Google Earth’s Secret Flight Simulator Is Now Free for Everyone on the Web

For decades, Google has hidden a flight simulator game in the desktop app for Google Earth, and now everyone in the world can access it through a web browser.

The game is part of a larger push by Google to add pro-level features to the website interface. Some of those features include elevation profiles, new import types, extra data layers and the flight simulator. 

Most of the above features are for professional and hobbyist use, but the flight simulator is just for fun. It’s been around since 2007 in the desktop app, and Friday marks its first appearance in the website version of Google Earth. 

How to play the flight simulator in Google Earth

It doesn’t take a lot of effort to get into the game. Start by following this link to the Google Earth website and clicking the Explore Earth button in the top right corner. Use the search bar to load the point on Earth where you would like to fly. Finally, click Tools, and the flight simulator is the last option on the list. 

The controls aren’t shown in the game, but you can find them on Google’s developer website. You can choose to use the mouse or arrow keys to control the pitch and roll of the plane. The Page Up and Page Down buttons increase and decrease thrust, respectively. But be careful — it is quite easy to lose control of the airplane, leading to a topsy-turvy browser screen. The game ends if you crash the airplane, but Google lets you try again as often as you want. 

It’s not nearly as in-depth with its gameplay as something like Microsoft Flight Simulator or the Ace Combat series. However, Google Earth’s flight simulator has access to the entire Google Earth database, so you can fly to almost anywhere on Earth and check out various landmarks. 

There aren’t any missions, achievements or other notable progress that you can make, but if you ever wanted to thread an airplane under the Golden Gate Bridge, now is your chance.