We’ve got a new World Update, a new Local Legend, and a free airplane all arriving on the same day. Microsoft Flight Simulator is firing on all cylinders right now with significant releases in scenery and aircraft and you’re going to want to check this all out.

Back to Australia with World Update 21

It was 2021 when MSFS last did a World Update in Australia and we now have a welcome return to the country with a new significant update.

Photogrammetry and upgraded visuals have been added across dozens of areas including places like Cairns, Gold Coast, Hobart, Coffs Harbour, Wollongong, Minto, Melbourn, Perth, Darwin, Brisbane, and Sydney just to name some of them. There are dozens of new points of interest, and there are six new handcrafted airports from Gaya.

• Broken Hill Airport (YBHI)
• Broome International Airport (YBRM)
• Coober Pedy Airport (YCBP)
• Bathurst Airport (YBTH)
• RAAF Base Tindal / Katherine Tindal Airport (YPTN)
• Lord Howe Island Airport (YLHI)

There’s also three discovery flights, five precision landings, two low altitude challenges, two rally race challenges, all for MSFS 2024 users. MSFS 2020 users meanwhile also get three discovery flights, three landing challenges, and one bush trip.

It’s a free update so you can claim it and download it whenever you want. And of course if you’re on MSFS 2024 it doesn’t take up any additional space and will be streamed to you as needed.

Boomerang!

Designed and manufactured by the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC) in Australia during World War II, the type was approved for production owing to an urgent need for fighter aircraft as war loomed in the Pacific. Though the aircraft has no air to air kills reported, it was used for standing patrols and successfully as a ground attack aircraft.

The aircraft has been put together by iniBuilds and is available for $14.99 USD in the Microsoft Flight Simulator Marketplace across all platforms.

Free Fokker

Released years ago into Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020, the Fokker F.VII has been updated and has been re-released for 2024. For the next several days, its free to claim in the Marketplace at which point it will stay with you.

Here’s a little of what Microsoft had to say about the aircraft release and the Fokker F.VII’s connection to Australia.

In celebration of Australian aviation and alongside the release of World Update 21: Australia, Microsoft will make Local Legend 02: Fokker F.VII available for free from May 5th to May 12th, 8am PT. Famous Australian aviator, Sir Charles Kingsford Smith, and his crew were the first crew to cross the Pacific from the United States to Australia in the Fokker F.VIIB-3m “Southern Cross” in June 1928, and the first to cross the Tasman Sea, flying from Australia to New Zealand and back in September of that year.

Anyone feel like tackling some historical challenges with the airplane?

Be sure to pick it up before May 12th!