Top Microsoft Flight Simulator Plugins to Elevate Your Experience

For pilots flying with Virtual Air Canada, these plugins are not just enhancements — they are essentials for realism and operations.

1. Navigraph Charts & SimBrief Integration

🛫 Best for: Realistic flight planning and navigation

An indispensable tool for flight sim pilots, Navigraph offers real-world Jeppesen charts, airport plates, and in-game overlays. Integrated directly with SimBrief, you can plan and fly routes exactly as a real pilot would.

This is especially valuable for Virtual Air Canada pilots, as many routes include IFR operations across complex airspace.

2. FSRealistic Pro

🛫 Best for: Cockpit motion and sound effects

This plugin adds real-world sensory immersion, including turbulence bumps, flap whine, gear thuds, and wind noise. Your cockpit comes alive with every motion and sound.

A must-have when flying into Canada’s more turbulent approaches like St. John’s or windy landings in Halifax.

3. Sky4Sim Pad

🛫 Best for: All-in-one EFB (Electronic Flight Bag)

Sky4Sim is a fully functional in-sim tablet offering real-time METARs, navigation data, flight plans, notes, and checklists. You can even load PDFs — perfect for those using VAC route briefings mid-flight.

VAC pilots often use it to monitor ACARS instructions and follow step-by-step approaches.

4. GSX Pro by FSDreamTeam

🛫 Best for: Airport ground services and realism

GSX Pro brings airports to life with animated ground handling, baggage loaders, jetway operations, catering trucks, and realistic passenger boarding.

Imagine loading up passengers at CYYZ before a transcontinental flight with Virtual Air Canada — this plugin makes every phase of your flight feel alive.

5. Toolbar Pushback

🛫 Best for: Easy and intuitive pushback control

Simple but powerful, this freeware plugin gives you click-based pushback directions from your toolbar. Great for avoiding awkward angles or jetway collisions, especially at dense VAC hubs.

6. PMDG, Fenix & FlyByWire Aircraft

🛫 Best for: Study-level aircraft realism

For Virtual Air Canada pilots flying the Airbus A320, 737 MAX, or 777 — these are the gold-standard add-ons:

• FlyByWire A32NX – Free, deeply realistic Airbus

• Fenix A320 – Premium-level immersion

• PMDG 737/777 – Full system simulation

All support or are compatible with VAC’s custom aircraft liveries and flight routes.

7. Volanta Flight Tracker

🛫 Best for: Real-time flight tracking and stats

Volanta logs your entire flight experience and displays it on a global map. Connects seamlessly with SimBrief, VAC ACARS, and even VATSIM traffic.

It’s a great companion to track your VAC flights and share them with the community.

Bonus:  Virtual Air Canada Add-ons & Systems

🛫 Best for: Canadian-specific airline operations

At Virtual Air Canada, you’ll find:

• High-quality VAC liveries for supported aircraft

• Real-world Canadian route schedules

• Custom ACARS client and flight logging system

• Event scheduling and group flights across VATSIM

  
  

  
  

Conclusion

Enhancing your simulator with plugins is the key to unlocking a truly immersive experience. Whether you’re flying IFR into snowy Edmonton or preparing for a VATSIM group flight from Vancouver to Montreal, these tools turn your sim into a living, breathing cockpit.

And if you’re looking for purpose behind every takeoff and landing, Virtual Air Canada offers a structured, rewarding environment to fly with pride under the maple leaf.