The Aerosoft Twin Otter for MSFS 2020 is not fully supported in MSFS 2024. Learn what may load, how to test it and which DHC-6 to use instead.
No. The Aerosoft Twin Otter made for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 is not a fully supported, native MSFS 2024 aircraft. Existing PC owners may find that it loads through legacy compatibility, but systems can fail. FSX/Prepar3D versions will not work; MSFS 2024 already supplies its own DHC-6 Twin Otter.
Aerosoft Twin Otter and DHC-6 versions compared
The DHC-6 supplied with MSFS 2024 is the straightforward native choice; similarly named Aerosoft products and repaints are separate packages.
| Product or file | MSFS 2024 status | Best course |
|---|---|---|
| Aerosoft Twin Otter for MSFS 2020 | May load through legacy compatibility, but full systems support is not guaranteed | Existing PC owners can test it cautiously; do not assume that loading means it is compatible |
| DHC-6 Twin Otter included with MSFS 2024 | Native MSFS 2024 aircraft | Use this for the most dependable experience |
| Aerosoft Twin Otter Extended for FSX or Prepar3D | Incompatible | Keep it in its intended simulator; copying its folders cannot convert it |
| Twin Otter repaint or livery | Works only with the exact base aircraft named by its author | Confirm both the simulator and aircraft model before installing it |
MSFS 2024 includes a De Havilland Canada DHC-6 in its Standard Edition aircraft selection. This is not the Aerosoft product, and owning the Aerosoft edition is not required to fly the included aircraft.
Backward compatibility can make an MSFS 2020 package appear in the aircraft selector even when its gauges, sounds, animations or engine logic are only partly functional. Our explanation of how legacy MSFS 2020 add-ons behave in MSFS 2024 covers why detection and full compatibility are different things.
What is the difference between the Twin Otter in MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024?
The Aerosoft Twin Otter for MSFS 2020 and the DHC-6 included with MSFS 2024 are different aircraft packages, not two versions of one shared installation.
The Aerosoft aircraft was built around the MSFS 2020 package format and systems environment. MSFS 2024 can interpret many older packages, but that does not turn them into native aircraft or provide an automatic upgrade.
The built-in MSFS 2024 Twin Otter has its own package identity, systems and liveries. A repaint made for the Aerosoft model will not normally fit the included DHC-6, even if both represent the same real aircraft variant. Do not merge their folders, rename manifests or copy textures between them unless a livery explicitly supports that exact model.
How can I test the Aerosoft Twin Otter in MSFS 2024?
Existing PC owners can test the original MSFS 2020 package in a clean MSFS 2024 installation, but they should check the complete aircraft rather than stopping when the exterior model appears.
- Identify the edition. The documentation must name Microsoft Flight Simulator or MSFS 2020. A product called Twin Otter Extended, or one labelled FSX or Prepar3D, is the wrong generation.
- Update the simulator and installed content. Complete pending simulator and content updates before testing so that an outdated base installation does not confuse the result.
- Use the original complete package. Follow any MSFS 2024 instructions supplied with your copy. Do not copy only the
SimObjectsfolder; a valid manual package also depends on its package structure and files such asmanifest.jsonandlayout.json. - Remove optional modifications. Temporarily disable Twin Otter liveries, sound replacements and aircraft-system mods. Load a default Aerosoft livery at a simple airport.
- Test the working cockpit. Check cold-and-dark starting, throttles, propeller and condition levers, fuel controls, avionics, lights, sounds and engine shutdown. Test any float, ski, door or cargo variant you plan to use.
- Reload the flight. Quit and load the aircraft again. Missing displays, dead switches, incorrect propeller behaviour, absent sounds or repeatable crashes mean the package should still be treated as incompatible.
A common mistake is redirecting an older installer to a guessed folder. MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024 can have separate Community locations, and those locations vary with the installation platform. Content managed through the in-simulator library should be installed there rather than moved or unpacked manually.
Why is the Twin Otter missing or broken?
A completely missing aircraft usually points to the wrong package, folder or dependency; a visible aircraft with failed systems more often indicates incomplete legacy compatibility.
- It does not appear in the aircraft selector: check that the package is in the active MSFS 2024 Community folder and is not buried inside an extra directory. The package root should expose its manifest and layout files.
- Only a livery was installed: a repaint supplies textures, not a flyable aircraft. It must name the exact Aerosoft or built-in DHC-6 model it requires.
- The aircraft has missing or pink textures: the livery may depend on another package, target a different Twin Otter model or use an obsolete texture configuration.
- The exterior loads but the cockpit is dead: this is not usually fixed by moving folders. It points to gauges, modules or systems that MSFS 2024 is not running correctly.
- The simulator hangs or closes while loading: remove the Twin Otter and its optional modifications, confirm that a default aircraft loads, then restore only the base package.
For folder nesting, duplicate packages and dependency checks, use our troubleshooting steps for an aircraft that is missing from Flight Simulator.
Does the Aerosoft Twin Otter work on Xbox or PS5?
A downloaded Aerosoft PC package cannot be copied to Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 or PS5 Pro.
Console aircraft must be distributed and approved through the simulator’s supported in-game content system for that platform. A PC installer, Community-folder package or FSX/Prepar3D product provides no console entitlement. The same restriction described in our guide to using add-on aircraft on Xbox applies to externally downloaded packages.
MSFS 2020 was never released for PlayStation, so there is no PS5 installation path for its Aerosoft Twin Otter. MSFS 2024 players on consoles can instead use the DHC-6 supplied with the simulator.
Which Twin Otter should I use in MSFS 2024?
Use the included MSFS 2024 DHC-6 when you want a native aircraft with the least compatibility risk.
- You already own the Aerosoft MSFS 2020 aircraft on PC: test it using the clean procedure above, but keep using it in MSFS 2020 if important systems fail.
- You are buying specifically for MSFS 2024: do not buy an old Aerosoft, FSX or Prepar3D edition on the assumption that it will convert or receive compatibility automatically.
- You have found a Twin Otter livery: install it only when its description names both MSFS 2024 and your exact DHC-6 package.
- You need predictable operation on PC or console: choose the Twin Otter included with MSFS 2024 rather than relying on the legacy Aerosoft aircraft.