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Below you will find the list of recommended virtual aviation software - flight simulators and virtual-ATC networks. This page lists products, which are developed by third parties, never affiliated with STICLI Games. This list contains virtual flight software that we have used and find great! It does not imply or in any way impose that companies developing these fine products adore or advise software created by STICLI Games. This list is intended for players who would like to expand their knowledge of aviation, practice procedure training and enjoy the pilot and air traffic controllers' side of aviation.
Microsoft Flight Simulator by Microsoft - first released in 2020, the ALL NEW Flight Simulator under same brand family name as for over 30 years. Miscrosoft changed the dev team and the approach to the new version of the World's most popular flight simulator - now all features such as terrain mesh, sat geo imagery, live weather etc. are pulled on virtual pilot computer over the Internet resulting in unprecedented visuals. Many other mechanics and systems reworked. MSFS remains the most in-depth flight sim for decades. We recommend MSFS as the best all-round flight sim, especially if you have strong hardware to run it on.
Prepar3D by Lockheed Martin (initially using Microsoft's ESP engine, which has been further developed by LM) - thou Lockheed Martin initially said their purchase of ESP\FSX engine was for in-house training sim production, P3D soon saw public release. Within 10 years separating MS FSX from MS FS2020, P3D remained the only alternative development branch of ex-FSX. It saw addition of bathymetry, appropriate environment shading, reworked lighting and hundreds of other optimizations and developments. Still a viable option for a modern flight sim. We recommend P3D if you have less powerful PC to run it on or if you want to get classic FS experience.
FlightGear - an open-source multi-authored Flight Simulator. Worth having a look, especialy if you are into open-source )
X-Plane - a very controversial Flight Simulator, resource-hungry and slightly overloaded with settings\configs, but at that price comes simulation of local atmosphere around airfoil and great details. We recommend this product if you have a powerful PC with lots of everything and time to tweak around to get the optimal flight sim experience.
IVAO - International Virtual Aviation Organization - as the name implies a virtual analogue of ICAO, but in reality it's hands down THE best virtual ATC network with friendly staff, multi-lingual divisions all around the world, support for all major Flight Sims mentioned above, very handy custom pilot and ATC software (IVAC\IVAP). Each day thousands of virtual pilots and controllers connect to IVAO for live voice-ATC using real-world phraseology and software that mimics real world ATC software (including primary\secondary flight radar, PAR, QDM etc). You can see what's happening on IVAO right now thanks to WebEye
VATSIM - International Online Flying Network - 'the other network' )) Don't get us started on with another decades-long holywar ) Let's just say, VATSIM has voice-comm capabilities, pilot and atc-software and some attitude from back in the days)