P3D

P3D, short for Prepar3D, is a 3D flight simulation platform developed by Lockheed Martin. It is designed for flight training, mission rehearsal, education, research, and entertainment, providing a high-fidelity, extensible environment for aircraft operations and aviation scenarios.

Since its initial release in 2010, Prepar3D has evolved through major versions. The software draws on technology from the Microsoft Flight Simulator X lineage and has progressively added 64-bit architecture, improved graphics, and expanded developer tools, with versions commonly referred to as P3D v1 through v5.

Operating on Windows, P3D supports a wide range of add-ons, including aircraft, scenery, weather, and utilities created by a large third-party community. It includes a Software Development Kit and interfaces for creating custom simobjects, making it a popular platform for academic, corporate, and military training as well as hobbyist use. The platform supports multi-monitor configurations and realistic weather and traffic simulations, and hosts both commercial and free content.

Licensing options cover academic and professional use, with variations geared toward individual learners or organizations. P3D remains a distinct flight simulation ecosystem within the broader spectrum of consumer and professional simulators, valued for its stability, extensibility, and training-oriented focus.