REQUIRES MICROSOFT FLIGHT SIMULATOR VERSION 1.30.12.0 You must have Microsoft Flight Simulator version 1.30.12.0 currently installed to download and run World Update XII: New Zealand.

Microsoft Flight Simulator’s latest release, World Update XII, features the wonders of New Zealand in captivating fidelity.

Lift into the sky above New Zealand and soar among glaciated peaks, across vertical-walled fjords, past modern architectural feats, and so much more with Microsoft Flight Simulator’s latest world update. The southwestern Pacific country, born of volcanic fire and hewn by the sea and sky, is globally renowned for its breathtaking vistas. These include Aoraki / Mount Cook, the country’s highest mountain at 12,218 feet above sea level; Milford Sound, a spectacular fjord that novelist Rudyard Kipling called the eighth Wonder of the World; Auckland’s needle-like Sky Tower, one of the highest structures on the planet; and the Bay of Islands, which comprises 144 islands and numerous small peninsulas and inlets. A new and inspiring vista unfolds with each glance from the cockpit above New Zealand. World Update XII beckons all to experience what this country has to offer, reproduced in stunning photo-realistic quality.

The Microsoft Flight Simulator team brought together the latest geographic data to create World Update XII, including satellite imagery, aerial photography, and digital elevation models. The team additionally added seven cities using high-resolution photogrammetry data and triangulated irregular network (TIN) modelling: Auckland, Christchurch, Hamilton, Nelson, Queenstown, Tauranga, and Wellington. The team also added the Hobbiton Movie Set on New Zealand’s North Island, famously used in The Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit film trilogy due to the region’s unique natural splendor. There are also 62 handcrafted points of interest (POIs) to experience from the air and nine handcrafted airports: Gisborne Airport (NZGS), Milford Sound Airport (NZMF), Martins Bay Aerodrome (NZMJ), Gorge River Airstrip (NZQE), Rotorua Airport (NZRO), Lake Tekapo Airport (NZTL), Whangarei Airport (NZWR), Westport Airport (NZWS), and Quintin Lodge Airstrip (T004).

Rounding out the release, Perfect Flight created ten missions that invite simmers to explore the country’s myriad sights, test their skills, and bask in the majesty of New Zealand’s diverse landscapes from above. These include three bush trips: New Zealand’s North Island in a Textron Aviation Beechcraft Bonanza G36; New Zealand’s South Island in a Pilatus PC-6/B2-H4 turbo Porter G950; and a historic recreation of the country’s first air route in a Douglas DC-3. The package also includes three discovery flights: Auckland, the country’s largest city, in a Cessna 152; Queenstown in a Guimbal Cabri G2 helicopter; and Lake Benmore in a DG Aviation DG-1001E neo glider. The pack includes four landing challenges: a strong wind landing at Wellington Airport (NZWN) in an Airbus A320neo; an epic landing at Ryan’s Creek Aerodrome (NZRC) in a Cessna 172 Skyhawk; an epic landing at Gorge River Airstrip (NZQE) in a Zlin Aviation Savage Cub; and a famous challenge in an Airbus A310-300 at Christchurch Airport (NZCH).

World Update XII: New Zealand is available FREE to all owners of Microsoft Flight Simulator. Confirm that your simulator is updated to version 1.30.12.0, download World Update XII, and lift into the skies of New Zealand!