Google Earth Simulator

If you use Google Earth and also have an interest in flight simulators, check out the built-in sim.  Open Google Earth and press Ctrl-Alt-A.

This will pop up a window asking if you wish to fly an F-16 jet fighter or an SR-22 propeller powered plane.  The keyboard controls are available here.  The sim worked with my flight stick.  There were no rudder or throttle controls, but basic flight stick (left/right, up/down) worked.

The simulator is very basic.  The draw is the scenery.  You fly over real satellite images.   The resolution is the same as that in the normal Google Earth program.  Altitude data provides mountains and valleys.  If you turn on 3D images, added buildings also show up on the terrain.

I could see this as a useful “training” program for a real pilot wanting to get a look at an approach at an airport not visited before.

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