SquawkBox - Online Flight Controllers for MS Flight Simulator

SquawkBox

"What is SquawkBox?

SquawkBox is an add-on for Microsoft Flight Simulator that connects virtual pilots to online air traffic control networks. It adds tremendous realism to your flights by connecting you to an online world populated with virtual air traffic controllers. These controllers are real people that communicate with you on voice, handling every aspect of your flight: filing your flight plan, getting clearance, pushback, taxiing, takeoff and landing.

Best of all, SquawkBox is 100% free to download and use!

What Does SquawkBox Do?

SquawkBox is a simple and unobtrusive application which provides the core functionality needed to get you connected to online air traffic control networks. Here is a brief list of the main functions of the software:

Connects you to an air traffic control server.
Integrates with Microsoft Flight Simulator to communicate information about your flight over the network.
Displays information about air traffic controllers in your vicinity.
Enables radio communication using text or voice with air traffic controllers and other pilots.
Enables private text chat and private voice communication with air traffic controllers and other pilots.
Displays other pilots in your vicinity with accurate renditions of the aircraft they are flying.
Changes the weather in Flight Simulator using weather data downloaded from the network. ..."

My first thought was, wow, that's kind of cool. My next was, wow, some people have too much time on their hands...

Still I think this is kind of neat... Makes me almost want to go out and get Flight Sim just to play with it.

(via Nick Whittome - "The Naked MVP" - Squawkbox 3.0.4 Released)