If you are a fan of flight simulation games, you may have heard of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 (MSFS2020), the latest installment in the popular series that lets you fly anywhere in the world with realistic graphics and physics. But did you know that you can also connect MSFS2020 to ForeFlight, a popular app for pilots that provides flight planning, charts, weather, and traffic information?
In this blog post, I will show you how to connect MSFS2020 to ForeFlight using a third-party software called Flight Events. Flight Events acts as a bridge between MSFS2020 and ForeFlight, and allows you to see your simulated aircraft position and flight plan on ForeFlight. This can enhance your flight simulation experience and help you practice your navigation skills.
Before we begin, you will need the following:
- A computer with MSFS2020 installed and running
- A device with ForeFlight installed and running
- A Flight Events account (you can create one for free here)
Step 1: Connect MSFS2020 to Flight Events
The first step is to connect MSFS2020 to Flight Events on your computer. To do this, follow these steps:
- Open your web browser and go to [Flight Events]. Sign in with your account or create one if you don’t have one.
- Download and install the Flight Events Client software from the website. This software will communicate with MSFS2020 and ForeFlight.
- Launch MSFS2020 and start a flight. You can choose any aircraft, airport, and weather conditions you like.
- Open the Flight Events Client software and click on “Connect to MSFS”. You should see a green message saying “Connected to MSFS”. This means that Flight Events is now receiving data from MSFS2020.
Step 2: View Your Simulated Aircraft on ForeFlight
The next step is to view your simulated aircraft on ForeFlight on your device. To do this, follow these steps:
- Open ForeFlight on your device and go to More > Devices. You should see Flight Events listed as a device. Tap on it and enable the switch next to “Enable Traffic”. This will allow you to see your simulated aircraft as a blue dot on the map.
- You should also enable the switch next to “Send Anonymous Usage Data” to help improve Flight Events. This will send anonymous data about your flight events, such as altitude, speed, heading, etc., to the Flight Events server.
- Go back to the map view on ForeFlight. You should see your simulated aircraft on the map, along with other aircraft that are using Flight Events. You can tap on any aircraft to see more details about it.
Step 3: View Your Flight Plan on ForeFlight
The final step is to view your flight plan on ForeFlight on your device. To do this, follow these steps:
- Create or load a flight plan in MSFS2020. You can use the built-in flight planner or import a flight plan from another source.
- Open the Flight Events Client software and click on “Share Flight Plan”. You should see a green message saying “Flight Plan Shared”. This means that Flight Events has sent your flight plan to ForeFlight.
- Go back to ForeFlight on your device and tap on the NavLog button at the bottom of the screen. You should see your flight plan listed there, along with the waypoints, distances, times, etc.
- You can also edit or delete your flight plan on Flight Events by clicking on “Edit Flight Plan” or “Delete Flight Plan” respectively.
That’s it! You have successfully connected MSFS2020 to ForeFlight using Flight Events. You can now enjoy flying in MSFS2020 with the added benefits of ForeFlight’s features. You can also join online events and fly with other simmers who are using Flight Events.
To disconnect MSFS2020 from ForeFlight, simply close the Flight Events Client software or click on “Disconnect from MSFS”. You should see a red message saying “Disconnected from MSFS”.
I hope you found this blog post helpful and informative. If you have any questions or feedback, please leave a comment below. Thank you for reading and happy [simulated] flying!
For full instructions from the ForeFlight website click the link below: