Everything included in the Top Gun expansion for Microsoft Flight Simulator

Top Gun: Maverick is in theaters now, and the anticipated sequel to the iconic aviation film has found its way to Microsoft Flight Simulator.

The movie was delayed but has finally been released, which means the Top Gun expansion is now live. The plan was to launch it alongside the movie's release, giving the expansion its own delays as well.

The Top Gun expansion is free and available to download now, giving players a new plane to fly, new challenges to master, and additional missions to complete.

---

Everything that comes with the Microsoft Flight Simulator Top Gun expansion

A look at a pilot in the Super Hornet jet (Image via Microsoft)

Players who are fans of the Top Gun franchise will notice plenty of fan-favorite mentions within the expansion pack. There are direct references to the movie and some flying capabilities reminiscent of the film.

Here's everything players can expect from this new update to Microsoft Flight Simulator:

• A special Top Gun: Maverick livery for the F/A-18E Super Hornet
• Three F/A-18E Super Hornet training missions that allow players to master the most radical of flight maneuvers, such as unrestricted take-offs, split S maneuvers, and low-altitude high-speed flying through complex terrains
• Five low-level, high-speed challenges through mountains and canyons that can only be beaten with the utmost skill
• A callback to the original Top Gun movie and its subsequent NES game with a carrier deck landing challenge that is one of the most demanding operations in the real-life world of military aviation
• A brand new hypersonic aircraft that can reach speeds of Mach 10 and fly at altitudes greater than 150,000 feet above sea level
• A special mission that sees players take flight into the stratosphere above the planet

Those who plan on watching Top Gun: Maverick will notice that the F/A-18E Super Hornet is one of the main jets used in the movie. The livery allows them to make it fit the Top Gun theme in Microsoft Flight Simulator.

In the film, those trained by Tom Cruise's Pete "Maverick" Mitchell are tasked with zipping through complicated terrain like mountain ranges and canyons. These dangerous maneuvers are a massive part of the expansion.

Lastly, the most impactful part of the expansion is the carrier deck landing challenge. It is one of the more difficult objectives military jet pilots must face and is recreated wonderfully in the expansion.