The new Microsoft Flight Simulator still doesn’t have a full release date, but it seems the game be preparing for touchdown, as the game’s final alpha and closed beta will be happening this month!

　　The fifth and final Microsoft Flight Simulator alpha is scheduled to arrive on July 9, which is also when the game’s developers plan to announce the launch date of the game’s closed beta. While we have to wait a bit for a specific date, it’s expected the beta will kick off sometime this month! If you'd like to get in on the beta, you'll have to sign up to be a Microsoft Flight Simulator Insider.

　　Meanwhile, it’s been announced that Microsoft Flight Simulator is partnering with FlightAware to add real-time aerial traffic to the game, so that the planes you pass in-game will mirror ones actually flying at that time. Pretty darn cool!

　　We’re an aviation intelligence company that provides real-time and predictive flight insights to all the biggest players in aviation. We synthesize data from thousands of sources across the globe and our team of amazing engineers layer on Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence to give the most accurate predictions on where a flight is and where it’s going.

　　Our data is used everywhere from Google flight statuses, airport notification boards, airline systems managing gate flows, individual pilots sharing their private flights, to the millions of travelers and their friends and families checking out our web and mobile apps to get info on their flight. Now, our data stream called Firehose is going to power the real-time, global traffic in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 so that while you’re using the sim, you can see planes near you in real life.

　　MFS is also partnering with Meteoblue to add real weather patterns to the game…

　　Microsoft Flight Simulator is coming to PC and Xbox One sometime this year. This game looks more impressive ever time I see it! What do you think? Ready to take to the skies?