How it
all fits together.
THGF packages work differently from any other aircraft in Microsoft Flight Simulator. Here's exactly what you're buying and how it fits together.
Each glider type — King Post, Topless, Single Surface, Spoiler, Rigid Wing — is a category. You buy one package and get the entire category in the simulator, including every make and model variant included at launch. Think of it as buying into a glider type, not a single glider.
Open the aircraft selection screen in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. You'll find the THGF category listed as a single aircraft entry. Select it, then choose your variant — each variant is a specific make and model (e.g. Wills Wing U2 160 Aero Tube). Every variant has its own flight model, specifications, and liveries.
Add-on packages extend a category you already own. Install an add-on and a new make/model variant appears in the hangar alongside your existing ones — no separate aircraft entry, no reinstalling anything. The base category package is required; the add-on plugs into it. You only need the base to fly in group sessions, even if other pilots have different add-ons.
Group flying in THGF is organised by category. A King Post session means every pilot is flying a King Post glider. If you own that category's base package you can join — your specific variant doesn't matter. Pilots without the base package for that category cannot join. This keeps group flights fair and consistent without requiring everyone to own the same add-ons.
What is a category?
Hang gliders are classified by their structural and aerodynamic design. A King Post glider has an above-wing kingpost with flying wires — the classic hang glider silhouette. A Topless glider removes the kingpost for cleaner aerodynamics and higher performance. Each category has its own handling characteristics, performance envelope, and community.
In THGF, each category is a separate product. Within that product, multiple manufacturers and models are included as variants — each with its own flight model built from real-world performance data. When you buy King Post, you get every King Post variant in the package, not just one glider.
Base package vs add-ons
- ✓Required — you need this to fly the category
- ✓Includes all variants released at launch
- ✓Includes EFB, variometer, and flying sites
- ✓Required to join group flights in that category
- ✓One-time purchase or via Patreon
- ✓Optional — adds a new make/model to your hangar
- ✓Requires the base category package
- ✓Appears as a variant alongside base variants
- ✓Other pilots see the default glider if they lack the add-on
- ✓Sold separately, priced individually
MSFS 2020 vs MSFS 2024
- ✓One simobject per download
- ✓Separate package per glider model
- ✓No add-on support
- ✓Compatible with MSFS 2024
- ✓Gateway to the full experience
MSFS 2020 packages are free forever and will always run in 2024. They are the way to try hang gliding simulation before committing to a paid package.
- ✓One package — all variants included
- ✓Add-on variants sold separately
- ✓EFB (Electronic Flight Bag) built in
- ✓Variometer with WASM audio engine
- ✓Real-world flying site teleportation
- ✓Group flying support
The full THGF experience. Each category package is a one-time purchase or included with Patreon membership.
Read the THGF Manifesto
The full technical and philosophical background — how we design gliders for both simulators, the MSFS 2020 → 2024 progression, and where this is all going.