Compare Airbus A220 add-ons for X-Plane 12, including AD Simulations, X-Bureau and older CSeries freeware, with compatibility and install advice.
X-Plane 12’s main payware Airbus A220 add-on is the AD Simulations A220 Series. The principal freeware choice is X-Bureau’s A220-300, while older Rivière CS100/CS300 models offer simpler alternatives. Freeware compatibility is release-dependent: many downloads were built for X-Plane 11 and can suffer plugin, sound, texture or flight-model problems in X-Plane 12.
Which A220 add-ons can you use in X-Plane 12?
The available choices range from an X-Plane 12-labelled commercial package to older freeware aircraft that may require troubleshooting.
| Add-on | Type and compatibility | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|
| AD Simulations A220 Series | Payware offered in X-Plane 12-compatible builds. Check the specific package for its included A220-100 or A220-300 variants and supported simulator version. | Simmers wanting a packaged A220 rather than adapting an older freeware model. |
| X-Bureau A220-300 | Freeware community project originating in the X-Plane 11 era. X-Plane 12 behaviour depends on the exact release or community update. | Users prepared to accept unfinished systems and diagnose plugin or display problems. |
| Rivière A220 and CSeries models | Older freeware, commonly found under CS100, CS300, A220-100 or A220-300 names. These are generally simpler aircraft without blanket X-Plane 12 support. | Casual flying, repaints and users who value the external model over detailed airliner systems. |
| A220 liveries and sound packs | Model-specific expansions, not complete aircraft. They must match the developer and often the exact -100 or -300 variant. | Expanding an A220 already installed and working. |
Our X-Plane aircraft downloads library is a useful place to check for freeware models and repaints, but do not assume every older download supports X-Plane 12.
Why are some A220 downloads called CS100 or CS300?
The Bombardier CS100 became the Airbus A220-100, while the CS300 became the Airbus A220-300, so older X-Plane downloads may retain their original CSeries names. Our guide to Airbus aircraft names and families explains where the A220 fits in the manufacturer’s range.
The real A220 also has its own Collins flight deck rather than an A320-family cockpit. An add-on using a generic Airbus panel or stock instruments may be perfectly usable, but it should be treated as a visual or casual-flying model rather than a faithful systems simulation.
Which X-Plane 12 A220 should you choose?
Choose according to systems depth, compatibility and how much troubleshooting you will tolerate—not exterior detail alone.
- Choose AD Simulations when explicit X-Plane 12 support and a packaged installation matter most. Read the stated feature list carefully, particularly for the FMS, autopilot, engine start logic and navigation-data support.
- Choose X-Bureau when freeware is essential and you accept that some systems may be incomplete or dependent on community fixes.
- Choose an older Rivière model for lighter, less procedural flying where basic operation and the A220’s appearance matter more than cockpit fidelity.
- Choose another Airbus type if dependable, detailed systems are more important than flying an A220 specifically. We maintain a separate overview of higher-fidelity payware aircraft choices for X-Plane 12.
Can an X-Plane 11 A220 work in X-Plane 12?
Some X-Plane 11 A220 aircraft will load in X-Plane 12, but loading successfully does not establish full compatibility. The aircraft’s plugins, flight model, airfoils, sounds, lighting and materials all need to behave correctly under X-Plane 12.
A mistake we see constantly is assuming that resaving an old .acf file in Plane Maker converts the complete add-on. It may update the aircraft file format, but it cannot repair incompatible plugins, obsolete datarefs, black cockpit displays or incorrect aerodynamic behaviour. Keep an untouched backup and use an author-supplied X-Plane 12 build whenever one exists.
Before installing an older A220, follow our checks for genuine X-Plane 12 add-on compatibility rather than relying solely on a filename or repaint description.
How do you install an A220 in X-Plane 12?
A complete A220 aircraft belongs under the simulator’s Aircraft directory, while a livery belongs inside the matching base aircraft’s livery folder.
- Inspect the archive. A complete aircraft should contain an
.acffile. An archive containing only texture files or a livery folder requires a separate base model. - Extract the aircraft. Place its complete folder under
X-Plane 12/Aircraft. Do not put the whole aircraft inResources/plugins. - Check the folder depth. The folder selected by X-Plane must ultimately contain the
.acffile; an extra nested archive folder can stop the aircraft appearing normally. - Read the included documentation. Install bundled dependencies only where the developer instructs, and verify that any plugin supports your operating system and processor.
- Load the aircraft and inspect the log. If displays remain black or switches do nothing, close X-Plane and examine
Log.txtin the simulator’s root folder for failed plugins, missing modules or script errors.
Why does an A220 fail after installation?
Most failed A220 installations result from using the wrong simulator build, mismatching a livery with its base aircraft or overlooking an incompatible plugin.
| Symptom | Likely cause and fix |
|---|---|
| Aircraft does not appear | Find the folder containing the .acf file and remove unnecessary nesting. Confirm that the download is a complete aircraft rather than a repaint. |
| Black displays or dead switches | A required plugin or script has not loaded. Check Log.txt, operating-system permissions and the add-on’s stated dependencies. |
| Magenta or missing textures | Reinstall the original textures and verify that the livery was made for that exact A220 model. Case-sensitive filename errors are especially troublesome outside Windows. |
| Incorrect handling or engine behaviour | The flight model, airfoils or systems may still be configured for an older X-Plane version. Use a dedicated X-Plane 12 update instead of blindly resaving the aircraft. |
| Livery is absent or distorted | The repaint targets a different developer or A220 variant. A CS300/A220-300 livery is not automatically compatible with an A220-100 or another developer’s model. |