# Flight Sim Discovery Desktop
**Flight Sim Discovery (FSD)** is a free Windows desktop application, complete with an optional in-game panel that's VR compatible. Its primary objective is to elevate your Microsoft Flight Simulator experience. It replaces the old, web version.
## Key Features:
1. **Explore Fascinating Destinations:**
Uncover captivating flight destinations by selecting points of interest on our detailed world map. Whether it's renowned landmarks, natural marvels, or historical treasures, FSD offers a plethora of choices to customize your virtual aviation journey.
2. **Capture and Relive Your Flights:**
With Flight Sim Discovery, you can record and save your flights, offering you the opportunity to revisit and relive past aerial journeys. This not only creates a sense of accomplishment but also allows you to map out the territories you've explored, creating a personal log of your aviation achievements.
3. **Immersive In-Game Moving Map:**
Real-time navigation gets a makeover with FSD's dynamic in-game moving map. Dive deeper into your journey by accessing interesting trivia about the locations you fly over. Intrigued by the view outside? Click on the in-game map to uncover nearby points of interest and absorb intriguing insights about each spot.
Have fun exploring this amazing planet of ours!
Richard, flying out of Australia
## Installation
1. **Download:**
Download the zip file.
2. **Extract:**
After downloading, unbundle the contents and refer to the 'Readme.txt' for finer details.
3. **Install:**
Launch the installer to integrate the application on your system.
4. **MSFS Integration:**
Position the 'fsd-ingamepanels-custom' folder into the MSFS "Community" directory. If you prefer, employ your favorite MSFS add-on manager for this purpose.
## Update
1. **Download latest version:**
https://flightsim.to/file/20403/flight-sim-discovery-vr-compatible
2. **Extract:**
After downloading, unbundle the contents and refer to the 'README.md' for finer details.
3. **Install:**
Launch the installer to update theapplication on your system.
**Heads Up!**
Flight data and history reside locally in the Windows application support directory, typically at `C:\Users\\AppData\Roaming\fsd\fsd_desktop`. Migrating to a different computer? Install a fresh copy of the app there and then transfer the contents of the aforementioned directory to the same location on the new computer.
## Getting Started
1. Start the windows Flight Sim Discovery app and draft a flight plan, then export it to your PC.
2. The Flight Sim Discovery app also acts as a server, so leave this running in the background. You can minimize this app in the background if you like
3. Load this flight plan in MSFS and initiate a flight.
4. Activate the Flight Sim Discovery in-game app from the in-game toolbar to unveil the moving map. You may need to click on the settings icon on the in-game toolbar to enable flight sim discovery first
5. Click on the map to glean interesting facts about your current location.
6. Conclude your flight and save it.
7. Re-launch the desktop application to visualize your recorded flight trajectory on the map.
## OpenWeatherMap API Key
While Flight Sim Discovery offers its built-in API key for live weather services, peak times might render it inaccessible. For uninterrupted service, we recommend procuring a personal free OpenWeatherMap API key.
### Here's how:
1. Visit the OpenWeatherMap website (https://home.openweathermap.org/users/sign_up).
2. Register by tapping the "Sign Up" button.
3. Complete the mandatory fields and accept the terms.
4. Post registration, access your OpenWeatherMap dashboard.
5. Head over to the [API Keys section](https://home.openweathermap.org/api_keys).
6. Click "Create API Key" and follow the on-screen prompts.
Once procured, navigate to Flight Sim Discovery's settings page and input this key into the 'Open Weather Map Key' field.
ISSUES
-Due to limitations with the Microsoft Flight Simulator API, in-game weather (rain, cloud, wind) may not correlate exactly with the real world. In my testing, it’s pretty close in most cases and provides you with a good approximation of what weather to expect along your flight.
DONATIONS (supporting the Orbis Flying Eye Hospital)
Flight Sim Discovery is free, and always will be.
I’ll be donating any user dontations to the Orbis Flying Eye Hospital. Orbis is an international non-profit organisation that brings people together to fight avoidable blindness, and the impressive Orbis Flying Eye Hospital helps train local eye care teams in every country it lands. For more info see www.orbis.org.
REQUEST A NEW FEATURE
I'm always open to new features or collaborations, so send me a PM or leave a comment so that we can get in touch.
Flightgolfer
I am already looking forward to the possibility of being able to determine the flight plan folder.
LobsterDude
Where can I set the flight plans folder location?
Precog6268 author
3 months ago
Radic
Precog6268 author
4 months ago
Aviator_Ape
Cannot fly in VR without this and I only fly in VR so........try it.
steve40
As a VR player, having to click the "show active flight" button on the web page is a major nuisance. It is not possible to alt-tab to the desktop while in vr, one must open the toolbar, active pause the game, put down the vr controllers, remove the vr headset, switch to 2d mode, minimize the game window, alt-tab to desktop, find the web browser, click "show active flight", switch back to vr mode, put the vr headset back on, pick up the vr controllers, unpause the flight. Could the website be coded to automatically detect the flight sim connection (like Bushtalk Radio already does)?
Similarly, after ending each flight it is a major nuisance having to go back to the web browser to click on the dialogue box whether to save the flight or not (especially in vr). Could an option be added to disable this prompt? Do we have to keep going back to the web page to re-click the "show active flight" button every time? Again, I don't have to jump through all these annoying hoops with Bushtalk Radio, it just detects the connection automatically.
On the FSD web site, the POI filters don't seem to work at all (using Firefox). I tried using the POI filter: ALL, OCEANIA, AUSTRALIA, 2 STARS OR HIGHER. It said there were zero POIs found!
I tried adding a POI of my own and kept getting an error that a POI already existed in that location (Castlemaine "XXXX" brewery in Milton, Queensland, AU). However, the nearest POI appears to be at Suncorp Stadium, with no POI at the brewery at all.
Precog6268 author
Hey Steve,
Thanks for your feedback. The POI filter should now work and you should also be able to create your POI.
As for the show active button I know its not ideal but this was by design, otherwise Id have to check the database every few seconds to see if a user has started a flight even if there are just using the website. As this is a free app, and Im trying to raise money for a charity, I have to minimise server costs.
Must say I fly only in VR and don't find it no where as painful. I start the flight in VR, and login (automatically) to flight sim discovery. I then just alt tab to the website, click the show active button, and alt tab back into VR all within a few seconds. Done!
2 years ago
Unregistered
I will update and use again when the password is censored on my screen. I would also like a feature where you can teleport. Otherwise, it is a very good add-on, thanks 😊
Precog6268 author
Password is now obfuscated. Might have to look into teleporting but not a bad suggestion. Is it cheating though? :)
2 years ago
hafentoni
hello, is there a way to change the resolution of the map independently of the resolution of the game? otherwise very cool mod
Precog6268 author
There might be a way. When I have a bit more spare time Ill look into it.
2 years ago
Heiner
like your Flight sim discovery. I had till now another ingame map (FS2020BMAP.exe / Freeware) with Satelite view and track. In that app I can see live Traffic and life Boats. Could you implement these two AI´s in your app ?
Precog6268 author
Hey mate, glad you like the app. I'll add those requests to my TODO list and look into it. Thanks for the suggestion
3 years ago
pmb
I like your program and use it regularly. Now, after SU6, readability is much improved as AA is working under VR - finally.
Would it be possible to raise the update frequency of the location of the user plane (or make it user-configurable)? The plane is usually a second (or two) behind its real place which is annoying, notably while taxiing.
Thanks for the nice program, Michael
Precog6268 author
Glad you like the program! As this is a free program I have to be careful of server costs. If I increase the location update frequency I would have to pay more in server fees out of my own pocket.
3 years ago
dmerlak
Great, one of the few flight trackers that uses google maps instead of bing. Personally, I prefer to use the map with browser at https://www.flightsimdiscovery.com/ because I use the map on the second screen. I don't use the map with this app because if I give a map to another screen, I lose a lot of fps in the simulator itself.... this is a bug with Microsoft, because something similar happens with the original VFR map when I put it on another screen. However, I have a question whether it would be possible to add the names of cities, roads, borders... on the map at https://www.flightsimdiscovery.com/ under the satellite image option. I hope you will further improve the "browser" map at https://www.flightsimdiscovery.com and the map in this app 😊) Also on browser map I miss full screen map only option. Because now I only get about 70% of screen fill with map (using F11 full screen option in Edge browser)
Precog6268 author
The reason why most devs don't use google maps is that it cost money if usage gets to high. I think there is a Hybrid option for google maps that has a map with roads overlaying the satellite imagery. I'll look into it for you. Should be pretty easy to add. Likewise with the fullscreen option.
3 years ago
McNeal
Very nice app. I was looking a long time for something like this.
One question: When I click somewhere on the map, I get a choice of POIs. As far as I can see, these a Wikipedia entries from the english Wikepedia. Is it possible to show entries from the german Wikipedia? I fly very often in Germany and there are many Wiki entries that only exist in the german Wiki.
I guess it is very difficult to also switch to german spoken text, so I dont mind if I can not listen to the german wiki entries. I dont mind to read it myself.
Thanks for reading this 😊
Precog6268 author
Thanks for your suggestion McNeal. I'll look into that. Maybe based on a user language preference I could serve language specific wiki pages. I know i did look into English translations to other languages but it required me to pay google for the privilege. Another option I could look into down the track is for a user to provide their own google api key - its highly unlikely one person with there own api key would exceed a monthly quota and it would be effectively free. Not sure if many users would be prepared tp do this though
3 years ago
johnbla
Very handy little app, will definitely use. I especially like being able to see the wind anywhere, makes it easier to know which runway to land on. One request, anyway to make the text on the weather box and on the map bigger? Bit hard to see with these 70 year old eyes. Many thanks again.
Precog6268 author
Thanks for your feedback mate. Glad you like the app. At the moment, text size is a bit of a trade off because it is too large in VR and too small in 2D, so I'm trying to find a balance. Ill look into it a bit more and see if I can come up with a better solution though.
3 years ago
KaityUK
I've been looking for some tools to enchance my VR headset flying, so shall certainly try this for you.
Precog6268 author
Awesome....let me know if it works!
3 years ago