Microsoft and EAA partner to launch Flight Simulator scholarships

The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), a community of pilots and others passionate about aviation, has teamed up with Microsoft to launch scholarships and educational material for 'young aviation enthusiasts.' The new partnership revolves around Microsoft Flight Simulator, a popular and highly realistic game for those who dream of piloting aircraft.

The new effort was announced by EAA, which says that it and Microsoft have agreed to establish a total of three Microsoft Flight Simulator scholarships for the next three years. The partnership will also come with other benefits, as well.

Microsoft will give current EAA youth flight training scholarship recipients free copies of the latest version of its Flight Simulator over the next three years. All EAA members will have the opportunity to get the latest Flight Simulator at a discount, as well, and some EAA chapters with the right facilities will get copies of Flight Simulator to help train future pilots.

In a statement, Microsoft Flight Simulator head Jorg Neumann said:

We are very excited to partner with the EAA. Their passion for aviation is unmatched and their focus on inspiring the next generation of pilots via the Young Eagles program is a perfect real-world counterpart to what we hope to achieve with our new Microsoft Flight Simulator. The newly established Microsoft Flight Simulator scholarships are a great way to engage with the EAA community and we hope to attend Oshkosh 2021 to further show our commitment to aviation and the EAA community.

Microsoft Flight Simulator was first released back in 1982. The latest edition, which was released in August, is available on the Xbox consoles and PC through Steam for $59.99 USD. Aviation enthusiasts have two other options, as well: the Deluxe bundle for $$89.99 and the Premium Deluxe bundle for $119.99.