Microsoft Flight Simulator Development Update Suggests Helicopters Are Coming In 2022

Microsoft Flight Simulator's latest development update is live on the game's site, and it includes some tantalizing details about what's coming next for the beloved flight sim. This includes the ability to explore the Orbis Flying Eye Hospital on July 27, and a peek at the updated development roadmap.

The Orbis Flying Eye Hospital is a large converted cargo plane that flies to many different countries in order to give eyecare to those who can't afford it. As the blog post notes, according to the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness, there are 295 million people in the world with moderate-to-severe vision loss, and 77% of that is completely avoidable. The Flying Eye Hospital will be explorable in full hospital mode to all Flight Simulator players on July 27.

In terms of the game's roadmap, the developers are currently focused on the game's upcoming July 29 release on Xbox Series X|S. That date will also bring Sim Update V to all versions of the game, with a new plane called the Aviat Husky A-1C coming in early August.

The game's feedback snapshot shows that fans would like to see helicopters in the game, as well as support for multiple screens and a replay function. Helicopters have been planned for the game for a while now, and there are mods that support it, but you won't see them in an official capacity until next year at the earliest.