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.
Your choice of equipment defines your damage output and playstyle. This guide ranks every major option, explains what makes each one strong, and tells you which builds they pair best with.
Equipment Rankings
| Equipment | Tier | Best For | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cessna 172 Skyhawk (G1000) | S | Learning the basics, VFR sightseeing at 110 knots, and any airfield with a short strip. | The most flown light single in the world and the sim's default trainer. |
| Daher TBM 930 | A | Medium and long range flights when you want jet speed with light aircraft workload. | A single engine turboprop that cruises above 300 knots and climbs to the low thirties, with a Garmin G3000 touchscreen suite. |
| Airbus A320neo | A | First IFR flights with SIDs, STARs and an autopilot managed descent. | The sim's default narrowbody and the aircraft most tutorials use for a first airliner flight. |
| Airbus A310-300 | B | Long haul flights and pilots who want more hand work than a modern glass airliner gives them. | Added with the 40th Anniversary Edition, a two crew widebody from an earlier generation of airliner design. |
| Guimbal Cabri G2 | B | Learning the hover, which takes most people several hours before it stops being a fight. | A light two seat training helicopter and the gentler of the two rotary aircraft added in the 40th Anniversary Edition. |
S-Tier: Cessna 172 Skyhawk (G1000)
The most flown light single in the world and the sim's default trainer. The G1000 glass cockpit version gives you a moving map and autopilot, while the analogue variant makes you fly with a compass and a chart.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | S |
| Best For | Learning the basics, VFR sightseeing at 110 knots, and any airfield with a short strip. |
| Key Mechanic | Streamed satellite terrain |
| Recommended Build | General aviation VFR pilot |
How to get it: Available from mid-game onward. See our walkthrough for the exact progression point.
Best builds using Cessna 172 Skyhawk (G1000): Pairs naturally with General aviation VFR pilot thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
A-Tier: Daher TBM 930
A single engine turboprop that cruises above 300 knots and climbs to the low thirties, with a Garmin G3000 touchscreen suite. It is the fastest way to cross a continent without learning airline procedures.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Medium and long range flights when you want jet speed with light aircraft workload. |
| Key Mechanic | Live weather and live traffic |
| Recommended Build | Airline pilot |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Daher TBM 930: Pairs naturally with Airline pilot thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
A-Tier: Airbus A320neo
The sim's default narrowbody and the aircraft most tutorials use for a first airliner flight. The stock version is simplified compared with study level add ons, which is exactly why it is the right place to start.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | First IFR flights with SIDs, STARs and an autopilot managed descent. |
| Key Mechanic | Flight planning and ATC |
| Recommended Build | Bush pilot |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Airbus A320neo: Pairs naturally with Bush pilot thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
B-Tier: Airbus A310-300
Added with the 40th Anniversary Edition, a two crew widebody from an earlier generation of airliner design. Its flight management system is older and less automated than the A320neo's, so more of the flight lands on you.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Long haul flights and pilots who want more hand work than a modern glass airliner gives them. |
| Key Mechanic | Assistance and realism sliders |
| Recommended Build | Helicopter pilot |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Airbus A310-300: Pairs naturally with Helicopter pilot thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
B-Tier: Guimbal Cabri G2
A light two seat training helicopter and the gentler of the two rotary aircraft added in the 40th Anniversary Edition. Its low inertia rotor is unforgiving of clumsy collective work, which is the point.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Learning the hover, which takes most people several hours before it stops being a fight. |
| Key Mechanic | Rotary wing and sailplane flight models |
| Recommended Build | Sailplane pilot |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Guimbal Cabri G2: Pairs naturally with Sailplane pilot thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
Equipment Progression Path
The order you should acquire equipment as you progress:
- Starting gear → Enough to clear Innsbruck Airport (LOWI)
- Daher TBM 930 → Your first real upgrade, available early
- Airbus A320neo → Mid-game upgrade with good scaling
- Cessna 172 Skyhawk (G1000) → Best-in-slot, aim for this by late game
- Upgrade to max → The power spike from max upgrades is enormous
Equipment Tips
- Always upgrade your primary equipment before diversifying. One strong option beats three mediocre ones.
- Match your equipment to your build's stat priorities for maximum scaling.
- 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.
- Check our tier list for how equipment rankings affect overall build effectiveness.
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 Best Builds
- 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 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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