Microsoft Flight Simulator (MSFS) 2024 has just received the National Championship Air Races expansion as part of Sim Update 7. Notably, this is a free expansion to MSFS 2024. With that said, the developers have also made a paid Aircraft Pack available, which adds 40 Famous Racing Planes.
This big update adds new racing venues - Reno and Roswell - and features four pylon racing categories: Unlimited, Jet, T-6, and Biplane. There is also the short take-off and landing (STOL) drag event.
The Unlimited Class has no restrictions other than an aircraft needing to have a piston engine and a propeller. Aircraft in this category at the National Championship Air Races are heavily modified variants of some of the most notable planes ever, including the P-51 Mustang.
The Jet Class contains non-afterburning, non-swept-wing jet-powered aircraft, including military trainers such as the Aero L-39 Albatros. Meanwhile, the T-6 Class is limited to the iconic North American T-6 Texan trainer and its direct production variants. Finally, the Biplane class includes small biplanes like the Aviat Pitts Special S-1S and S-2S.
Explaining the STOL Drag Competition, Microsoft says:
“In STOL Drag, racers compete on a 2,000-foot course, flying high-performance STOL aircraft that can leap into the air and then come to a stop on a dime. During STOL Drag events, two pilots fly against each other and must take-off, then land, then turn around and take-off again and then land, all within strict location and time parameters.”
The 40 new paid planes are spread across those four categories. To get the planes, you must acquire the $39.99 Racer Pack 1 add-on. Microsoft notes that players can also buy all 40 planes individually or as class packs of 10.
In typical MSFS fashion, the expansion content gives you “incredible fidelity and authenticity.” The team used thousands of reference photos and measurements to ensure that the racetracks are near-perfect replicas of the Reno and Roswell courses. The cockpits and other elements of each of the aircraft were also 3D scanned to recreate them accurately.
The developers have also tried to make the experience realistic, with simulated wear-and-tear where engines can degrade based on pilot inputs. If you choose higher realism, you will need to fly tactically, adjusting the throttle for maximum speeds without damaging your engine.
If you do not have MSFS 2024 yet, you can get it for Xbox Series X|S, Game Pass, PC, PlayStation 5, PS VR2, Steam, and supported mobile phones, tablets, and lower-spec PCs for Xbox Cloud Gaming.