3 native alternatives to Flight Simulator for Linux

Are you looking alternatives to Flight Simulator that they run in shape native with Linux? Well here we introduce you 3 alternatives that will surely interest you. The graphical experience may not be that advanced but they are not bad at all.

FlightGear

FlightGear is a free, cross-platform flight simulator. It is currently an important alternative to commercial flight simulators. It is probably the only program of its kind whose code is free and with no intention of hiding how it works internally, which makes it very extensible. Although there are players who consider that it cannot exceed the graphic level of the best commercial products, the physical model of the flight and the realism of the controls is at the same or higher level than the best simulators. This is because FlightGear was developed from the outset with a high technical and scientific profile. It is supported by OpenGL and requires 3D acceleration hardware.

Key features

  • An accurate and extensive world scenario database.
  • Around 20.000 actual airports.
  • Accurate terrain from around the world, based on the most recent release of SRTM terrain data. The setting includes all lakes, rivers, roads, railways, cities, towns, land, etc.
  • Detailed and accurate sky model with correct locations of the sun, moon, stars, and planets for the specified date and time.
  • Open and flexible aircraft modeling system, wide variety of aircraft.
  • Extremely fluid and smooth instrumental animation. Realistically models the behavior of instruments in the real world. It even accurately reproduces the faults of many systems and instruments.
  • Multiplayer mode
  • Real traffic simulation.
  • Real-time option that includes both lighting from sun, wind, rain, fog, smoke, etc.

FlightGear is available for Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux.

X-Plane

X-Plane is a civil flight simulator, created by Austin Meyer, it is one of the main flight simulators that compete against Microsoft Flight Simulator. According to its developer, it is an extremely accurate simulator, based on calculating the effect of air flow on the surfaces of simulated aircraft.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the United States of America has authorized its use - with specific hardware - for the training of instrument flight pilots.

The purpose of this simulator is to offer the most realistic flight experience possible. To do this, it has a range of simulated aircraft, from the simplest to large line reactors and, in addition, a recreation of planet earth with its geographical features and around 18.000 airports, airfields and heliports, as well as aircraft carriers in which perform your flight practices.

The key to the realism of X-Plane's flight physics is the creation of a virtual wind tunnel around the plane, thus achieving real-life effects.

In addition, this simulator offers powerful editors to edit and even create any type of aircraft (fighters, helicopters, light aircraft, etc.) as well as wing profiles. In versions prior to 8 a scenario editor was also included, although currently there is a third-party tool to carry out this task.

Like other simulators in this category, X-Plane allows connection to the internet and flight in free networks in which air traffic control services are provided. The two most popular networks are VATSIM and IVAO.

Likewise, X-Plane has an extensive community of users around the world, who provide, generally for free, airplanes, scenarios and other additions to improve the simulator and the flight experience.

X-Plane 9 is available for Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux.

Download X-Plane

YS Flight Simulator

YS Flight Simulation System 2000 is a freeware flight simulator programmed by Soji Yamakawa, a member of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University.1 This simulator is popularly known as "YS Flight" or simply "YS". Downloading the game is quite fast due to its small size (~ 7 Megabytes). It is compatible with most systems, and has a specific version for Linux.

This simulator includes a wide selection of aircraft classes, which are also joined by vehicles, thanks to unofficial add-ons. The list of aircraft varies enormously, from historical models, to fighter jets and even large airliners. The list grows even more thanks to some mods, which are also relatively easy to create, since the program was also designed for "3D Graphics Programmers" .2

In the most recent version (20100601, published on June 1, 2010), the YS Flight Basic Pack includes 3 different versions, each using its own API to display 3D graphics: non-Open GL (Software), Open GL , and DirectX.

YS is available for Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux.


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  1.   Leo said

    Ufffffffff… I never had the patience to drive airplanes in my spare time…. too many keys. Although I recognize that there is a currazo behind all that.

  2.   vinsuk said

    X-Plane seems to me, without any doubt, the best of all. It may not be as cute as the flight simulator, but its flight model is flawless.