Microsoft and Lufthansa's new partnership sees Flight Simulator 2024 using real-world Lido navigation data

The new Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, which is now available for pre-download, uses the Lido navigation data and charts from Lufthansa Systems for its navigation gameplay.

Lufthansa, one of the world’s biggest airlines, officially announced this in a press release. The company stated that its collaboration with Microsoft means that its Lido Sky Data and Lido Route Manual will be available to more than 15 million gamers and aviation enthusiasts worldwide.

The collaboration between Microsoft and Lufthansa focuses on bringing yet another layer of realism to the beloved flight simulator. The companies strived to use as much real data as possible to provide an authentic experience of piloting an airplane.

Microsoft Flight Simulator is not only a globally beloved game by aviation enthusiasts but stands for the most realistic flight simulations for private use for decades. I, myself, am also an enthusiastic Microsoft Flight Simulator user, and I am delighted that other aviation enthusiasts can now experience this realistic simulation with our professional data, (Philipp Barzen, Lufthansa)

Thanks to this partnership, Microsoft Flight Simulator will have navigational data in accordance with ARINC 424—an international standard file format for aircraft navigation—for various systems and applications. Those playing can use this information to understand airports, waypoints, airways, or terminal area procedures better.

Microsoft Flight Simulator will also provide access to charts usually used by commercial airlines.

With the Lido data and charts from Lufthansa Systems, we can offer our customers a more realistic and precise experience. This new data will add a higher coverage of regions and new airports to explore. As Microsoft Flight Simulator becomes even more professional, it is a great opportunity for the players to develop their skills and safely navigate extreme flight situations, pushing the limits of aircraft and their own abilities.

We already reported on how Microsoft Flight Simulator can be used to train future pilots, and it seems it is the case here, as well. With charts and data used in real-world commercial flying, the simulator can effectively train those learning to be pilots.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024’s great variety of aicrafts and airports available are also important in this process. Each aircraft has a set of particularities beyond its general infrastructure that can be tested and experienced in the game first.