Flight Simulator 2000, the newest version of the best-selling PC simulation game of all time, will be unveiled at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh '99, where it will be on display July 28-August 3 in Hangar B and in the Action Pavilion.

"The over 800,000 people who converge on Oshkosh each year are among the world's most savvy flight enthusiasts," said Bruce Williams, product planner for Flight Simulator 2000 at Microsoft. "We are eager to show them how Flight Simulator 2000 raises the bar on realism and increases the excitement of flight simulation with aircraft like the Concorde and features such as real-time weather and more than 20,000 airports around the world."

Flight Simulator 2000 marks the most comprehensive update in the 17-year history of the product. For the first time, Microsoft will offer two versions of the product: a professional edition that is realistic enough to be used as a complement to formal flight training and a standard edition for seasoned and novice pilots alike. Both versions feature a new 3-D graphics system that offers better visuals than ever before for true elevation data worldwide and seasonal effects.

The new features in Flight Simulator 2000 include the following:

• New aircraft. The standard edition will feature the Concorde and the Boeing 777-300; the professional edition will have these as well as the Mooney Bravo and the Raytheon (Beechcraft) King Air 350.
• More than 20,000 airports worldwide. Users will be able to fly anywhere imaginable in the world.
• More cities rendered in unprecedented detail. London, Paris, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago and others are brought to life in high-resolution detail.
• Moving map and global positioning system (GPS). The GPS provides point-to-point navigation, with constant updates of position, ground speed and the course to the next destination.
• Updated and improved weather system. For the first time, users can download actual weather information worldwide, and Flight Simulator 2000 generates that same weather in the simulation.
• Jeppesen Sanderson worldwide NavData database. Flight Simulator 2000 is the only product to utilize the Jeppesen database of real navigation and airport information used by pilots around the world.
• Exclusive content from the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA). AOPA has provided access to its vast archives of authoritative articles, photos and other materials that bring the real world of aviation closer to Flight Simulator 2000 users. This material is included in the new pilot's handbook and online Help. Flight Simulator users also can join AOPA for access to additional technical information, the AOPA Flight Training Magazine and other services.
• Learn-to-fly offers from The Cessna Aircraft Co. Flight Simulator users in the United States can take Discovery Flights at Cessna Pilot Centers (CPC). Users of the professional edition may qualify for a discount on flight lessons at CPCs.

Flight Simulator 2000 continues Microsoft's tradition of working directly with aircraft manufacturers, pilot organizations, flight training organizations, respected flight instructors, aeronautical engineers and other leaders in aviation to add authenticity and experience to the product. Key providers include Cessna, Jeppesen Sanderson, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, Flight Safety International, Bell Helicopter Textron Inc., Mooney Aircraft Corp., Systems Management Inc. and pilots John and Martha King, Rod Machado and Patty Wagstaff.

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