Google Earth Has A Surprise Inside

There's a flight simulator in Google Earth?  Who knew?  It's activated by pressing Control+Alt+A in Windows and Control+Option+A (should be a capital A) on the Mac.  You get a  choice of an F-16 or an SR22.  The program will attempt to locate a joystick if one is attached to the system.  The help file offers the keyboard commands to control the aircraft if there is no other controller.

The choice of airports is interesting to say the least.  There is an array of U.S. and international airstrips.  The U.S. is represented by Los Angeles International, JFK in New York, SFO in San Francisco, and Meigs Field in Chicago.  The latter choice is the most interesting as Meigs hasn't existed in 4 years when Chicago's Mayor Daley demolished the runways one night.  It was always his dream to do that.  The FAA fined the city for taking the action.  But there, in Google Flight Simulator, one can take off from Runway 18 and fly over the Windy City to parts unknown. 

The view from the plane is pretty good as it combines flight with Google Earth satellite pictures.  This should be a fun toy as it becomes better known.  Who knows if more airports will be added, like maybe O'Hare.