Microsoft Flight Simulator Unveils New National Championship Air Races Expansion

ROSWELL, N.M. — Microsoft Flight Simulator will release its new National Championship Air Races expansion Oct. 13, 2026, following the 2026 races in September.

Microsoft Flight Simulator will be onsite at the 2026 races, which will be held Sept. 16-20. Race fans can visit the Microsoft Flight Simulator booth and experience the new air racing content firsthand.

“This is a unique, one-of-a-kind event in the world,” said Tony Logoteta, President and Chief Operating Officer of the Reno Air Racing Association. “It’s the World’s Fastest Motorsport.”

He noted that race aircraft can exceed 500 mph while competing just feet above the desert floor.

Logoteta highlighted the collaboration between Microsoft Flight Simulator developers and experienced race pilots, who worked together to recreate the nuances and demands of real air racing.

The new experience builds upon the air racing content first introduced through the partnership between Microsoft Flight Simulator and the Reno Air Racing Association. Players will be able to race on the historic Reno course, as well as the new National Championship Air Races courses in Roswell.

According to Jorg Neumann, Head of Microsoft Flight Simulator, the new version takes air racing realism significantly further. Rather than simply applying full power and flying the course, competitors must actively manage aircraft systems and performance, including manifold pressure and engine temperature, adding another layer of strategy and skill to the racing experience.

The expansion also adds STOL Drag racing, bringing the head-to-head short takeoff and landing competition seen at the National Championship Air Races into Microsoft Flight Simulator.

“The partnership with Microsoft Flight Simulator gives us an extraordinary opportunity to introduce air racing to people around the world,” said Logoteta. “Fans can see these incredible airplanes and pilots racing in Roswell, experience the new simulator firsthand while they’re at the event, and then take that experience home with them when the expansion launches in October. It connects the real sport and the virtual experience in a way we’ve never been able to do before.”

For more information: AirRace.org, FlightSimulator.com