Microsoft Flight Simulator X

Microsoft Flight Simulator X is an installment in Microsoft's Flight Simulator game franchise that was released in 2006. FSX had fewer aircraft than Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004, but featured several brand-new ones. FSX also improved on graphics, scenery, sound, and weather from FS2004. The game also spawned the Deluxe Edition as well as the Acceleration expansion pack, both of which featured additional aircraft, more comprehensive multiplayer capabilities, more missions, and several minor updates and improvements. Later, the Gold Edition combined the Deluxe Edition and Acceleration expansion pack. In 2012, Microsoft ported Flight Simulator X's multiplayer capabilities to Steam, which re-enabled multiplayer capability after the shutdown of the GameSpy network utilized in the previous editions.

Immediately after FSX's release, it became clear that most users would need to upgrade their hardware for the game to run. FSX was the first of the Microsoft Flight Simulator franchise titles to be released on DVD-ROM due to the game's 15GB space requirement. Users with only CD-ROM drives were forced to either upgrade to a computer with a DVD-ROM drive, or store and run the game on an external drive. Additionally, most computers that would run FS2004 with relative ease had trouble producing acceptable frame rates in FSX, even with graphics settings set to minimums. As a result, FS2004 continues to be more popular than FSX, although the latter was still enormously successful.

Default User Aircraft
Airbus A321-200

Air Creation Trike Ultralight

AgustaWestland EH101 (Acceleration)

Beechcraft Baron 58

Beechcraft King Air 350

Bell 206B Jetranger III

Boeing 737-800

Boeing 747-400

McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet (Acceleration)

Bombardier CRJ700

Learjet 45

Cessna 172S Skyhawk

Cessna 280B Grand Caravan

de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver

DG Flugzeugbau DG-808S

Douglas DC-3

Extra EA-300S

Grumman G-21A Goose (Deluxe)

Maule M-7-260C (Deluxe)

Mooney M20M

North American P-51D Mustang (Acceleration)

Piper J-3C-65 Cub

Robinson R-22 Beta II

Default AI-only Aircraft
These aircraft are included with the simulator, but are not available to the user by default. They tend to have lower exterior model quality than the user aircraft. They can be made flyable by adding a 2D instrument panel in the game files. Some aircraft on this list were later modified to user aircraft in later editions of Microsoft Flight Simulator X.

List:

Bombardier DHC-8-100 Dash 8

General Motors TBM-1C Avenger Ghost

Maule Orion

McDonnell Douglas MD-83

Piper PA-28-180 Cherokee

Default Scenery-only Aircraft
These "aircraft" are parked on the ground in the various missions. For all intents and purposes, the simulator treats these aircraft as buildings, trees, and other similar scenery objects. They have extremely low exterior model quality and cannot be made flyable without advanced 3D-modeling and animation software. These aircraft are distinct from the visual models for the default user and AI-only aircraft.

List:

Aero L-39 Albatros (Acceleration)

Aerospataile-BAC Concorde

Airbus A380

Antonov An-225

Bell X-1E (Acceleration)

Bell Boeing MV-22 Osprey (Acceleration)

Boeing 737-400

Boeing 747-100 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (Acceleration)

Boeing 747-400

Boeing 787-8

Boeing B-52H Stratofortress

McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornet

Cessna 182S Skylane

Cessna 185 Skywagon

Conviar B-58 Hustler (Acceleration)

Douglas DC-3

Extra EA-300S

General Dynamics F-16D Fighting Falcon (Acceleration)

Hawker Sea Fury (Acceleration)

Helio Stallion

Jodel

Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk (Acceleration)

Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird

Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor

Boeing C-17 Globemaster III (Acceleration)

McDonnell Douglas MD-83

Mooney M20M

North American X-15 (Acceleration)

Piper J-3C-65 Cub

Piper PA-18 Super Cub

Piper PA-28-180 Cherokee

Rockwell B-1B Lancer (Acceleration)

Schweizer SGS 2-32

Sikorsky UH-60 Blackhawk

Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawk

Sukhoi Su-37