What are the best freeware aircraft add-ons?

The best freeware aircraft add-ons are the FlyByWire A32NX for Microsoft Flight Simulator on a supported PC installation, the Zibo 737-800X for X-Plane 11 or 12 using the matching build, and complete Project Airbus or Project Open Sky packages for FSX. Compatibility and cockpit completeness matter more than download size.

Which freeware aircraft should I choose for each simulator?

Choose an actively maintained aircraft built for your simulator generation and preferred style of flying.

Best freeware aircraft for MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024

For MSFS 2020 on PC, the A32NX is our strongest overall freeware recommendation. It is more than a new exterior model: the project adds substantial Airbus avionics, cockpit systems, flight-management functions and an electronic flight bag. It suits simmers who want to learn normal airline procedures rather than simply fly an A320-shaped aircraft.

Freeware A330-900neo packages are useful alternatives for long-haul flying, although their systems depth and dependencies vary. General-aviation and vintage packages should be judged individually; some are complete aircraft, while others only modify an aeroplane included with the simulator. Our MSFS freeware aircraft library for 2020 and 2024 separates these package types and covers more flying styles.

For MSFS 2024 on PC, use an A32NX build whose documentation explicitly names MSFS 2024. A package working in MSFS 2020 is encouraging, but it does not prove that its avionics, flight model, tablet or external programs will behave correctly in 2024. Separate simulator installations may also use different active Community folders.

Aircraft supplied with the base simulator are not freeware add-ons. This distinction matters when comparing lists of the best free aircraft for MSFS 2024: an included aeroplane may cost nothing extra, but it is not a downloadable community package.

What is the best freeware aircraft for X-Plane 12 or X-Plane 11?

The Zibo 737-800X is the leading freeware airliner for both X-Plane 12 and X-Plane 11, provided that the installed build matches the simulator. Its appeal comes from the combination of detailed Boeing procedures, custom systems and a mature cockpit rather than visual detail alone.

Never install it over X-Plane’s default 737 folder. Give each major X-Plane version its own aircraft copy, because flight-model, engine, avionics and plugin changes can make an X-Plane 11 build unreliable in X-Plane 12 even when the aircraft appears in the menu.

For general aviation, select a native .acf package explicitly identified for your X-Plane generation. There is no single GA project with the same universal recommendation as Zibo, so maintenance status and plugin compatibility should decide the choice. Other aircraft and supporting modifications are organised in our X-Plane aircraft and mods library.

FSX freeware aircraft list: the best starting choices

The best FSX freeware is usually a carefully assembled complete package rather than the newest or largest archive.

• Project Airbus A320-family packages: strong choices for short- and medium-haul flying when supplied with a usable virtual cockpit, panel, sounds and correct flight dynamics.
• Project Open Sky Boeing packages: useful for classic 737, 747 and other Boeing operations, but systems quality depends on whoever assembled the complete package.
• Boeing 747-400 packages: good long-haul choices when the panel, sound set, effects and model variants are all included.
• Shorts Sherpa: a better fit for utility and cargo flying than another large jetliner.
• Boeing 307 and Gulfstream One EX: worthwhile alternatives for vintage and business-aircraft flying.

Project Airbus and Project Open Sky describe the model lineage; they do not guarantee that every repackaged download is complete. Check our specific FSX recommendations by aircraft category when choosing between airliners, utility types, vintage aircraft and business aeroplanes.

Choices for Prepar3D, FlightGear and DCS

Prepar3D needs stricter version checking than FSX because a model may appear while its older gauges or system modules fail. FlightGear users should favour maintained aircraft identified for their installed release, with the C172P serving as a sensible general-aviation baseline. For DCS, the community A-4E-C remains the standout free combat-aircraft project.

What makes a freeware aircraft genuinely good?

A good freeware aircraft combines credible behaviour, a functional cockpit, dependable installation and explicit support for the simulator version you use.

• Native compatibility: the documentation names the simulator and generation, not merely “Flight Simulator” or “X-Plane”.
• Systems depth: the flight-management computer, autopilot, electrical system and engine controls work to a level appropriate for the aircraft.
• Complete cockpit: the virtual cockpit has functional instruments rather than static displays or a loosely matched generic panel.
• Flight behaviour: take-off trim, control response, power changes, stalls and fuel consumption are plausible. A large texture archive says nothing about these qualities.
• Documentation: installation instructions identify dependencies, supported builds and any required base aircraft.
• Maintenance: releases for different simulator generations are clearly separated instead of being presented as universally compatible.

The mistake we see most often is choosing by aircraft name alone. Two downloads labelled “A320” or “747” can be entirely different products: one may have custom systems and a complete cockpit, while the other is only an exterior model attached to generic instruments. For more airliner-specific comparisons, see our breakdown of free airliners across the major simulators.

Is the download a complete aircraft or only a livery?

A complete aircraft can be selected and flown by itself; a livery, enhancement or model conversion normally requires another aircraft to be installed first.

• Standalone aircraft: includes the model, configuration, flight model and the required panel or cockpit files.
• Livery or repaint: primarily contains texture files and configuration entries for a named base model.
• Improvement mod: replaces systems, sounds or flight behaviour for an aircraft already supplied by the simulator or another project.
• Model-only package: may provide an exterior model but still require a separate panel, sound set and flight dynamics.

A repaint is not faulty because it does not appear without its base model. Read the dependency notes before installation; repeatedly reinstalling the textures will not supply the missing aircraft.

Do freeware aircraft work in every simulator version?

No. Aircraft formats, flight models, gauges, avionics and compiled plugins are specific to simulator families and often to individual generations.

MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024 share concepts and may share some packages, but compatibility must be confirmed per aircraft. X-Plane 11 aircraft can load in X-Plane 12 yet still have incorrect engine behaviour, flight dynamics or non-working plugins. An FSX exterior may display in Prepar3D while its cockpit fails because the gauges or modules are incompatible.

Do not treat “it appears in the aircraft menu” as a complete compatibility test. Start the engines, operate the primary displays, test the flight controls and autopilot, and complete a short circuit before committing to a longer flight.

Why is my freeware aircraft not showing up?

An aircraft usually disappears from the selection menu because it is installed one folder too deep, targets another simulator generation or requires a missing base package.

1. Verify the exact simulator. Check the full product name and generation, including MSFS 2020 versus 2024 and X-Plane 11 versus 12.
2. Extract the archive. Do not leave the aircraft inside a ZIP or run it from a temporary preview folder.
3. Locate the package root. An MSFS package normally exposes manifest.json and layout.json at its root. An X-Plane aircraft needs its .acf file inside the aircraft package. A conventional FSX aircraft contains aircraft.cfg.
4. Use the active content folder. Put manual MSFS packages in the simulator’s active Community folder, X-Plane packages under Aircraft, and conventional FSX aircraft under SimObjects\Airplanes.
5. Check dependencies. Repaints, panel upgrades and conversions may require a separate base aircraft, shared library, plugin or default aeroplane.
6. Remove duplicate builds. Two copies can create conflicting package identifiers or leave the simulator loading an obsolete version. Unless the instructions say otherwise, remove the old copy before installing its replacement.
7. Restart the simulator. Aircraft and package metadata are commonly scanned during start-up rather than immediately after files are copied.

Why does the aircraft load with black displays or missing parts?

Black displays usually indicate a cold-and-dark cockpit, an unsupported systems module or a missing dependency rather than a missing exterior model. Confirm that battery, external power, avionics and display brightness are set correctly before reinstalling anything.

Invisible components or blank liveries often point to a repaint installed without the required model. In FSX, also check that panel and sound aliases refer to aircraft present in the installation. If the simulator crashes while loading one aircraft, remove that package and verify its simulator and operating-system compatibility before adding it again.

Can I install freeware aircraft on Xbox or PlayStation?

Ordinary downloaded PC aircraft cannot be installed manually on Xbox, PS5 or PS5 Pro because those platforms do not expose a user-accessible Community folder.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 is available on PC and Xbox but was never released for PlayStation. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is available on PC, Xbox Series X|S, PS5 and PS5 Pro. Console users are limited to no-cost aircraft distributed through the simulator’s supported console content system; a package described as MSFS 2024 compatible may still be PC-only.

Can freeware aircraft be as good as payware?

Yes. The best freeware can equal or exceed commercial aircraft in selected areas, although quality varies far more widely between projects.

The A32NX, Zibo 737-800X and community A-4E-C stand out because they are substantial aircraft projects with functional systems and continuing version work, not simple visual conversions. Judge less familiar downloads by cockpit functionality, flight behaviour, documentation and maintenance rather than screenshots, texture resolution or archive size.