The Halo D77-TC Pelican is free to claim in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 from November 10 until November 17, and from November 18 it costs $9.99 in the in-sim Marketplace, according to MSFS Addons. Microsoft announced it on Xbox Wire to mark the 25th anniversary of Halo.

The aircraft is available on all platforms, which for this simulator means PC, Xbox and PS5. Microsoft has not given a cut-off time on November 17, so the site advises claiming it early.

What is the Halo Pelican in Flight Simulator 2024?

It is the troop carrier from the Halo series, flown in the simulator’s recreation of Earth. This is not its first appearance. It debuted in June 2022 in Microsoft Flight Simulator, the 2020 edition, as the first fictional aircraft in the series, built with 343 Industries, now Halo Studios, and based on the Pelican from Halo Infinite.

Halo launched alongside the original Xbox in November 2001, which is why Microsoft is marking the date now.

What does the aircraft offer?

MSFS Addons says the feature list closely mirrors the original, quoting Microsoft’s announcement:

  • A unique flight model that can switch between drone-type and jet-type propulsion
  • Custom avionics inspired by the Halo games
  • A complete interior model, including the cargo bay
  • 12 liveries, one fewer than the 13 listed for the 2020 version

Techtroduce notes a caveat: Microsoft’s November 10 announcement confirms the release but gives no detailed comparison of the flight model against the 2022 version. Treat the similarity claim as a report from MSFS Addons, not something we could check.

What does the Halo lore say about it?

The announcement also carries in-universe background. In the lore, the D77 Pelican is built by Misriah Armory and forms the backbone of the UNSC transport squadrons, moving troops and cargo from orbit to a planet’s surface and back.

It normally flies with a crew of three: pilot, copilot and crew chief. It carries up to 14 fully equipped infantry, and it can sling a vehicle from an external clamp. Four fusion thrusters provide the push, and each wing has three hardpoints for sensors, cargo pods or weapons.

Prices

There are two prices to know, both from MSFS Addons, which does not name a country or currency beyond the dollar sign:

  • November 10 to November 17: free to claim in the simulator
  • From November 18: $9.99 in the in-sim Marketplace

The 2022 Pelican was a free gift with no expiry date, so the short free window is a change. MSFS Addons compares it with a May offer for World Update 21: Australia, which also had a short free period followed by a paid price. It also notes that the free Top Gun: Maverick expansion never came across to Flight Simulator 2024, but says the Pelican faces no such licensing deadline because Halo is a Microsoft franchise.

Who it suits

Halo fans. If you want to fly Master Chief’s ride over your own town, claiming it during the free week costs nothing and takes a couple of minutes.

Casual players with the simulator installed. Open the Marketplace in Flight Simulator 2024 on PC, Xbox or PS5, search for the Pelican and claim it before the end of November 17.

Serious simmers. MSFS Addons says some hardcore simmers dismissed the 2022 version as a toy for the Xbox crowd. This one is a fictional aircraft, so it may not interest players who stick to real-world aviation.

Who should wait. If you do not own Flight Simulator 2024 or are not sure you will use the aircraft, there is no pressure. Once the free week ends it stays on sale at $9.99, so you can buy it later.

What is still unknown?

The exact hour the free offer ends on November 17 has not been stated. Whether the Pelican will be on sale outside the Marketplace is also not mentioned in the sources we read.

Before November 18, open the Marketplace in your simulator and check the Pelican page for the current price. The Xbox Wire announcement is the official place to look for any change.