The concept of a flyover tour of a National Park, city, or other major site seems really cool but can quickly become cost prohibitive. Plus you actually have to travel to the destination if you want to take that tour, meaning long drives, flights, hotels, and everything else associated with travel. Fortunately if you’re looking for a way to enjoy the views from the comfort of your own couch, you can always try out the Google Earth Flight Simulator.
The Google Earth flight simulator has been around for a very long time (according to CNET, it was introduced back in 2007), but it’s always been solely a part of the desktop version. When Google Earth introduced for the browser, flight simulator was nowhere to be found, but that’s not the case anymore.
To access the Google Earth flight simulator, head to Google Earth, go to the location you want to fly around (using the Explore Earth button), click tools, and then click flight simulator. Directions on the specific controls are available here, but the basics are to pitch down using the down arrow, pitch up using the up arrow, roll left with the left arrow, and roll right with the right arrow.
It will take a while to get used to the controls, but once you get it, you’ll be able to explore your favorite National Parks, ski resorts, mountains, cities, or whatever else you desire from the sky. If you crash, the website will simply prompt you to restart. Easy enough!
If you’re looking for a slightly more in depth simulator, you can download Google Earth Pro for your computer and try out a couple of different planes, in addition to having the ability to start at an airport and actually take off, rather than just starting in the air.
Is it the best way to explore the world? Probably not, but it’s certainly a ton of fun!
