Switching to X-Plane from Microsoft ESP

Switching to X-Plane from Microsoft ESP

Want to convert? We can help.

With Microsoft ESP now out of development, many people using ESP to make their high-end flight simulators are wondering what to do. We are making sure that X-Plane does meet their needs!

X-Plane addresses both the needs of commercial users and users looking for FAA-certified simulators, and it has for some time.

When you download the demo or buy X-Plane, you get a sim for about $59 that says “This is the home-use version of X-Plane” on the startup screen.

This version of X-Plane does not check frame rate or flight controls, as is needed for FAA certification. For this reason, the $59 version of X-Plane is not quite appropriate for commercial use or FAA certification.

Now, to convert X-Plane to the version for commercial use and FAA certifiability (so that you can easily use X-Plane to replace Microsoft ESP), you simply need our Level 2 USB key to unlock the commercial use. This will enable the frame rate check and the flight control check in X-Plane, required for certification.

Every copy of X-Plane we sell has the ability to display the commercial-use startup message, check the frame rate, and check for flight controls. All it takes is plugging in a Level 2 USB key to unlock those features.

As soon as a Level 2 USB key is plugged in, the existing copy of X-Plane will detect that key and go into commercial use, FAA-certifiable mode!

Here is exactly how it works:

  1. Buy a Level 2 USB key.
  2. Put one USB key into each computer that will be part of the X-Plane simulator.
  3. X-Plane will display a “Commercial-Use” message on startup, making it clear that the copy is approved for commercial use.
  4. X-Plane will check the frame rate on startup, as is required for FAA certification.
  5. X-Plane will check for any flight control configuration that you specify in the Joystick screen (found via the Settings menu), making sure that those flight controls are present and functioning on each startup, as is required for FAA certification.

By doing these things, you will have a copy of X-Plane that is approved for commercial use and can be certified for flight training–a perfect replacement for Microsoft ESP!

(Though, as many believe, you will have a much, much nicer simulator!)