Microsoft Flight Simulator is one of the most venerated simulation franchises in gaming. The newest game, Microsoft Flight, was announced as a free-to-play game to be released this Spring.

Microsoft apparently thinks the end of February is close enough to Spring and released the game yesterday according to the game’s official blog. The game was built to appeal to long time fans and newcomers alike who may have never entered the cockpit of a virtual aviation machine.

The new game takes place in beautiful Hawaii. What will aspiring pilots do besides fly their planes over the meticulously rendered landscapes? Microsoft Flight may be a simulator, but it is also very much a game. There will be gamey elements such as players hunting down Aerocaches and completing acrobatic challenges. Players can also take part in the fun that is “ferrying passengers and cargo around the islands.” Only thing that could make that more exciting is if a zombie Red Baron tried to shoot you down in the middle of delivery.

Microsoft will continue to update the game with new features as it takes off. This is a free-to-play game so it will gain more momentum as more content is added. Not all of the content will be free though as the other side of free-to-play is also well represented.

Players wanting to get a little more out of their game can buy add-ons from the marketplace. There are only three paid for add-ons right now, but expect more in the coming months. If you were wondering, the three packs currently available include two new aircrafts and the Hawaiian Adventure Pack which opens up the entire island chain for players to explore.

You can start playing now at the game’s official Web site. Tell us what you think once you’ve had a chance to play around with the new Microsoft Flight.