Learn the correct scenery library order for add-on airports, overlays, orthophotos and mesh in FSX, Prepar3D, X-Plane and MSFS.
The correct scenery library order is usually custom airports at the highest priority, followed by airport fixes and regional overlays, then landclass or orthophoto scenery, with terrain mesh and default scenery lower down. That rule fits FSX, Prepar3D and X-Plane broadly, but each simulator interprets priority differently and developer instructions take precedence.
Which scenery should have the highest priority?
A local custom airport should normally have priority over anything else that changes the same airport or surrounding area. A practical general-purpose order, from highest to lowest priority, is:
| Priority | Scenery type | Typical content |
|---|---|---|
| Highest | Custom airports | Runways, taxiways, terminals, aprons and airport exclusions |
| High | Airport corrections | Stock-airport replacements, elevation fixes and local compatibility files |
| Medium-high | City and regional overlays | Buildings, landmarks, roads, vegetation and other placed objects |
| Medium | Vector and landclass scenery | Coastlines, roads, water and ground-texture classification |
| Low | Orthophoto or photoreal scenery | Aerial imagery and any associated overlays |
| Lower | Base terrain mesh | Terrain elevations and, in X-Plane, complete base-mesh tiles |
| Lowest | Default scenery | The simulator's stock world and airports |
This is a starting point, not permission to separate every component of a scenery package. If an airport includes its own mesh, elevation correction, object layer or compatibility file, preserve the developer's specified internal order.
Priority matters only where two packages affect the same location or scenery class. An unrelated airport on another continent does not need to be moved merely because it was installed later.
Does higher priority mean the top or bottom?
In FSX and Prepar3D, entries nearer the top of the Scenery Library normally have higher priority; in X-Plane, packages appearing earlier in scenery_packs.ini have higher priority.
| Simulator | How priority works |
|---|---|
| FSX | Higher entries in the Scenery Library take precedence where compatible scenery types overlap. Our detailed FSX priority-stack explanation covers the recommended placement of airports, regional scenery, landclass, photoreal coverage and mesh. |
| Prepar3D | The visible library order still matters, but add-on packages can also control component loading. Follow the package's instructions rather than rearranging its files individually; our P3D v5 layer and component-order guidance explains the distinction. |
| X-Plane | Earlier lines in scenery_packs.ini have priority. Custom airports should sit above Global Airports, overlays should sit above orthophotos, and base mesh should be near the bottom. See our working X-Plane 12 scenery order example. |
| Microsoft Flight Simulator | MSFS uses content packages and a virtual file system rather than the traditional FSX-style Scenery Library. Package priority can still affect overlapping airports and assets, but moving folders alphabetically is not a dependable fix. We explain the available controls in our guide to MSFS package priority and scenery conflicts. |
FSX and Prepar3D also consider terrain-mesh resolution, so putting mesh lower is good organisation but does not mean a coarse higher-priority mesh will always replace a more detailed one. X-Plane behaves differently: only one base mesh can load for a given tile, and the highest-priority base-mesh package wins.
How should I change the scenery order safely?
- Read the package instructions first. Large regional products often require a specific insertion point or an exact order between their own components.
- Back up the configuration. Save a copy of the scenery configuration file or package-order file before making changes.
- Identify overlapping coverage. Concentrate on packages that edit the same airport, city or terrain tile. Unrelated scenery can usually remain where it is.
- Place the custom airport above regional coverage. Keep broad landclass, orthophoto and mesh packages below local airports unless their instructions say otherwise.
- Keep related components together. Do not pull an airport elevation file, overlay or supplied mesh away from its parent package without a documented reason.
- Restart and test one location. Check runway elevation, duplicate buildings, taxiway alignment and nearby terrain before changing anything else.
Why does scenery still look wrong after reordering?
A bad-looking airport is often caused by duplicate coverage or a missing dependency rather than the whole library being in the wrong order.
- Duplicate terminals or runways: two packages are providing the same airport. Disable the unwanted airport entry instead of repeatedly moving both packages.
- Floating or sunken airport: an old elevation correction, conflicting mesh or incompatible airport version is still active. Keep the airport's supplied correction in its documented position and disable obsolete corrections for that location.
- Missing buildings: an object library or required companion package is absent. Raising the airport's priority cannot replace missing assets.
- Airport covered by orthophotos or terrain: in X-Plane, the airport or overlay is probably below a base-mesh package. Move the airport and overlays above the orthophoto or mesh entry.
- Photoreal ground but no normal autogen: this may be expected behaviour because photoreal scenery can replace landclass-based ground textures. Reordering alone may not restore autogen.
- Problems after installing a second regional package: both products may edit coastlines, roads, landclass or airport elevations. Use any supplied compatibility option; priority cannot always merge two incompatible products cleanly.
Should object libraries go at the top?
Pure object libraries generally do not need high priority because they provide resources referenced by airports rather than drawing their own competing scenery. They must be installed and active, but moving them above every airport rarely fixes missing objects.
A mistake we see constantly is treating the entire library as one rigid stack. The correct scenery library order is primarily about resolving overlapping coverage: local airport above regional scenery, overlays above base imagery or mesh, and duplicate airport packages removed or disabled.