large-scale naval operations. During early testing, it was found that the rotors needed reinforcement as the top rotor assembly could rip away from the aircraft during high-G maneuvers. Prototype Rotor Failure (Shockfront Studios, X.com) The cargo hold is split into a Front Cargo Bay and Rear Cargo Bay. Depending on internal load, each bay can be configured differently. Some configurations require both bays to be occupied. This will be expanded upon in the Capabilities section of this article. The outboard weapon stations can equip anti-tank missiles, laser rockets, 25mm autocannon gunpods or MANPAD style infrared missiles. These stations can also hold a pair of self-protection electronic countermeasure pods, which are vital for the aircraft to survive in high-end conflicts where active homing air-to-air missiles and radar guided surface-to-air missiles will be frequently present. The middle of the fuselage has symmetrical door gun positions that can equip 12.7mm heavy machine guns or 40mm automatic grenade launchers. It should be noted that the AI crew of the UH-90 will operate the door guns and the gun pods automatically, without player input, unless the player selects these weapons and manually operates them. CAPABILITIES The mission roles the UH-90 Ibis can take up primarily rely on its cargo hold. Cargo Hook The belly mounted cargo hook can be extended up to 20 meters (65 feet). When deployed, the heads-up display shows a unique UI. First, players must target the item they want to carry. This will appear as a white hook icon on the screen. The center of the hook bullseye is the position of the hook beneath the aircraft. Lining up the hook icon in the bullseye will lead to a good hook if the players are also at the correct altitude. Be careful to not enter a vortex ring state situation while in hover during sling load operations. Vehicle Transport An M12 Jackknife remote controlled combat engineering vehicle can be stored internally, but due to its size it will occupy both the forward and rear bays. The ability to deploy the M12 is a strategic one, allowing the aircraft to support allied bases long-term. The front and rear cargo bay can carry one Hexhound Uncrewed Ground Vehicle per bay. These remote controlled vehicles are harder to detect compared to human crew served vehicles. The Hexhound comes in two configurations. SAM configuration with four short-range infrared missiles to attack air targets, or GMG configuration with an automatic 40mm grenade launcher capable of indirect fire against targets identified on datalink up to 2km away. Multiple Hexhounds can be placed at allied bases to increase their defenses, or they can be placed along overland routes to ambush hostiles. Vehicles of certain weight can also be sling loaded beneath the aircraft with the dorsal winch. Munitions Supply The UH-90 Ibis can carry munition crates, which take up both cargo bays. This includes navalized containers with floats to keep the container on the ocean surface to resupply ships at sea - a vital function in Nuclear Option, as warships do not have the ability to rearm themselves at naval ports. As of update 0.31, munitions containers can be air dropped with parachutes or offloaded manually by landing on the ground to deliver them or hovering above the ocean surface to offload them. Combat Search and Rescue The size of the aircraft enables it to easily and quickly land near pilots that have ejected from their aircraft. The cargo winch can be used to pull pilots from the ocean or from especially hard to reach areas on land as well. The Ibis is a much better suited to this role as compared to its only other heavy lifter at this time, the VL-49 Tarantula. Gunship The Ibis can be pressed into a gunship role to remain in combat, but it does not have the armor to sustain direct hits even from small arms fire. It's best to engage from as much distance as possible. While it does have door gun stations, they should be considered light attack weapons, if not defensive weapons. The external weapon pylons are best used to assist the aircraft while it is loaded with cargo to enter contested areas. However, in a pure gunship configuration, it would be best to equip something besides anti-armor missiles. Why? It's primary means of attack is the internally mounted AGM-48 missile launcher. When equipped, it takes up an entire cargo bay. This peculiar device is a rotary missile launcher which fires missiles out of the left side of the aircraft via a side kicking door. It jetisons the missile horizontally away from the aircraft before the rocket booster activates. Base Capture Before update 0.31, bases and buildings could only be captured by ground forces. Even after winning a hard won battle for a strategic area, players would need to hold the area until the next convoy of vehicles would trundle in to capture it. That or a VL-49 Tarantula would need to land and offload a light armored vehicle in the capture zone to capture and enemy or neutral location. Now with the UH-90 the, the forward or rear cargo bay can be loaded with platoons of infantry. This utility helicopter can land and capture before land forces arrive. In tight battles to hold territory, this is a clutch capability. Mixing one bay with an infantry squad and another with a Hexhound UGV, a single Ibis can capture a location then immediately deploy at least one unit to defend it. FLIGHT MODEL Compared to the other rotary wing aircraft in the game, the Ibis is decently responsive on the throttle. Not as instant and powerful as the SAH-46 Chicane attack helicopter, but certainly more suited for combat maneuvering than the lumbering VL-49 Tarantula. In full forward flight, the UH-90 maneuvers smoothly with easy to use roll and yaw characteristics. While its high speed can get it into combat faster than the attack helicopter, it's best to not over commit to a full-frontal attack. While near top speed, it can more easily radar notch incoming missiles. Carrying an ECM pod in this situation is preferred, but with speed and low altitude maneuvering, it can be done consistently. While it can lose lift when hovering by entering a vortex ring state, it's relatively easy to get out of by side slipping or gaining a few knots of speed. Despite its complex propulsion systems, it is a rather stable aircraft. Its smooth flight handling makes it easy to fly and land, but it's not well suited for hard, immediate maneuvers. Transitioning from forward flight to hovering, it's built up kinect energy can be used for a single high energy maneuver like a high G turn to evade or a J Hook turn to land rapidly. The UH-90 Ibis was a long-awaited addition to Nuclear Option. The nuclear weapon friendly skies of this early access indie flight sim lite are now a home of - of all things - a utility helicopter. It is amazing to see how specialized aircraft continue to be added to this game's roster, allowing players to experience a variety of flight operations without needing a 40+ aircraft roster. I look forward to seeing the next aircraft. About the Writer Aaron "Ribbon-Blue" Mendoza Co-founder of Skyward Flight Media. After founding Electrosphere.info, the first English Ace Combat database, he has been involved in creating flight game-related websites, communities, and events since 2005. He explores past and present flight games and simulators with his extensive collection of game consoles and computers. Read Staff Profile .

I was vaguely reminded of something during a discussion about childhood flight games and sims. A classic "what sparked your interest in simulated aviation?" conversation. Many late nights ago, I searched for a helicopter game for Amiga personal computers produced by Commodore in the mid-1980s and early 1990s. To my surprise, I found what appeared to be the entire first level of the game uploaded to a website. Trying to figure out if this was piracy or video game preservation, I was confused to see that it was released on the PICO-8 game console, a platform I had never heard of in years of video game collecting. You can imagine my face when I finally realized this was a demake of the original game I remembered on a "fantasy game console." A brief search for more flight-related games pushed me deeper into the platform and left an impression on me. Front page of the official PICO-8 website. The development of PICO-8 as a platform is an unusual one. PICO-8 was created by Joseph "Zep" White and is a product of childhood nostalgia, combating boredom, and life of programming from New Zealand to Japan. It evolved from a design exercise referred to as LEX500 to practice for a general scripting component in its sister platform to an easy to access and program fantasy game console. Quoting the official website will describe what this concept is better than I can: "A fantasy console is like a regular console, but without the inconvenience of actual hardware. PICO-8 has everything else that makes a console a console: machine specifications and display format, development tools, design culture, distribution platform, community and playership. It is similar to a retro game emulator, but for a machine that never existed. PICO-8's specifications and ecosystem are instead designed from scratch to produce something that has its own identity and feels real. Instead of physical cartridges, programs made for PICO-8 are distributed on .png images that look like cartridges, complete with labels and a fixed 32k data capacity." Example of cartridge While remaining within the limitations of a 16-color display of 128x128 pixels and 4-channel audio output, PICO-8 programmers have created games in just about every genre possible. With either keyboard and mouse or USB gamepads, most of the flight titles in the PICO-8's cartridge library are flight-themed shoot'em ups or flight arcade games that are demakes of existing retro games or are inspired by those same games. In my case, the title I was reminded of was Zeewolf (1994) for the Amiga. What I found instead was Zed Wolf (2020), which was so similar it genuinely fooled me for a short time. Try it for yourself below: Other notable flight titles include a near-perfect demake of X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter: Attack on the Deathstar from the Sharp X68000, Comanche 1/2 inspired by the series of the same name from NovaLogic and Endless Sky , an original arcadey flight shooter. However, I can't discuss this subject without mentioning Tiny Sim by Frederic Souchu and Thomas Cueni . Tiny Sim is the first flight simulator for PICO-8 based on the Cessna 172R Skyhawk with a Garmin G1000 glass cockpit. The flight model was designed using observations of an actual pilot of the same aircraft throughout the game development process. The flight model is a bit more advanced than most would expect, as even the effects of wind on the flight path and indicated airspeed. As detailed in its 34-page manual , the aircraft has many of its vital systems in working order. Horizontal Situation Indicators, navigation radios, glideslope indicators, GPS waypoints, instrument landing equipment, and similar systems are available on the Primary Flight Display screen and Multi-Function Display screen. Certain airfields have very high frequency omni-directional range (VOR) equipment and precision approach path indicator (PAPI) lights to further assist with landing. The manual also includes a flight school section to help players get familiar with their aircraft systems and practice exercises to prevent stalls, different landing approaches, and coordinated turns. Basic airport information and an aeronautical chart are also provided. In its own way, it is charming how the flying games on this fantasy console invoke feelings of nostalgia. Though this article mentions a small selection flight themed games, there are a few other titles beneath specific search terms (flight, plane, jet, etc.) on the official website. But, developers who create games for this console can distribute or sell them as they see fit, anywhere they want to. Who knows how many other flight arcade or flight simulation releases are out there for the PICO-8? About the Writer Aaron "Ribbon-Blue" Mendoza Co-founder of Skyward Flight Media. After founding Electrosphere.info, the first English Ace Combat database, he has been involved in creating flight game-related websites, communities, and events since 2005. He explores past and present flight games and simulators with his extensive collection of game consoles and computers. [Read Staff Profile ]

It wasn't until just around a decade ago that VR started becoming accessible to enthusiasts, and with that came a growing and untapped market for flight simulators that advertised their VR implementations. They boasted the added immersion and unparallel feeling of flight as the main selling points of flying in VR; so, as someone that has been a VR user for over 5 years now, are these statements true? What are the drawbacks of flying in VR? FEELING OF FLIGHT This aspect is, most likely, the truest one of flying in VR. There just is not a better way to feel like you are in a cockpit than seeing it in full 3D right in front of you. All the dials, details and the visibility all intertwine with each other into a feast for your eyes. I have personally flown in VR in around 5 to 6 different titles, from dedicated VR-only games like VTOL VR, to others where VR feels a bit more of an afterthought such as DCS World; and regardless of in which game I have flown in, the immersion is always astonishing. Flying on flat screens or even curved monitors just does not feel as immersive anymore once you have tasted VR flying, but that also comes with a cost, both monetary and quality-wise. COMFORT, VISIBILITY AND READABILITY In terms of comfort, it will depend on your headset and the environmental conditions in your room. For someone like me who has a Quest 2 and lives in a quite humid place, sometimes playing during the day will become quite uncomfortable. The lenses will fog out, and it will be quite difficult to just clear them every couple of minutes. This will stop after a while when the inside of the headset gasket has reached equilibrium with the outside, but that awkward feeling of the fogged lenses will not fade. Visibility and readability will also greatly depend on your headset. The two main determining factors are your Field of View (FoV) and your internal headset resolution. For example, my Quest 2 has the equivalent of 2K per eye and 97 degrees of horizontal FoV. So, when you are flying it can feel a bit like looking through binoculars, something that could definitely be improved with higher-end headsets such as the Big Screen Beyond 2, or even the more accessible Quest 3. USABILITY Something we take for granted when we fly on desktop is how visible our controls, panels and keyboard are. When you are in VR, you will lose track of what is where, and you will be constantly peaking below your light brick to glance at your peripherals. There are a couple of ways to mitigate this issue, such as using pass-through features available in a couple of headsets such as the Quest 3, or the more unrealistic one which involves you making a 1:1 replica of a real cockpit. Both options have been tried and both work, with the most impressive one being Warthog Project's 1:1 A-10C cockpit replica that has allowed him to play DCS in a way we all dream we could. His set-up is fully physical, with every single panel functional. Have a gander yourself: Of course, this is something 99.9% of users would not be able to use, or create, but it is certainly an option that some of us have opted for to solve this problem. FINAL THOUGHTS VR flying is becoming more and more accessible, and the technology has definitely improved. I have my gripes with it, such as the weight and comfort of some headsets, as well as application specific difficulties such as the ones described in the above section. I quite enjoy games such as VTOL VR and even flying within VRChat, but my VR flight time on dedicated simulators has been quite limited because my current set up does not cooperate well with my peripherals in VR. Were I to have a dedicated room for VR or a simrig, I would probably fly a lot more in VR, but, here I am. About the Author Santiago "Cubeboy" Cuberos Longtime aviation fanatic with particular preference towards military aviation and its history. Said interests date back to the early 2000s, leading into his livelong dive into civil and combat flight simulators. He has been involved in a few communities, but only started being active around the mid 2010s. Joined as a Spanish to English translator in 2017, he has been active as a writer and the co-founder of Skyward ever since. Twitter  | Discord : Cubeboy

With the currently ongoing Flight Week event, we felt it was the perfect time to release an update on what we have been up to and our current plans moving forward with VRChat Aviation. There are a couple of projects we have been working on, so let's get to it. NEW VRCHAT AVIATION HUB WEBPAGE Aaron "Ribbon-Blue" Mendoza has worked on an amazing webpage that will be the hub for all of VRChat endeavors. You will be able to find everything from information about our original aircraft, direct links to our worlds and our VRChat articles in one place. Make sure to give it a look, especially those product pages that we made for each of our current aircraft. They are amazingly built and can give you insight as to how much thought and effort has been put into making these planes. WORLD DEVELOPMENT Currently, we have one world in active development and one in maintenance. This new world will include planes that Santiago "Cubeboy" Cuberos modeled for At Skies' Edge, the indie flight game being developed by Mackerel_Sky, with his permission. The idea is to have at least two planes available in the world, with a third one possibly coming at some point. Here are both aircraft coming to one of our worlds in the near future: F.GR-4: K.F-21A Markings and liveries are subject to change, since they were made for At Skies' Edge. Aside from these two aircraft, we have been working on another Skyward original aircraft designed by Caio "Hueman" Barreto. This one is going to go by the name of "Caravela", here is a WIP of its current form inside of CAD software: Do not expect this plane anytime soon, but we will make sure to keep everyone informed of our progress as we approach completion. It will be made flyable within VRChat, of course. COLLABORATIONS We are in the process of planning at least two events alongside Dogfight Central. One tournament and one airshow. There are no current dates or timeframes, but we will inform you as soon as we can confirm and coordinate with the DFC admins. DFC held an airshow last Sunday, September 14th, in a very similar style as what we want to host alongside them. You can expect our civilian and training aircraft to take part in it, with several solo and team displays to be flown during the event. We have more content in the oven, but it is a bit raw to share at the moment. Stay tuned!

September 12th - 19th, 2025, an official platform wide event Five years ago, aircraft took to the skies of VRChat . After years of new worlds created, flight model updates, air combat tournaments and airshows, the first official platform wide VRChat aviation event is here: VRC Flight Week. On September 12th, 2025, this event was announced with official posts on the VRChat social media accounts at Bluesky and X.com . A livestream on Twitch with the VRChat community management team and development team included representatives of the organization behind making this event possible: At its core, this event is driven by Negentropic working with Boeing and the Australian Government to create educational aviation worlds in the VRChat platform. Players will know 'Team Negentropic' from the Space Jam event in the platform. In the livestream, this organization as represented by the leader username 'Negantropic' and Cubeboy. Official event poster. For Flight Week, they have created two flight focused worlds with an educational focus: Flight Week - Hangar and Flight Week - Test Flight . Notably, there are private versions of the aforementioned worlds created for use in High Schools across the Commonwealth of Australia. Alongside the Negentropic contribution, many existing worlds (e.g. flight experiences) from throughout the international VRChat aviation community were selected to be showcased. These worlds feature a variety of experiences to show what is possible on the platform. Special attention was taken to not only show off the well-established, most popular flight worlds, but also introduce many other worlds known to the international community. Players visting the Flight Week featured worlds will be able to experience modern fighter jets, player vs player experiences, gliders, air-to-air refueling, aircraft carrier operations, World War 2 warbirds, airliners, small private aircraft, transforming robot aircraft, flight simulation level aircraft, player vs environment missions, sci-fi aerial battles and so much more. In-game example of the Flight Week menu. In the first day, it is hard to track the exact numbers of visits and how many of these worlds have now become favorites to users, as baseline numbers before this event were not recorded. However, monitoring the activity in the Flight Week menu from time to time does show consistent increased activity. One metric that can be confirmed is related to Skyward Night Flight , an official world from Skyward FM featured in VRC Flight Week. Within roughly 24 hours, this world saw an increase in activity in thousands more visits and hundreds of new favorite world listings. Community activity related to this event can be tracked on social media platforms, searching for terms like VRC Flight Week and #VRCAviation. For the duration of this event, Skyward will be posting or reposting media about community activity on our social media accounts at X.com and Bluesky . In VRChat itself, public instances can be joined to experience the featured flight worlds with others. The option to check out these worlds alone or with a close group of friends is always available by opening Friends only and Invite only instances. For the international aviation community in VRChat, VRC Flight Week is a massive milestone. With platform wide events like this now possible, it will be interesting to see what other events will appear in the next year. About the Writer Aaron "Ribbon-Blue" Mendoza Co-founder of Skyward Flight Media. After founding Electrosphere.info , the first English Ace Combat database, he has been involved in creating flight game-related websites, communities, and events since 2005. He explores past and present flight games and simulators with his extensive collection of game consoles and computers. [Read Staff Profile ]

A relatively unknown bastion of air defense If there is one thing that Project Aces does not get enough kudos for, it is the addition of the latest technology or real world concepts to its Ace Combat series. Even the most outrageous anti-asteroid weaponry and energy weapons are based on real world concepts, existing technology or in development projects. Heck, even backwards firing missiles were real! From a gameplay point of view, anything that complicates the player's ability to reliably deploy weapons can be a welcome challenge. Rather than every weapon with a target lock reliably guiding to a target, having occasional interference caused by electronic warfare interference or missile interception systems adds a temporary layer of difficulty. To players, it makes interacting with the unit responsible for the complication a notable experience. Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown (2019) has a relatively unknown air defense system with overwhelming capabilities that comes to mind. In the perceived final mission of Ace Combat 7, the time to storm the opposing nation's capital city puts players in the leading force. As they fly throughout the airspace, dogfighting and bombing forces ahead of the allied amphibious advance, an Aegis Ashore ballistic missile defense system (AABMDS) activates. So threatening is this system that even allied non-player controlled units call for bombardment from the invasion fleet to knock the system out of action. And for good reason. Aegis Ashore in Romania (US Navy) In the real world, Aegis Ashore was proposed by the United States Department of Defense Missile Defense Agency. The project utilizes the well known Aegis combat system deployed on warships and places its components in land based facilities. These include AN/SPY-1 passive electronically scanned radars and vertical launching system cells carrying various types of interceptors (made only to knock other missiles out of the sky) and missiles (can either intercept other missiles or be used to destroy aircraft). The idea is to protect especially important areas on land with this system. A single AAMBDS can free up a few Aegis equipped naval vessels for operations elsewhere. It can track more than 100 targets at a time, with the ability to intercept flying objects across a wide range; from sea skimming missiles to low earth orbit satellites. Even a hypersonic missile interceptor is under development as of 2022. Aegis Ashore in Hawaii during a test launch. (Missile Defense Agency) The first Aegis Ashore system began testing in Kauai, Hawaii in 2002. The first operational site was constructed in Deveslu, Romonia in 2016 with a secondary site planned in Redzikowo, Poland. The site in Poland was planned for completion by 2018 but was delayed multiple times; its new completion date is the end of 2023. Japan also had planned to construct two AAMBDS, but these plans were cancelled in 2020. The control building as seen in Ace Combat 7. In Ace Combat 7, the first Aegis Ashore system is seen in mission 15, "Battle for Farbanti". Two other systems are in downloadable content mission 2, "Anchorhead Raid". It should be noted that the two systems in Anchorhead Raid can be taken out of action before they activate due to the surprise raid conditions. Though there is a short window of a few minutes to do this in. In the game, the central control building of the installation controls multiple surface-to-air missiles units and Phalanx Close In Weapon Systems (CIWS). No VLS missile cells are present. This is unlike the real world version of it. When active, these sites are able to put up waves of 20mm cannon rounds into the air to shred incoming guided missiles, while launching medium range air-to-air missiles at all aircraft in range. Unlike lone air defense tanks that can be overwhelmed by a few missiles, Aegis Ashore can swat down multiple airborne weapons while deterring incoming aircraft from following up on attacks with its own missiles. Ace Combat 7 AAMBDS Intercepting a missile over the military HQ in Farbanti. The two methods recommended by the game itself are either to approach the AAMBDS at extremely low altitudes to make the player's aircraft harder to track on radar, or to launch a large quantity of weapons from higher altitude and long distance. Flying at short-range within the firing envelope of its CIWS does reduce the window of time interception is possible, but this also places the players within the firing arcs of four or more radar guided autocannons. Bold players that are willing to close distance and use large blast radius unguided weapons like dumb bombs and rocket pods will find that their weapons cannot be intercepted. Alternatively, things like lasers and rail guns are always effective since they cannot be physically intercepted by live munitions. Destroying the central control building of this site knocks out all of its capabilities immediately; it is the most efficient way to do it, but certainly the most risky way. Ace Combat 7 AAMBDS defending Anchorhead Bay. I have always appreciated the small ways Ace Combat has interfered with player launched guided weaponry. It does not consistently appear in each title, but Ace Combat 7 leaned into it the most with various anti-aircraft interception units. Seeing a somewhat unknown but now more relevant than ever Aegis Ashore installation in game is a welcome challenge and an interesting nod to the initiatives of real world militaries as the focus on missile interception over a large area is once again en vogue. About the Writer Aaron "Ribbon-Blue" Mendoza Co-founder of Skyward Flight Media. After founding Electrosphere.info, the first English Ace Combat database, he has been involved in creating flight game-related websites, communities, and events since 2005. He explores past and present flight games and simulators with his extensive collection of game consoles and computers. Read Staff Profile .

When Sim Update 11 launched for MSFS 2020, it brought one feature to the table which made it unique compared to previous Microsoft Flight Simulator installments: Soaring. True, there was nothing stopping you from flying a glider in FSX, but MSFS 2020 now had all of the building blocks to really support them: tow planes, winch launches, and the modelling of thermals all created an ecosystem in which sailplanes could truly shine. It will come as no surprise to long-time readers that we are big fans of unpowered airplanes with really long wings , and that we’re definitely biased when we say soaring in MSFS is an incredibly fun experience you should try out if you haven’t already, but there’s a problem with it: The selection of sailplanes in the base game is rather limited, with only two models to choose from. Both options are also very modern, high-performance sailplanes - which isn’t a bad thing, but if you want something more old school, it leaves that itch unscratched. One day, while looking for new aircraft to try out in MSFS, I came across a really good-looking model of an old Polish sailplane on flightsim.to - and it was free. To my surprise, I discovered an entire section of freeware gliders on that website! We’ve decided to try a number of these freeware gliders out and share our thoughts on them - and hopefully get you to try some of them out yourself! Check out our video showcasing the gliders discussed here! SZD-30 Pirat By Yanosik This Polish single-seat glider from the 1960’s features a unique mixed construction, being built mostly out of wood but with a fiberglass nose section. It’s not exactly high performance by today’s standards but still boasts a rather respectable glide ratio of 33, plenty enough to have some fun cross-country flights in MSFS. The first thing which caught my eye on this was the external model - I wasn’t expecting a freeware mod to look this good. Everything from the quality of the 3D model to the details and specular maps on the texture just looks right. The only thing that’s lacking in the external model is a pilot, which makes the aircraft look like a “ghost ship” from certain angles in external view; but this is, of course, a minor nitpick which by no means detracts from the incredible work which has been put in this model. Take a look at how the wing looks under reflection: The cockpit is likewise very nicely modelled, down to the reliefs in the internal walls - I’d risk saying it has the best modelling and textures out of all cockpits on this list. True, the textures are a bit flat in some places, but for something you’re getting for free it’s downright amazing. The attention to detail shown here is commendable. As you get acquainted with the SZD-30’s exquisitely modelled office, you’ll notice a very simple, easy-to-read instrument cluster: airspeed, altitude, slip indicator, magnetic compass, and two variometers, one “standard”, vertical velocity indicator vario, and one Total Energy Compensation vario. Commenting on the accuracy of the flight model is beyond the scope of this article, as I have (sadly) no experience flying an SZD-30; but what I can say is that this mod is definitely fun to fly in MSFS, and apart from a strange tendency to pitch up right after takeoff, the flight model generally behaves as you’d expect from a glider. This is the aircraft which first brought our attention to the existence of freeware gliders for MSFS, and it did not disappoint. The fact we ended up writing this article should tell you all you need to know! Schleicher K7 Rhönadler By GlideSimmer67 Devised by legendary sailplane designer Rudolf Kaiser, this old-school, two-seat training glider is a classic of the post-war gliding scene. Being from the 1950’s, an era before fiberglass fuselages were commonplace, the K7 is built in the old-fashioned way: steel tubes, wood, and fabric. Widely successful and exported worldwide, at the time of its introduction this was arguably one of the best performing two-seat sailplanes in the world. The 3D model very nicely represents the aircraft’s tubular steel frame structure, and while it’s a bit low-poly and the textures are flat in some places, in my opinion it still looks really good. The wooden instrument panel, typical of German gliders of the era, adds a touch of charm. The instrument cluster is simple, but it’s got everything you need - airspeed, altitude, a magnetic compass, turn and bank indicator, and two variometers, with one being a total energy compensation vario. Externally, just like with the SZD-30, the lack of a pilot model can make it look a bit uncanny from certain angles - but that is, again, a very minor nitpick.  This add-on has been consistently updated since its release, with the mod’s author tweaking flight model values to make it as accurate as possible. The combination of the unique, vintage look of the aircraft’s steel frame structure from the cockpit, beautifully replicated in this model; the docile, trainer-like handling; and the aircraft’s performance, more challenging than modern gliders but still plenty enough for basic aerobatics, make this freeware mod an absolute joy to fly, and probably the one I’ve had the most fun with on this list. Slingsby T.31 Tandem Tutor By Klem Designed just after WWII, the T.31 (or Cadet Mk. III) was designed as an affordable training glider to teach the young cadets of Britain’s Air Training Corps the basics of flight. However, the “affordability” part might have been taken a bit too far by Slingsby engineers: with an abysmal glide ratio of 18.5 (less than the side-by-side T.21B!), it's no wonder the Cadet Mk. III was referred to as the “Brick” by the cadets who flew it.But let’s be honest here - we’re plane nerds, and this is the stuff we’re here for. This MSFS representation beautifully reflects these less endearing attributes of the Tandem Tutor: it soars like a brick alright, and should you elect to use a tow plane for takeoff, make sure it’s in an airfield with low elevation and in a cold day; The game’s default tow plane (Cessna 172) struggles to pull the draggy Slingsby along, and under some conditions it might not be able to take off at all (a behavior which is likely a bit exaggerated). In terms of looks, while the external model looks decent, the internal cockpit model and textures leave something to be desired - but remember, you’re getting this for free! Besides, this made me fly the aircraft in external view more often, which is a great way to appreciate this unique aircraft. It is the only sailplane on this list with an open cockpit, and it’s a nice change of pace to fly such an old-school “ab-initio” glider in MSFS. The Slingsby Type 31 isn’t the sexiest glider out there, and it’s definitely not the best performing, but it’s a classic which was the very first contact with aviation for many - former cadets across the UK fondly remember the “Brick” as the aircraft they first soloed in. If you’re interested in this “seat-of-your-pants” era of aviation, definitely check this one out! Rolladen-Schneider LS4 By MADoloSimulations The favorite of many a soaring club and one of the most produced gliders of all time, with over a thousand built, the LS4 owes its longevity to a remarkable combination of high performance and docile, beginner-friendly handling.   This sleek single-seat, glass-reinforced plastic design was one of the aircraft which set the standard for sailplane design and performance in the 1980’s. How well does this freeware mod represent such a legendary aircraft? Well, as this happens to be the first of three entries by MADoloSimulations on this list, let’s take a moment to address a common trait between all of their gliders: The quality of their work is downright incredible for a freeware product. Nearly everything, from the attention to detail in the external 3D models to the cockpit functionality, leaves nothing to be desired in comparison to payware modules. The only area where they noticeably fall behind are the internal models and textures for the cockpit - but that's in comparison to paid alternatives, and even then, they’re more than good enough. There’s custom animations for dumping ballast, a custom navigation computer display which integrates rather nicely with the route manager in MSFS 2020; and since these traits are all shared among all three MADoloSimulations mods we’ll be covering in this article, from now on we’ll be focusing on the additional or unique features which set them apart. As for the LS4 specifically, this model comes with a very interesting instrument cluster: apart from the small navigation display in the center, all instruments are analog, but with digital readouts for airspeed, altitude and the vario. I’ve found it to be an intuitive combination which adds to the experience of flying this beautifully crafted mod. My only complaint about this add-on is the fact that the pilot model stays on in cockpit view, which sometimes causes weird visual effects as you can get “inside” the pilot model when using head tracking. Apart from this very minor drawback, this bird is an absolute pleasure to fly, and one we certainly recommend checking out. Jonkers JS-3 Rapture By MADolo Simulations Jonker Sailplanes is a curious case: they’re one of the very few manufacturers of high-performance sailplanes outside of Europe - and arguably the only one in the southern hemisphere as of the time of writing: as much as I’d like to talk about the KW-1b Quero-Quero or the EMB 400 Urupema, they’re not exactly high-performance by today’s standards, and being positively jurassic, have long been out of production. Built in Potchefstroom, South Africa, Jonker’s sailplanes have been flown to victory in several international competitions: the JS-3 in particular has the 2022 World Gliding Championship and three Women’s World Gliding Championships - 2020, 2022 and 2023 - under its belt, all in the 18-meter class. Speaking of which, this mod comes in two flavors - one with 15-meter wings (Standard class), and the other in the 18-meter configuration (18-meter class). Just like with the previous MADolo Simulations entry, the overall quality of this add-on is very impressive for something you get for free. The big novelty in comparison to the previous MADolo entry is the flight computer - with a massive display taking up most of the instrument panel's real estate, this feature will be familiar to those used to MSFS 2020's base game DG-1001E Neo. Far from being a mere replica of the base game's features though, this add-on's implementation is far more powerful and complete - it can even keep track of the glider's total energy variation over time and plot it on a display so you can visualize the thermals you've found along the way! It was very surprising to see such a system implemented from scratch in a freeware module. Apart from the center display, this aircraft features a complete set of flight instruments - including a digital ADI and HSI, the latter doubling as a trim indicator. If you enjoy gliding in MSFS but don't want to give up your digital displays, and you're looking for a high-performance sailplane with state-of-the-art flight instruments - then this add-on is the one for you! Schleicher AS 33 Me By MADolo Simulations As of the time of writing, the Schleicher AS 33 is one of the most modern and high-performance sailplanes in the world; with a glide ratio of 56 when in 18-meter wingspan configuration, its performance is rivalled only by the very best 18-meter class gliders, and clearly exceeded only by those in the Open class. The AS 33 Me is a self-launching variant, boasting a 35 kW electric motor mounted in a retractable frame. As is typical with high-performance powered sailplanes, the motor and propeller fully retract into the fuselage when not in use. Its MSFS representation by MADolo simulations is just as complete as their previous entries; it's got the same digital flight computer as their JS-3, with the same features as described previously. The other flight instruments are also the same, with one notable exception: the airspeed indicator. MADolo modelled a digital airspeed indicator for the AS 33 Me, and while it takes getting some used to (especially if you're a steam gauge appreciator), it must be said that it's a rather convenient piece of kit: the colored V-speed arcs automatically adjust based on conditions such as altitude and air temperature, and it even features an overspeed warning should you end up being over-enthusiastic on a dive. There's also a gear position indicator, as well as a flap position indicator - a very helpful addition since you have a grand total of 8 different flap settings. My only complaint about this module is that the engine control/display unit at the bottom of the instrument panel seems rather flat looking, and not up to the same standard of quality present in every other part of the cockpit. However, the only thing this will have any impact on is the eye candy factor of your screenshots; the display gives you all the information you need, and the controls are intuitive and clearly labelled. This is by far the most feature-rich out of all freeware gliders add-ons we've tried out. It's got it all: self-launch capability with a deployable motor, a digital flight computer, fully functioning ballast system. One might even say it detracts from the fun of soaring by making it too easy; but what's beyond doubt is that to have such an uncompromising collection of features in a freeware product is truly remarkable. So, just how good are they? One of the questions which will inevitably come up when looking at freeware models is how well do they compare to their paid counterparts. While one could argue such a comparison is fundamentally flawed - you are, after all, getting one of them for free - it’s still an interesting exercise, if only for curiosity's sake. It just so happens that Got Friends , an add-on developer specializing in aircraft for MSFS, has a payware AS 33 Me, the exact same model of the last entry in the freeware add-on list above. Faced with such an opportunity - and such a perfect excuse to try this add-on out - we decided to buy this add-on so we could compare both versions. Right off the bat, an area where Got Friends’ model immediately stands out is the visuals. The 3D model and the textures are absolutely immaculate - and while you could say the freeware’s external model comes close, once you look at the cockpit the difference is staggering. The textures, and particularly details such as the engine’s display in the lower part of the instrument panel, look much better. Another area which Got-Friends has modelled with painstaking attention to detail is the AS 33 Me's electric motor. You could argue they went too far with the internals, but in this case you’re paying for it, so the extra quality is definitely appreciated. But looks alone do not a good module make; so let’s take a look at the functionalities. One of the main perks of the Got-Friends AS 33 is that it includes new launch options, including a bespoke tow plane - the PZL-104 Wilga 35A, which you can then use for any other gliders you own as well. A neat feature is that you can adjust the placement of the instrument gauges to your heart's content. Surprisingly, they're more analog than the ones in the freeware version; for instance, the airspeed indicator, which is digital in the MADolo Simulations model, is instead an analog gauge in the Got-Friends model. This isn’t a good or a bad thing; just an interesting difference to keep in mind. As for the piece of hardware taking up most of your instrument panel, the massive LX9070 flight computer display in the center offers the same features as the one in the freeware version, with a few minor differences. And last but not least, the Got-Friends AS 33 comes with a fully functioning FLARM! While it doesn’t really add much to the gameplay experience outside of multiplayer, it’s a nice novelty to have and shows how much effort the developers put into paying attention to every detail. A necessary disclaimer is that I’ve never flown an AS 33, nor any of the other sailplanes showcased here (a shortcoming I’m happily willing to remedy, in case the reader has access to such machines), and therefore I cannot comment on the accuracy of the flight model; but qualitatively, the Got-Friends version does feel nicer in subtle ways, with a smoother response to control inputs. This does not detract from the freeware model, which still feels great to fly. As far as the external model goes, the quality of the freeware model (left) is remarkably similar to that of the payware one (right) The most striking difference is the modelling of the moment arm of the engine’s thrust in relation to CG in the Got-Friends version; if you carelessly push the throttle forward too fast upon deploying the engine, you will be greeted by an expeditious pitch down as Newton reminds you that your propeller is sitting at the end of a really long arm, way above the fuselage. Overall, while the payware add-on is clearly better as expected, the difference isn’t massive - the only truly noticeable difference is in the visual arena, especially the internal cockpit model. In terms of functionality, both are extremely close, with the freeware option offering the same features as the paid one.  What this paid option really gets you, apart from the improved visuals, is an extra layer of refinement: it has the same features, but with a higher level of quality in their implementation. The differences are mostly apparent in details, such as the water ballast effects: MADolo on the left, Got-Friends on the right This is great news for the player, as you can try out MADolo Simulations’ freeware AS 33 and see if you enjoy flying it around - and if you do, and decide you want to take it to the next level, then you can confidently go for Got-Friends’ expertly crafted payware model knowing you won’t regret your purchase. So, to answer the question posed earlier: Yes, the freeware options are really, really good! In this case we've looked at, both models - freeware and payware - are very impressive. Naturally, Got-Friend's version will give you a higher level of fidelity; but most remarkably, in terms of functionalities MADolo's free module is just as complete as any paid option. Conclusions My initial expectation when first stumbling into the world of freeware gliders for MSFS was that they'd be at most a fun change of pace. What I found instead was a series of surprisingly high-quality models which have nothing to be ashamed of in comparison to Asobo's base game assets - and in certain areas, even surpass them. As anyone who's ever worked with implementing an aircraft into a game will tell you, this takes a lot of time and effort. 3D modelling, texturing, coding, finding sources for flight parameters - none of these are things we should take for granted. The fact we're able to enjoy these aircraft for no cost is the result of a true labor of love by their developers, born out of a desire to share their passion for flight simulation - and their favorite gliders - with as many people as possible. This unsung, selfless effort is truly commendable, and well deserving of your attention. If you have Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and enjoy gliding, we strongly encourage you to check these add-ons out - it’s the best soaring you can have for free! About the Writer Caio D. "Hueman" Barreto An incurable aviation fanatic since childhood, fascinated by the design and history of practically anything that flies. A long-time fan of flight games, he holds a bachelor's degree in aeronautical engineering and pursues his hobbies of drawing, writing and flight simulation on his spare time. See Staff Profile .