Is Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 easy to install and fly for a casual FSX user?

Hello!

It's great to hear that you've been enjoying FSX and are considering upgrading to Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 (MSFS 2020). Don't worry; it's not as complicated as it might appear at first glance. I'll try to address your concerns and provide some suggestions to help you make a decision.

1. Ease of use: MSFS 2020 is designed to be accessible to a wide range of users, from beginners to experienced simmers. The interface is user-friendly, and the default settings should allow you to start flying without having to tweak a lot of options. It may take a little time to get accustomed to the new interface, but the learning curve shouldn't be too steep.
2. Hardware compatibility: Your old Yoke and Thrustmaster joystick should be compatible with MSFS 2020, as it supports a wide range of peripherals. You may need to set up the controls in the simulator, but this process is relatively straightforward.
3. System requirements: MSFS 2020 does have higher system requirements compared to FSX. It would help if you made sure your computer meets the minimum or recommended requirements to run the simulator smoothly. You can find these specifications on the official Microsoft Flight Simulator website.
4. Installation: Installing MSFS 2020 is quite simple, especially if you purchase it through the Microsoft Store or Steam. The installation process is mostly automated, and you should be able to start flying once it's complete.
5. Flying without add-ons: MSFS 2020 comes with a vast amount of content out of the box, including highly detailed aircraft, airports, and scenery. You can certainly enjoy the simulator without purchasing additional add-ons or modifications, just like you did with FSX.

In conclusion, MSFS 2020 should not be too complicated for you to enjoy, even with limited computer skills. The simulator is designed to be user-friendly and provides an excellent out-of-the-box experience. Just ensure your computer meets the system requirements, and you should be good to go. Give it a try, and I'm sure you'll love the incredible visuals and realism it offers.

Happy flying!

Hi Alistair,

That “offset” ILS/autoland touchdown is usually down to one of a handful of things: (1) the approach isn’t actually being flown on the ILS (wrong nav source/frequency/course), (2) the sim is following a GPS magenta line instead of the localizer, (3) crosswind/crab isn’t being de-crabbed (many MSFS aircraft don’t do a true “airliner style” autoland), or (4) the particular runway/ILS data in the sim is slightly misaligned.

Here’s how I’d troubleshoot it in a simple, repeatable way.

1) Make sure you’re really on the ILS (not GPS)

1. Load an ILS approach from the world map (or in the FMS) for the runway you want.
2. On the aircraft, confirm your nav source is set to NAV/LOC1 (not GPS / FMS).
3. Tune the correct ILS frequency for that runway and make sure the ident (Morse code) matches if your aircraft shows it.
4. Set the published front course (some aircraft will auto-set it; many won’t).

2) Intercept it correctly
Even with “APP” armed, MSFS can behave oddly if you join too high/fast or from a bad angle.

1. Try intercepting the localizer at a shallow angle (roughly 20–30 degrees).
2. Be established and stable before capturing the glideslope: gear/flaps set, landing speed under control.
3. Arm APP only once you’re on an intercept heading and the localizer diamond is moving toward center.

3) Confirm what the autopilot actually captured
On many aircraft you’ll see annunciations like LOC and GS (or similar). If you don’t see both, you’re not really tracking the ILS.

• If you only have “HDG” or “NAV” (GPS) showing, it may never have captured the localizer.
• If it captures LOC but never captures GS, you’ll end up flying a weird path that can look like an offset approach.

4) Crosswind and autoland expectations (important)
A lot of default / simpler MSFS aircraft will happily “autopilot to minimums” but they don’t reliably do a full Airbus/Boeing-style rollout centerline tracking and proper de-crab flare. The result can be:

• slight crab maintained into touchdown, then it plops down left/right of centerline, or
• it touches down angled and drifts.

As a test, try the same ILS with near-calm wind and see if the offset largely disappears.

5) Possible misaligned ILS/runway in the sim
This does happen at certain airports/runways. A quick check:

1. Try a well-known major airport ILS (big default airports tend to be “cleaner”) and see if it still happens.
2. Try the opposite runway direction at the same airport (sometimes one end is fine and the other end is off).

A couple questions so I can narrow it down:

• Which aircraft are you using (exact model)?
• Which airport/runway (ICAO + runway number) is giving you the offset?
• Are you selecting the ILS approach from the world map, or are you just dialing the frequency and flying in manually?
• Roughly what wind (speed/direction) are you landing with when you see it drift/offset?

If you post those details, I can tell you whether it’s likely setup/procedure, wind/autoland limitation, or a known misaligned ILS at that runway.