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How to Add Aircraft to Microsoft Flight Simulator

Microsoft Flight Simulator is an open platform software that is easily expandable by the user. One way to do this is by adding new flyable aircrafts. The default planes and helicopters that come with the simulator tend to be rather simplistic. However, there are thousands of other aircraft models available, which may easily be installed into your simulator and flown. Some of these models are commercially made and sold for profit. Many others are created by hobbyists, just like you, and are distributed over the Internet for free. Somewhere out there is just the right plane for you.

Things You'll Need

Microsoft Flight Simulator (any recent version)
A downloaded aircraft from the Internet

Instructions

- 1
  Find an aircraft you would like to add to your simulator. There are many sites on the net, where freeware planes are available. Be sure that the aircraft you download is compatible with your version of Flight Simulator.
- 2
  Extract the compressed file to your hard drive.
- 3
  Review the file contents. In some cases, and installation applet is included, and all you need to do is run it. In other cases, you must install the file manually. Usually there is a "readme" file that explains the installation procedure. If manual installation is necessary, then continue below.
- 4
  Read the instruction file of the aircraft you downloaded. Usually, all the files will already be arranged within a single folder carrying the aircraft's name. This folder will contain several sub-folders that are already arranged as they should be. However, occasionally, an aircraft with unusual features may require other steps.
- 5
  Drag and drop the folder with the aircraft's name into the "Aircraft" folder in the main directory of your Flight Simulator installation.
- 6
  Run Flight Simulator, and verify that the aircraft shows up in the list of installed planes. If it does not, then you did something wrong. Recheck the readme file, and try again. You probably missed a step, or placed a file in the wrong folder. If this does not work, consult a major flight forum on the Internet for additional advice.

Aviation