Microsoft Flight Simulator launched on 18 August 2020 and streams Bing Maps imagery with Azure generated 3D buildings across roughly 37,000 airports. The 40th Anniversary Edition arrived with Sim Update 11 on 11 November 2022 as a free update, adding helicopters, sailplanes, seven historic aircraft and the Airbus A310, taking the roster to 37 flyable machines with individual flight models. Live weather and live traffic feed real conditions into the sim, so a departure into low cloud at 03:00 local is genuinely low cloud at 03:00 local.
Picking the right build determines how your experience plays out. These builds are ranked by overall effectiveness, factoring in damage, survivability, gear requirements, and how well they scale into endgame. New to the game? Start with our beginner's guide first.
Quick Rankings
| Build | Tier | Playstyle | Core Gear |
|---|---|---|---|
| General aviation VFR pilot | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Airline pilot | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Bush pilot | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Helicopter pilot | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Sailplane pilot | A | Balanced | Best available |
For detailed meta rankings, see our Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition tier list.
A-Tier: General aviation VFR pilot
General aviation VFR pilot is a top-performing option in Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Cessna 172 Skyhawk (G1000) | The most flown light single in the world and the sim's default trainer. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Streamed satellite terrain | Scenery is pulled from Bing Maps and rebuilt in 3D by Azure, with photogrammetry applied to several hundred cities. |
How to Play General aviation VFR pilot
General aviation VFR pilot focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: Cessna 172 Skyhawk (G1000) does the damage and Streamed satellite terrain keeps it running, which is why this sits at the top of the list. See our weapons guide for detailed equipment breakdowns.
Pros:
- Highest overall performance
- Straightforward gearing path
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Popular pick, resources may be contested
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Airline pilot
Airline pilot is a strong option in Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Daher TBM 930 | A single engine turboprop that cruises above 300 knots and climbs to the low thirties, with a Garmin G3000 touchscreen suite. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Live weather and live traffic | Real METAR data drives cloud, wind, pressure and temperature, and live traffic can populate the sky with actual flights. |
How to Play Airline pilot
Airline pilot focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: Pair Daher TBM 930 with Live weather and live traffic and the build stops depending on a good start, so it holds up across most content. See our weapons guide for detailed equipment breakdowns.
Pros:
- Most versatile option
- Straightforward gearing path
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Lower peak damage than S-tier
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Bush pilot
Bush pilot is a strong option in Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Airbus A320neo | The sim's default narrowbody and the aircraft most tutorials use for a first airliner flight. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Flight planning and ATC | The world map screen builds VFR direct routes, low or high altitude airways and full IFR plans with SIDs and STARs before you load in. |
How to Play Bush pilot
Bush pilot focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: Flight planning and ATC covers the gap Airbus A320neo leaves open, so the build stays usable even when a fight goes badly. See our weapons guide for detailed equipment breakdowns.
Pros:
- Best survivability
- Straightforward gearing path
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Slower clear speeds
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Helicopter pilot
Helicopter pilot is a specialized option in Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Airbus A310-300 | Added with the 40th Anniversary Edition, a two crew widebody from an earlier generation of airliner design. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Assistance and realism sliders | Almost every system can be automated or handed back to you: engine management, taxi ribbon, auto rudder, unlimited fuel, crash detection. |
How to Play Helicopter pilot
Helicopter pilot focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: This one leans on Assistance and realism sliders rather than raw numbers, and Airbus A310-300 is what makes that trade pay off. See our weapons guide for detailed equipment breakdowns.
Pros:
- Strong in group/team content
- Straightforward gearing path
- Excels in its niche
Cons:
- Weaker solo performance
- Requires deep game knowledge
A-Tier: Sailplane pilot
Sailplane pilot is a specialized option in Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Guimbal Cabri G2 | A light two seat training helicopter and the gentler of the two rotary aircraft added in the 40th Anniversary Edition. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Rotary wing and sailplane flight models | The 40th Anniversary Edition added the Guimbal Cabri G2 and Bell 407 with a proper helicopter flight model, plus the DG Aviation LS8-18 and DG-1001E neo sailplanes with thermal and ridge lift simulation. |
How to Play Sailplane pilot
Sailplane pilot focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: Guimbal Cabri G2 and Rotary wing and sailplane flight models pull in the same direction here, which separates this from the safer picks above. See our weapons guide for detailed equipment breakdowns.
Pros:
- Unique, rewarding playstyle
- Straightforward gearing path
- Excels in its niche
Cons:
- High skill floor, punishing when misplayed
- Requires deep game knowledge
Build Progression Path
- Start with Airline pilot: the most forgiving option for learning the game
- Transition to General aviation VFR pilot once you understand core mechanics and have access to Cessna 172 Skyhawk (G1000)
- Keep a Bush pilot setup for content that keeps killing you
- Try Sailplane pilot for a fresh experience once you've mastered the basics
Follow our walkthrough for the optimal progression path through each area.
Gearing Tips
- Invest in your primary equipment first, since it gives the biggest power spike. See our weapons guide for rankings.
- Set a manual rolling cache in the data options before you fly anywhere twice. The sim streams scenery every flight, so caching the areas you fly often removes the pop in and cuts bandwidth use dramatically on repeat routes.
- Microsoft lists 5 Mbps as the minimum connection and roughly 50 Mbps as ideal. If your terrain looks like grey blobs on approach, that is bandwidth rather than your graphics card, and lowering render distance will not fix it.
- Don't spread upgrade resources across multiple builds until endgame
More Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition Guides
- Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition Overview
- Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition Tier List
- Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition Walkthrough
- Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition Beginner's Guide
- Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition Tips & Tricks
- Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition Weapons Guide
- Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition Combat Guide
- Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition Boss Guide
- Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition Maps & Locations
- Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition Crafting Guide
- Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition Classes & Characters
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