Fix aircraft missing from MSFS Free Flight by clearing filters, verifying ownership, checking packages, Safe Mode and Community-folder issues.
Aircraft usually disappear from Free Flight in Microsoft Flight Simulator because an aircraft-list filter is active, the package is not installed or available to stream, the wrong Microsoft or platform account is signed in, or an add-on has failed to load. Clear filters first, then verify ownership, content status and package structure.
How do I restore missing aircraft to Free Flight?
Work through the aircraft selector, entitlement and content checks in that order; most cases are solved before any reinstall is necessary.
- Clear the aircraft search and filters. Open the aircraft selector from the Free Flight or World Map setup screen. Delete anything in the search box, remove favourite, manufacturer and aircraft-type filters, and choose an All or equivalent view where offered. A retained filter is the most common reason several aircraft appear to have vanished.
- Check for grouped variants. Some interfaces place engine variants and configurations under one aircraft tile. Liveries normally sit beneath their base aircraft rather than appearing as separate flyable aircraft; our guide explains why a livery needs its base aircraft and where it should appear.
- Confirm ownership. Sign in with the Microsoft and platform account that owns the simulator edition or Marketplace purchase. Access to the Standard edition does not include aircraft sold separately or bundled only with a higher edition.
- Check the aircraft package. In MSFS 2020, optional aircraft packages can be installed or removed separately through the in-simulator content system. MSFS 2024 relies more heavily on streamed content, so online functionality and content availability also matter. Make sure the aircraft is installed, enabled or available to stream as appropriate.
- Fully restart the simulator. Close it rather than returning only to the main menu. On Xbox, avoid resuming the troubleshooting session through Quick Resume because cached content and entitlement information may be stale.
- Check whether Safe Mode is active. Safe Mode deliberately excludes third-party content. Start in normal mode after removing or isolating the package that caused the previous failed launch.
Why are only add-on aircraft missing?
If stock aircraft appear but every add-on is absent, Microsoft Flight Simulator is not loading the third-party packages.
On PC, an aircraft must be extracted according to the package author's instructions and placed in the active Community folder. Do not leave it as a ZIP archive. If this is a new installation, compare it with the correct PC installation process for MSFS aircraft.
A common mistake we see is extra folder nesting. The folder containing manifest.json and layout.json should normally be the package folder read by the simulator, not buried several levels below another identically named folder. Reinstallations, storage changes and having both MSFS 2020 and 2024 can also leave an obsolete Community folder behind; use our instructions to identify the active Community folder and package-scanning faults.
One missing add-on may instead require another aircraft, use an unsupported simulator version or contain only an AI model. For those cases, follow our deeper checklist for aircraft absent from the selection screen.
Why are default or edition aircraft missing?
Missing default or edition aircraft usually point to ownership, installation or streaming rather than a Community-folder error.
| What you see | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Only higher-edition aircraft are absent | Wrong account, edition or unsynchronised entitlement | Confirm the owning account and review owned content inside the simulator |
| One stock aircraft is absent | Its package is disabled, incomplete or awaiting content delivery | Find that individual aircraft package, enable or install it, then restart |
| Most aircraft are absent | Search filter, offline state or content-loading failure | Clear every filter and confirm online functionality |
| All third-party aircraft are absent | Safe Mode, wrong Community folder or package conflict | Launch normally and test the active package folder |
Can an aircraft be unavailable in Free Flight by design?
Yes. Not every aircraft model contained in a package is a user-flyable Free Flight aircraft.
- AI and static models may exist only for traffic, missions or scenery and have no flyable cockpit entry.
- Liveries and variants may be grouped beneath the base aircraft rather than displayed as individual tiles.
- Version compatibility matters. An add-on made for MSFS 2020 is not automatically compatible with MSFS 2024.
- Platform support matters. Loose Community packages cannot be sideloaded onto consoles; the aircraft must be distributed for that console through the simulator's content system.
- Edition access matters. Seeing an aircraft advertised or listed in a catalogue does not mean it belongs to the edition or account being used.
What if the aircraft is still missing?
Run a clean-load test before repairing or reinstalling Microsoft Flight Simulator.
- On PC, close the simulator and temporarily move Community packages out of the active folder.
- Launch in normal mode and check Free Flight with every search and category filter cleared.
- If the missing aircraft returns, restore add-ons in small batches until the conflicting package is identified.
- If a stock aircraft remains absent, use the simulator or platform's content repair facility only after checking ownership and individual package status; repair operations may trigger substantial downloads.
A complete reinstall should be the last step. It will not correct a wrong account, missing edition entitlement, obsolete Community path or incompatible aircraft package.