Microsoft Flight Simulator's 40th anniversary update has launched, adding new planes, airports, helicopters, helipads, and classic missions from past Flight Simulator installments. It's a major update that brings several highly requested features to the latest installment of the Flight Simulator (open in new tab) series.

There is also a new Easter egg: you can now play Flight Simulator within Flight Simulator.

Specifically, when loaded in Diamond DA62, you can play Flight Simulator 1982 using the airplane's in-game console; in 2022, you can play Flight Simulator 1980s in the airplane's dashboard inside Flight Simulator. You can play all of them.

To do this, go out onto the tarmac, enter the cockpit view, and roll down to the ELT switch in the lower right corner of the right digital display. Switch it on and you will see the left display change to a playable version of a past flight sim. You can switch between games at the top or control them with the on-screen keyboard.

Is this an ergonomic and practical way to play Flight Simulator 1982? No, it is not. It's a totally fun Easter egg that instantly enters my book of the best Easter eggs ever in theory.

The 40th anniversary patch is, of course, not all jokes, with lots of new planes and a big old proper jet airliner in the shape of the Airbus A230. I am, of course, more excited about historic planes like the Spruce Goose, a fun, huge, impractical wooden seaplane. (opens in new tab) For some reason, flight simulators are the best for me because they do both realistic and absurd historical aircraft as well as, for example, the Halo dropship (opens in new tab).

The full patch notes for the 40th Anniversary Edition can be read on the Flight Simulator site (opens in new tab) or on Steam. (opens in new tab) Thanks to Tom Warren for his contribution on this matter.