"Anything That Flies" is X-Plane's tagline, as the designers aim for near total realism by allowing you to pilot a wide array of flying vehicles, both real and fictitious, ranging from light two-seat propeller jobs to jumbo jets, gliders, several types of helicopters, fighter planes and spacecraft. A tutorial is offered for novice pilots in the form of an initial flight to get you off the ground and familiar with some controls.
The craft can be flown to and from or crashed into any of a huge list of replicated airports from around the world. Realistic weather parameters include light drizzle, huge storms, clear skies, zero visibility and varied time of day flying. Terrain is not limited to earthly regions, as it's possible to fly on Mars with planes or spacecraft. Controlling the craft can range in difficulty from engaging the autopilot function to manipulating every control in the cockpit.
A combination of keyboard, mouse and joystick is used to pilot the more than 40 aircraft X-Plane has to offer. Modules include a part-maker and plane-maker that allow design and construction of aircraft from scratch and a terrain feature for creating customized landscapes. Additionally, entire aircraft and parts can be customized as well.