Google has released a new feature, possibly for the explicit purpose of reminding folks that Google Earth is a thing that exists. The satellite-mapped representation of our planet now includes a (very) basic flight simulator. If you’ve always wanted to zip over your home but are too cheap to buy something mapped by GeoEye, this is a free alternative.
Google Earth has crashed
Very free, as it turns out. The web browser interface is extremely simple, sticking a horizon marker and some floaty controls into the Google Earth window. It’s easy enough to access — just load up your chosen location, check under Tools, and then select Flight Simulator. After that, it’s just a matter of learning the keyboard controls.
It’s possible to crash simply by sucking at the controls and hitting the ‘ground’, but there are no consequences. There’s also nothing like actual plane handling or readouts, so you could be piloting a Cessna or a very slow training jet. But then, Google is specific about this feature being experimental. As the company said, the “flight simulator is designed for casual exploration rather than high-fidelity aerodynamic training.”
According to Google, “[a]s you fly, 3D buildings and high-resolution imagery stream in dynamically. Flying at extreme speeds or over low-bandwidth connections may result in temporary loading delays.”
We gave it a little test run over Johannesburg and, despite meeting the company’s standards, found that the high-res imagery didn’t display as well as it should have, even at the sim’s slowest speed. Still, it’s a curiosity that’ll keep you away from work for a few minutes. Just like that little dinosaur that keeps you busy when the internet’s out.
