Although the incredibly popular Microsoft Flight Simulator is no longer available for Mac these are the best alternatives to Microsoft Flight Simulator For Mac in 2023.
Check out our guide the best flight controls for Mac as to really get the best out of X-Plane and enjoy a more authentic flying experience, they really add another dimension to the simulator.
Best Flight Sim For Mac
ContentsOur Favorite SimsSim alternativesOur Criteria The best Flight Simulators for Mac range from sim stunners to ruthless war games, but they all have one thing in common: They let players spread their wings.
The Microsoft Flight Simulation series has its roots in the SubLOGIC flight simulators of the late 1970s. After releases of simulators on such systems as Apple, Atari, Amiga, and Macintosh, the Microsoft company developed the first flight simulator compatible for home PCs and IBM in 1982. It has released several installments since, culminating in the Microsoft Flight Simulator X (FSX) in 2006, widely regarded to be one of the finest flight simulator packages available.
The overall strength of the Microsoft Steam package is in the actual flight simulation and the unique experience it presents to the user with each different aircraft. If you choose to fly a small one-engine plane, then the cockpit will look and act in sympathy with your choice. Likewise, for a huge commercial plane or a small helicopter and so on. If it is realistic flight conditions that test your skills as a pilot you are looking for then the sometimes lack intricately detailed landscapes outside of the cockpit will likely be of little concern to you.
X-Plane is powerful and comprehensive, with extensive features and realistic flight modeling. Because it was not originally designed as a game but as an engineering tool to examine flight dynamics, it has very realistic flight handling characteristics.
X-Plane has everything that blasts off from the ground or flies in the air: rockets and gliders to helicopters and jets. It uses predictive modeling, which anticipates how the aircraft will act in flight, giving the most realistic flying experience on the market.
Perhaps one of the best things about the X-Plane 11 package is it is, relatively speaking, still new having only been released in 2017. Conventional wisdom should say then that an already slick, professional package can only get better with the inevitable updates and add-ons that will follow. And a package that is already detailed in the extreme is likely to become even more so.
Perhaps what is most exciting about AeroFly FS, and in particular the FS 2 package, is it is very much still a work in progress. In truth, the company behind the flight simulator package, German company IKARUS originally developed the software to train remote controlled flights. As the program developed it eventually included a flight component, which then morphed into the AeroFly Flight Simulation program in 2012.
Also, there are not many freeware mods for Aerofly FS2 yet - you will have to watch this space as we expect modders to create them in due course. You can view a demonstration flight over New York City in the video below.
FlightGear is exciting because any aviation fan that wants to can contribute to its development. It is an open-source project (licensed under the GNU General Public License) that allows any user to create add-ons and enhancements. It was created due to frustrations from a cadre of flight simulation fans who wanted to be able to make changes to the core software in commercial simulation packages.
Ian Stephens is a flight simulation industry expert with over 20 years of experience and also has a keen interest in aviation and technology. Ian spends a lot of his time experimenting with various simulator packages but has a love for Microsoft Flight Simulator X because of the huge selection of add-ons available. However, Ian also has copies of Prepar3D and X-Plane installed.
I recently purchased Real Flight 5.5 and was using it until the controller quit working. I am on a Mac running under parallels, and I had to plug in the controller just before loading of the program started, I now get an error saying to plug in the controller. I have done this many times both in the back of my iMac 27" and via the keyboard. It will not work. I wanted to know if my Real Flight controller called interlink elite would work on any other flight sim programs. I am trying to learn how to fly RC Helicopters and need an RC type controller to do so. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Sincerely Steve Green.
I purchased X-Plane 10 on a DVD package 3 years ago and I hated how they required the DVD disk to be in the device on the computer in order to run it, and it took a long time to load the simulator, and from what I hear, it's the same way with X-Plane 11, unless you get the digital version of it. The scenery also lacks a lot detail, in most cases, it's just land without many of the buildings that exist in the area you fly in. As far as the over-all flight realism, XP-10 and XP-11 are very realistic.
Some simulators allow for VR capabilities, and others incorporate combat for those looking for a fighter-flight simulation. Regardless of the play style that you prefer, there is a simulator out there that is perfect for you.
FlightGear is an open-source free flight simulator project with over 20,000 real-world airports and a wide variety of aircraft models. The platform is constantly praised for its realism, overall flight controls, and even minute details such as lighting.
With FlyInside, you can slip on a VR headset and feel as though you are truly flying your favorite plane. While you can still play the game in the desktop version, the best flying experience comes from the full immersion using a VR motion controller and headset.
Infinite Flight has very immersive gameplay, a range of aircraft, locations, and dynamic atmospheric conditions. Furthermore, you can tailor each flight by choosing your time of day, weather conditions, and aircraft weight configuration.
Learn to master rotor wing flying while traversing an open-world map modeled after real-world terrain and environments. Take on Helicopters allows players to experience high-fidelity flight dynamics and true-to-life helicopters and cockpits, all while competing in a massive range of challenges and missions.
Another World War era flight simulator, Battle of Bodenplatte is dedicated to late-war aerial engagements between the U.S. Army Air Force, Royal Air Force, and the Luftwaffe in the skies over western Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium during the winter of 1944 and early 1945.
A flight simulator is a type of simulation video game that attempts to mimic the real experience of piloting and aviation. Players can take over the cockpit of their favorite aircraft to practice aerial maneuvers or partake in combat exercises, all while experiencing incredibly realistic graphics with genuine cockpit interfaces and aerial terrain.
I have played janes f18 which was, in my opinion, the best flight sim back in the late 90s after playing others but DCS world takes the great detail from Janes f18 and brings the hornet to a whole other level of detail, graphics, and realism. I cannot get enough of DCS world. Best of the Best and probably by a good margin. Keep up the excellent work Eagle Dynamics. I believe I speak for a good majority of flight sim enthusiasts.
Condorsoaring is the best glider simulator. The weather is created for gliding with slope, thermals and waves. There are a lot of glider models available, old gliders, modern gliders. Flights Multiplayer races are very exciting and the flights are very realistic.
YSFlight is very customizable, allowing you to do anything from flying in Delta formation with artificial intelligence-based wingmates to engaging in aerial dogfights with friends. While you do so, the Atari-style HUB delivers details on in-flight speeds, elevation, direction, and other essential information. You can record and replay gameplay footage directly within the program.
Set during this period of aerial innovation, War Thunder offers a more action-oriented flight experience, allowing players to pilot any of hundreds of different planes for the five great powers (United States, Germany, Britain, U.S.S.R., and Japan). The game features a few different modes, too, allowing for both hardcore simulation and relaxed, arcade-style gameplay. As such, newcomers and veteran aces will feel at home.
The game also features a few different modes, including custom scenarios, multiplayer battles, and a campaign that recreates several historic battles. In addition, there are numerous ways to customize the controls, so whether you prefer a mouse and keyboard or the tactile authenticity of a flight stick, you can play Rise of Flight the way that feels most comfortable to you.
Microsoft Flight Simulator is a series of flight simulator games that allow players to experience the beauty and thrill of flying with a variety of aircraft. The game currently is not natively available for Mac, however there are a few workarounds that we discuss in this article.
The game offers substantial technical enhancements in flight dynamics and simulation with an accent on the beauty and thrill of flying. There is a wide selection of upgrades, both free and commercial, as well as official and fan-made add-ons.
Non-pilots may view flight simulators as nothing more than glorified video games, but serious pilots recognize and appreciate the value of the hands-on training opportunity. With flight time at a premium, the ability to build instrument flight rules (IFR) hands-on skills from home can be a powerful career-boosting asset.
Keep your skills sharp, practice tricky maneuvers, train for system failures or just take some time to unwind by exploring the scenery of a new airport. At home flight simulators provide opportunity for both study and recreation, making them an investment you will be glad you made. 2ff7e9595c
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