Flight Sim

About Flight Sim

Flight Sim is a free three-dimensional landing simulator that runs in your browser. You sit in the cockpit on final approach and have to bring the aircraft down onto the runway. You manage pitch, roll and throttle yourself, and the dashboard shows speed, altitude, vertical speed (V/S), throttle and the glide indicator.

It is not a full flight model. A light crosswind pushes the aircraft sideways during the approach, so keep checking the centreline. It is a focused challenge about the hardest part of any flight: lining up with the runway and touching down gently.

How scoring works

• A landing counts only if you touch down on the runway with the wings and nose roughly level. Otherwise it is a crash landing, or a missed runway.
• Successful landings are graded by vertical speed at touchdown: Butter-smooth (under 4), Solid (under 8) and Firm but safe (under 12).
• After each run you see a breakdown for centerline accuracy, smoothness and levelness. Your best grade is saved in your browser.

Tips to improve

• Line up with the runway first, then manage the descent. Fixing the heading late is hard.
• Watch the V/S gauge. A gentle, steady descent is better than a steep one followed by a flare.
• Reduce throttle gradually. Cutting it too early makes the aircraft sink quickly.
• Keep the wings level with small roll inputs. Large corrections near the ground end in a crash.

Frequently asked questions

What are the controls?

Up and down (or W and S) pitch the nose, left and right (or A and D) roll, and Shift and Ctrl raise or lower the throttle. On mobile, drag to pitch and roll.

Why did I crash when I touched the runway?

The touchdown was either too hard (vertical speed above the limit) or the aircraft was not level enough. Check the breakdown shown after the run.

Do I need to install anything?

No. The simulator runs in your browser using WebGL, so a recent browser is all you need.