2.0 GB
The whole planet is your free, open-source flight school.
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Last updated
FlightGear is a free simulation game released under Open Source (GPL-2.0). It runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, needs about 2.0 GB of disk space, and requires no account, payment or trial. On a computer, the fastest route is the PlayBound Launcher. On a phone or tablet, use the official store or site instead.
Choose how to install
Install with PlayBound or download from the official source without the launcher.
Install FlightGear with the PlayBound launcher, or download the official Windows/macOS/Linux build from flightgear.org. Avoid third-party mirrors.
Windows
Finish the official setup wizard, then launch FlightGear. The first run may fetch extra aircraft or scenery — let it finish before judging performance.
Start with a simple piston aircraft at a familiar airport. Open settings for view, frame rate, and TerraSync before loading a heavy airliner.
Minimum
Dual-core CPU · 4 GB RAM · OpenGL 3 GPU · 20 GB storage
Recommended
Quad-core CPU · 8 GB RAM · Dedicated GPU · 40 GB storage for scenery
Yes. FlightGear is open-source under the GPL. There is no purchase, subscription, or scenery shop required to fly.
The base simulator is a few gigabytes. Worldwide scenery via TerraSync can grow into tens of gigabytes depending on where you fly. Treat recommended storage as a scenery budget, not just the installer size.
Yes, and it is strongly recommended. Keyboard flying is possible for a first takeoff; a joystick or yoke makes the sim much more usable.
Yes. FlightGear has a multiplayer network. Use published procedures and frequencies, and read the multiplayer guide before joining busy airspace.
Not in the photogrammetry sense. FlightGear’s strength is an open aircraft and scenery pipeline you can inspect and extend, not competing with a paid streaming globe.
Yes. FlightGear has multiplayer. You can join a public community server from the PlayBound server browser, have PlayBound start a dedicated server for your group, and host a game on your own PC. PlayBound Connect handles the setup: start a party with your friends, pick how you want to play, and everyone launches into the same game from the PlayBound launcher, with the dedicated server started for you if you choose one. There is no subscription and no paid multiplayer tier.