Configure ChasePlane camera views in MSFS, import presets, match aircraft profiles, bind controls, and fix missing, shifted or conflicting views.
To configure ChasePlane camera views in Microsoft Flight Simulator, connect ChasePlane to the simulator, load the correct aircraft profile, create and position each view, save it, then assign a unique recall control. To import presets, use ChasePlane’s import function, select the preset package and map it to the exact aircraft variant before testing every view.
This is a Windows PC workflow. Xbox and PlayStation editions of Microsoft Flight Simulator cannot run the external ChasePlane application.
Before configuring ChasePlane in MSFS
A working simulator connection and the correct aircraft profile are essential before you create or import any views. Launch ChasePlane and Microsoft Flight Simulator, enter an active flight with the required aircraft, and confirm that ChasePlane recognises it.
If the aircraft is not detected, resolve that before editing cameras; our installation and simulator-connection checklist covers SimConnect, profiles and non-conflicting controls. Menu wording can vary between ChasePlane releases and between MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024, but the underlying process is the same.
Keep the terminology straight: a profile is normally the aircraft-specific container, while a view or preset is a saved camera position within that profile. Closely related variants can have different cockpit geometry, so matching only the aircraft family is not always enough.
How do I configure ChasePlane camera views?
Configure each ChasePlane view against the aircraft variant in which it will be used, then bind its recall command only after its position and framing are correct.
- Load the aircraft in a flight. Starting on the runway or at a parking stand allows ChasePlane to identify the active aircraft more reliably than working from the World Map.
- Select or create its profile. Check the aircraft and variant shown in ChasePlane. Do not build views under a similarly named profile simply because the cockpit looks alike.
- Create a new view. Choose the appropriate cockpit or external view type, then give it a descriptive name such as
Captain,Overhead,FMCorLeft Wing. - Position the camera. Use ChasePlane’s movement and rotation controls to set the eye point, direction and zoom or field of view. Using its own editor ensures that the stored coordinates belong to the ChasePlane view rather than an unrelated MSFS drone or cockpit camera.
- Save before adding effects. First confirm that the static camera is framed correctly and does not clip through the seat, panel or fuselage. Add motion, damping or other camera behaviour afterwards, because those effects can make basic positioning harder to judge.
- Assign a unique recall control. Bind a keyboard key, joystick button or controller combination in ChasePlane. Remove the same input from conflicting MSFS camera commands; otherwise one press may recall a ChasePlane view while also moving or resetting the native camera.
- Test every transition. Recall the view from the cockpit, an external view and another saved camera. Check both directions so that a hidden duplicate binding does not appear only when leaving a view.
For a closer aircraft-by-aircraft treatment, see our camera creation, positioning and binding workflow.
How do I import ChasePlane view presets?
Import ChasePlane presets through the application’s profile or preset importer, then associate them with the exact MSFS aircraft variant for which their camera coordinates were created.
- Protect your existing profile. Keep a copy or duplicate of any profile you do not want replaced. If the importer offers merge and replace choices, use merge only when you want to retain your existing views.
- Open the ChasePlane importer. Use the import control in its profile or preset library and select the supplied preset file or package. A ChasePlane preset is application data, not an aircraft or scenery package, so it should not normally be placed in the MSFS
Communityfolder. - Choose the destination aircraft. Map the import to the full aircraft and variant, not merely the manufacturer or base model. Treat passenger, cargo, cockpit and substantially remodelled variants as separate until you have confirmed that their camera geometry matches.
- Activate the imported profile. Confirm that the imported views appear under the profile ChasePlane loads for the aircraft. If they landed in a separate profile, select that profile or copy the required views into your working one.
- Inspect and resave each view. Check seating position, instrument framing, clipping and exterior attachment points. Correct any offset in ChasePlane, then save the adjusted version locally.
- Review the bindings. Imported key assignments may overlap your MSFS controls or existing ChasePlane views. Rebind them rather than keeping two actions on one button.
Use a preset built for Microsoft Flight Simulator and the intended aircraft generation. Older FSX or Prepar3D ChasePlane data, and presets made around a different cockpit model, should not be assumed compatible. Our preset import and aircraft-mapping walkthrough covers shifted views and profiles that import into the wrong variant.
Why are imported ChasePlane views missing or misaligned?
Missing or badly positioned ChasePlane views usually come from the wrong aircraft profile, a simulator connection failure, changed cockpit geometry or duplicate camera bindings.
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Aircraft or profile does not appear | MSFS is not in an active flight, ChasePlane is disconnected, or the variant is not recognised | Load the aircraft into a flight, reconnect ChasePlane and check which aircraft identity it reports |
| Import succeeds but no views appear | The preset was assigned to another profile or aircraft variant | Open the imported profile and remap or copy the views to the active aircraft |
| Cockpit views are too high, low or sideways | The preset targets different cockpit geometry or an aircraft update changed the model | Reposition the camera in ChasePlane and save a local adjusted copy |
| Framing differs from the preset | Different zoom, field of view, aspect ratio or monitor arrangement | Adjust zoom and position together; zoom alone can make the panel readable while leaving the eye point wrong |
| A recall key moves or resets the camera | The same input is bound in both ChasePlane and MSFS | Assign a unique ChasePlane control and remove the conflicting native camera binding |
| Camera clips through the aircraft | The imported coordinates do not fit this model or variant | Move the camera clear of the geometry rather than trying to hide the problem with zoom |
Should I use ChasePlane or native MSFS custom views?
Use ChasePlane when you want aircraft-specific profiles, organised preset imports and additional camera behaviour; use native MSFS custom views when you want a simpler setup without an external application.
- Choose ChasePlane for larger view libraries, reusable aircraft profiles, external cameras and centralised control assignments.
- Choose native custom views for a few cockpit positions, console use or a setup that must work when ChasePlane is not running.
- Avoid binding both systems to the same controls. They can coexist, but each recall button should belong to one camera system only.
If native views better fit your setup, our guide to saving and recalling MSFS cockpit cameras explains the built-in alternative.