Learn how to add an aircraft carrier to FSX, place it in Free Flight, and fix missing ships, Add-ons menus, hard decks and catapults.
To add an aircraft carrier to FSX or FSX: Steam Edition, install an FSX-compatible carrier model in SimObjects\Boats, copy any supplied effects, then use an AI carrier placement utility or traffic route to spawn it. Acceleration or Steam Edition is normally required for native catapult and arrestor operations.
Which carrier method should I use?
For most Free Flight use, an AI placement utility is the best choice because it can insert a moving carrier near your aircraft whenever you need one.
| Method | Best used for | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|
| AI placement utility | Carrier practice anywhere in Free Flight | The carrier model and placement utility must both be configured |
| AI ship traffic route | Scheduled moving carriers at repeatable locations | The carrier only appears at the route's specified time and position |
| Static scenery carrier | A permanently placed carrier at one location | It cannot move, and the deck may not support native carrier operations |
A carrier download supplies the ship itself; it does not necessarily make that ship appear automatically. Our downloadable Nimitz carrier package with installation notes is an example of a working FSX carrier intended for catapult launches and arrested landings.
How do I install and place the carrier?
Install the carrier model before configuring the utility or traffic route that will place it in the simulator.
- Close FSX and extract the download. Unpack it to a temporary folder rather than extracting directly over the simulator. Read the included instructions because some packages use an installer while others provide folders for manual copying.
- Install the ship model. Copy the carrier's folder into
FSX\SimObjects\Boats. The finished structure should resembleFSX\SimObjects\Boats\CarrierName\sim.cfg. An extra nestedCarrierNamefolder is a common reason the ship is not recognised. Do not install a carrier underSimObjects\Airplanes. - Copy the supporting files. Merge supplied
Effects, texture, sound or scenery files into the matching FSX folders. Preserve the layout in the archive rather than copying every file into the simulator's root directory. - Configure the placement method. Install the carrier utility specified by the package. If a formation entry is supplied, add it to the utility's configuration as instructed. Where an identifier must be entered manually, it normally needs to match the carrier's
title=entry insim.cfg. - Restart FSX and spawn the carrier. Start a Free Flight over open water, open the utility through the Add-ons menu or its assigned shortcut, select the carrier or formation, and place it near the aircraft. Menu names and shortcuts vary between utility builds.
For an Acceleration installation, our AI carrier placement package and manual registration notes cover the Add-ons menu and exe.xml setup. Steam Edition stores some configuration files in edition-specific locations, so use the instructions for that edition rather than copying a DVD-era path blindly.
A static scenery carrier is installed differently: place its scenery folder in a dedicated add-on scenery location and activate it through the FSX Scenery Library. It will not appear in an AI carrier utility unless the download also includes a compatible boat model and configuration entry.
Do I need to install a carrier at all?
FSX Acceleration and FSX: Steam Edition already include moving carriers used by missions and AI ship traffic, but they are not permanently visible at every location.
For route-based ships, raise the Ships and ferries traffic setting above zero and be at the correct place and simulation time. Our explanation of built-in and add-on carrier locations shows how scheduled ships differ from carriers inserted through a placement utility.
Why is the aircraft carrier not showing in FSX?
A missing carrier usually means the model is installed at the wrong folder depth, has not been added to the placement utility, or is controlled by a traffic route that is inactive.
| Symptom | Likely fix |
|---|---|
| Carrier is absent from the utility's list | Install its supplied formation entry and check that the configured model name matches title= in sim.cfg. |
| Add-ons menu is missing | Check the utility's exe.xml registration, accept any FSX trust prompt, and confirm that its required runtime or supporting component is installed. |
| Route-based carrier never appears | Increase Ships and ferries traffic, check the route time, and verify that the traffic scenery file was installed. |
| Carrier has white or missing textures | Restore the package's original folder structure and copy all texture and effects folders supplied with it. |
| Aircraft falls through the deck | Use a carrier with a hardened flight deck. A visual ship model or static scenery object does not automatically provide a landable surface. |
Will the catapult and arrestor cables work?
Native catapult launches and arrested landings require FSX Acceleration or FSX: Steam Edition, a correctly configured carrier, and an aircraft that contains the necessary launch-bar and tailhook data.
With the default bindings, lower the launch bar using Shift+U, align with a defined catapult, attach using Shift+I, and launch with Shift+Space. Lower the tailhook with Shift+Q before an arrested landing. Custom control assignments may replace these keys.
The painted catapult and cables are not enough by themselves: the carrier model must contain functional launch and arrestor zones. Likewise, a fighter that merely displays a hook may lack the required aircraft configuration. A carrier-capable T-45C package for FSX is suitable for practising once the carrier is installed and working.