As the world prepares to celebrate the 100th anniversary of powered flight, Microsoft announces that "Microsoft® Flight Simulator: A Century of Flight" is in development and cleared for takeoff this July.

With "Microsoft Flight Simulator: A Century of Flight," the next milestone in the award-winning "Flight Simulator" franchise, Microsoft celebrates 20 years of developing and perfecting computer flight simulation. "A Century of Flight" allows aviation enthusiasts to experience history at the controls of historic aircraft, such as Charles Lindbergh's Ryan NYP "Spirit of St. Louis," the Douglas DC-3 and the world's first successful powered aircraft, the Wright Flyer.

New engaging features such as interactive multimedia provide a wealth of historical information on the planes that shaped aviation history and the pilots who flew them. Informed and insightful articles explain all there is to know about Microsoft's "Flight Simulator" and the 24 aircraft included in the software. "Microsoft Flight Simulator: A Century of Flight" also introduces an updated, dynamic weather system, enhanced automatically generated scenery (AutoGen) and detailed visual effects, improved Air Traffic Control functions, and 3-D interactive cockpits, as well as 15 modern aircraft, including the Boeing 777, the Beechcraft Baron and the Robinson R22 helicopter.

"Launching 'A Century of Flight' in conjunction with a historical milestone as monumental as the invention of powered flight is an exhilarating, once-in-a-lifetime experience for all of us on the 'Flight Simulator' team," said Bruce Williams, product planner at Microsoft Aces Studios. "There are a lot of organizations celebrating the centennial of flight, but 'Century of Flight' empowers people to get into the cockpit of legendary aircraft such as the Wright Flyer and the 'Spirit of St. Louis' to feel what it was like to actually fly those planes."

When "Microsoft Flight Simulator: A Century of Flight" launches this July, Microsoft will mark flight's 100th anniversary by participating with the Experimental Aviation Association (EAA) in a yearlong celebration, Countdown to Kitty Hawk. A touring pavilion honoring aviation heroes and innovations will land in cities across the country. The pavilion will house a virtual 1903 Wright Flyer with which guests can experience the new "Flight Simulator" software, stepping back in time and recapturing the feeling of the first flight of Wilbur and Orville Wright on the sand dunes of Kitty Hawk, N.C. Would-be pilots operate the "aircraft" from a horizontal hip cradle, using hand levers and a shifting hip mechanism to control virtual takeoffs and landings in front of a giant panoramic projection screen.

["Microsoft Flight Simulator: A Century of Flight" will be available on PC at leading retailers nationwide including Best Buy, Electronics Boutique and Circuit City Stores Inc. in July 2003 for an estimated retail price of $54.95 (U.S.) and is rated "Teen."]

FMI: www.microsoft.com/games