Find the best freeware aircraft carrier option for MSFS 2024, with PC and console limits, compatibility checks and fixes for missing decks.
There is no single native freeware aircraft carrier add-on we can recommend unconditionally for MSFS 2024. On PC, the best choice is a carrier package explicitly confirmed for MSFS 2024, with a solid deck collision model and separate catapult/arrestor support. Xbox and PlayStation users cannot sideload Community-folder freeware.
A carrier can look convincing yet provide nothing more than scenery. The flight deck may lack collision, and visible catapults or arresting wires do not mean they work. Our breakdown of MSFS 2024 carrier support and limitations explains what the simulator itself provides.
What counts as the best freeware MSFS 2024 carrier?
The best practical PC setup combines a compatible carrier model with a hardened flight deck and working launch and recovery functions. Those functions may be built into the package or supplied by a documented companion module.
| Carrier type | Choose it when | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Static scenery carrier | You want predictable landing practice at a fixed location | Usually lacks movement, catapults and arresting wires |
| Moving carrier | You want a realistic approach to a ship under way | Its position may depend on a route, schedule or starting condition |
| Carrier plus operations module | You want catapult launches and arrested landings | Both components and the aircraft must be compatible with MSFS 2024 |
If two free packages appear comparable, prioritise explicit MSFS 2024 support, a proper collision surface, published coordinates or an identifiable map marker, and clear instructions for the arrestor and catapult controls. Do not treat an MSFS 2020 label as confirmation of MSFS 2024 compatibility.
The aircraft matters as well. Our selection of freeware fighter jets suited to naval-style flying covers suitable options, although a visible tailhook alone does not guarantee compatibility with a carrier module.
How do I check whether a carrier add-on really works?
- Confirm the simulator version. Look for an explicit MSFS 2024 compatibility statement in the package documentation. Compatibility with MSFS 2020 is not enough by itself.
- Check the extracted folder. The package folder placed in
Communityshould normally contain files such asmanifest.jsonandlayout.json. An extra nested folder is a common reason an add-on does not load. - Install only required components. Temporarily remove other carrier packages and install any documented dependency or operations module. Duplicate ship models can create overlapping decks or conflicting locations.
- Test the deck collision. Load near the carrier and place an aircraft on the deck. If it falls through, floats above the surface or collides with an invisible object, the scenery is not usable for reliable carrier practice.
- Test each function separately. Verify deck collision first, then arresting gear, and finally the catapult. A working deck does not prove that launch and recovery scripts are active.
Why is the carrier missing or not catching the aircraft?
- The carrier never appears: check for a nested installation folder, a disabled package, a missing dependency or an incorrect location. Restart the simulator after changing Community-folder content.
- A moving carrier is absent: it may follow a timed route rather than remain at the published coordinates. Read the package instructions for its route, departure point and required conditions.
- The aircraft falls through the deck: the carrier has no usable collision surface or its collision model is incompatible. Graphics settings and landing assistance will not repair it.
- The hook passes over the wires: the cables may be visual scenery only, the companion module may not be running, or the aircraft may not expose a compatible arrestor function.
- The catapult does nothing: use the trigger or control specified by the add-on. Parking on the shuttle and applying full power rarely activates an add-on catapult by itself.
Once the package is operating, our carrier-location and landing setup covers spawning nearby, configuring the approach and getting onto the deck.
Can Xbox and PlayStation users install freeware carriers?
No. MSFS 2024 on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 and PS5 Pro does not expose the PC Community folder, so downloaded freeware cannot be copied to those consoles. Console content must be distributed through the simulator's own catalogue or included content, and PC-only companion programs cannot run alongside the console version.
Will an older MSFS 2020, FSX or P3D carrier work?
Some simple MSFS 2020 scenery models may load in MSFS 2024, but moving SimObjects, custom controls and external launch or arrestor modules are more likely to fail. Treat them as unverified until the publisher confirms compatibility and you have tested the deck.
FSX and Prepar3D packages use a different add-on format and should not be placed in the MSFS 2024 Community folder. For example, our freeware Nimitz package built for FSX and Prepar3D is not an MSFS 2024 carrier add-on.