Microsoft Flight Simulator World Update USA & Beechcraft 18 Local Legend Announced & Releasing Today

Today, during the Xbox Games Showcase Extended, Microsoft announced and released the next world update for Microsoft Flight Simulator, and it’s the United States again, including its territories.

The update includes enhanced modeling for 12 urban regions, including San Diego, Albany, Key Largo, and Seattle, four handcrafted airports (Valdez (PAVD), Catalina (KAVX), Lake Tahoe (KTVL), and Block Island (KBID)), 87 custom points of interest, and 9 new activities: three bush trips, three fresh discovery flights, and three new landing challenges.

You can find the full patch notes on the official forums.

We also get the reveal of the new Local Legend aircraft, and it’s the Beechcraft Model 18. It’ll be priced at $14.99 on the official marketplace where it releases today, and it’s made by well-known studio Carenado.

Two more World Updates will come in August and October.

Incidentally, today we also published our brand new interview with head of Microsoft Flight Simulator Jorg Neumann about the 40th Anniversary Edition, the world update, and more.

We then get news from third-party developers today, with Aeroplane Heaven revealing tons of screenshots of its upcoming DHC-1 Chipmunk trainer aircraft, which was announced yesterday.

The release will also include the Canadian-style bubble canopy version on top of the T.10. The release is “imminent.”

“We have modeled both the T-10 long canopy and Canadian “Bubble”canopy versions. You can fly from either cockpit using just the camera controls and the Instructor/Student pilots will swap out automatically in either view. You have a choice of military or civilian pilots and there’s a good choice of liveries. we will also be including a plain texture livery for those who want to paint their own.

As already mentioned the flight model has been fine-tuned to provide a challenging but stable experience, ideal for getting into tail-draggers and remember, the DC-3 and the Lancaster are coming and they are both tail-draggers, albeit large ones!

Sounds are Hi-Fidelity authentic Gypsy engine and all the cockpit sounds are there. Authored in WWise, the exterior sounds are there when the canopy is opened. We have also recorded the characteristic bang of the cartridge starter.

Peter at Flight Manuals On-Line has kindly allowed us to include a copy of the genuine DHC-1 T10 pilot operating handbook. This generous offer allows you to learn to fly the Chippie just as the original RAF student pilots would have done. It is also handy to understand the operation of this aeroplane.”

If you’d like to read more about Microsoft Flight Simulator add-ons, you can enjoy our recent reviews of Anchorage International Airport, Fenix’s Airbus A320, West Virginia International Yeager Airport, Kansai International Airport, Toronto Pearson Airport, the Twin Otter, Auckland International Airport, Skiathos Airport, Athens International Airport, Bergamo Orio al Serio Airport, Amami Airport, Bristol Airport, Marrakech Menara Airport, Great Britain Central, Tehran Imam Khomeini Airport, Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport, Shanghai Pudong Airport, Kraków Airport, Fukuoka City & Airport, Fort Lauderdale Airport, Chongqing City & Airport, Manila Airport, Santiago Airport, the Frankfurt City Pack, Key West Airport, the Okavango Delta, Bali Airport, London Oxford Airport, Berlin Brandenburg Airport, the CRJ 550/700, the PA-28R Arrow III, Kristiansand Airport, Macau City & Airport, Bonaire Flamingo Airport, Milano Linate Airport, the Singapore City Pack, Tokyo Narita Airport, Yao Airport, the F-15 Eagle, the Paris City Pack, Greater Moncton Airport, Tweed New Haven Airport, Santorini Airport, Sydney Airport, Helsinki-Vantaa Airport, Reggio Calabria Airport, Bastia Poretta Airport, Munich Airport, Paris Orly Airport, Newcastle International Airport, Sankt Johann Airfield, Dublin International Airport, and Seoul City Wow.

We also recently published a review of the Thrustmaster TCA Yoke Pack Boeing Edition, which is a great controller for Microsoft Flight Simulator.

If you want to learn more about the game itself, you can read our review which will tell you everything you need to know about Asobo Studio’s game.

Microsoft Flight Simulator is already available for Windows 10 and Steam, and Xbox Series X|S. A free 40th Anniversary Edition with plenty of goodies has recently been announced.