SquawkBox

SquawkBox is a game add-on for the Microsoft Flight Simulator video game developed by Joel M. DeYoung. It is used for connecting to online networks for air traffic control. This allows players to obtain realistic virtual flights by connecting players to a virtual world with people serving as virtual air traffic controllers. With this add-on, players can plan flights, file flight plans, get flight clearance, and fly in various environments where air traffic control is done by real individuals.

The following are the main functions of SquawkBox:
• Connects players to air traffic control servers
• Microsoft Flight Simulator integration for communicating information regarding flights over networks
• Provides air traffic controller information in a vicinity
• Provides radio communications via voice/text
• Changes Flight Simulator weather and shows other pilots which are present within the vicinity

The program is available in two versions – External and Module. External version is launched along with the Flight Simulator game while the Module version is a module DLL version of Flight Simulator that is launched as part of the game. The External version is used for running SquawkBox on a computer and Flight Simulator in another computer. If the player needs to run both programs in a single computer, the Module version is available.

The program also allows users to maintain aircrafts, change aircrafts, create flight plans, tune radios, use transponders, and more.