Airside ATC is now available for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, giving simmers the opportunity to manage clearances, pushbacks, taxi movements, departures and arrivals. The software runs alongside the simulator, with aircraft responding to your instructions.
According to the developer, Airside works at every airport in MSFS 2024, including third-party scenery. Airport layouts and published departure and arrival procedures are read directly from the simulator. It is a single-player experience, with Airside flying the traffic.
The desk includes Delivery, Ground and Tower positions. You can manage all three or hand individual positions to the software, allowing you to concentrate on a particular part of airport operations. Handing over every position activates a spotter mode, where you can watch the airport operate and follow aircraft with the cameras.
Instructions can be spoken using push-to-talk or issued through buttons. Speech recognition and crew voices run locally, whilst a small AI model adds conversational responses. The developer’s FAQ says this model does not issue or change instructions, and its additional dialogue can be adjusted or disabled.
Traffic progresses through arrivals, turnaround activities and subsequent departures, with adjustable activity levels. The full version also includes live traffic using real airlines, flight numbers and scheduled times. Users can request one new airport per day, up to twelve per month, with airports already available in the system excluded from that allowance.
Airside requires MSFS 2024 on Windows 10 or 11, an internet connection at startup and the simulator’s own aircraft traffic to be disabled. A microphone is optional. The developer also notes that jetways do not animate and wake turbulence separation is not simulated.
You can buy Airside from its website for a launch price of €24.95, rising to €49.90 after the introductory period. It is a one-time purchase with updates included. A €99.90 Supporter edition adds early builds, development voting, priority support and a name in the credits.
Four lessons introduce the controller positions and supported phraseology. A one-hour demo is available with everything except live traffic, with the timer starting when Airside first opens on your PC.
