Download free aircraft for MSFS 2020 safely, identify complete planes, install them in Community, fix missing add-ons and avoid fake torrents.
Download free aircraft for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 from our MSFS freeware aircraft and add-ons library on PC. Choose an add-on explicitly marked for MSFS 2020 and as a complete aircraft, extract it into the active Community folder, and restart the simulator. Xbox cannot install aircraft downloaded from websites.
These downloads are add-ons for an existing, licensed copy of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020. A complete aircraft adds a flyable plane; a livery, enhancement or AI model may require another aircraft and may not appear as a separate cockpit aircraft.
Is MSFS 2020 itself a free download, and should I use a torrent?
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 is commercial software, not freeware. Free aircraft packages work only with a licensed installation of the simulator and do not include the base game.
An MSFS 2020 torrent, cracked installer or website claiming to provide the full simulator free is not a legitimate distribution. Such downloads can contain modified executables, credential-stealing software or files that prevent normal updates and add-on support. If you own the simulator or have access through an authorised subscription, install it through the platform account holding that entitlement.
Which free MSFS 2020 aircraft should I download?
Choose a package labelled complete, standalone or base model included when you want a new aircraft in the aircraft-selection menu.
| Package type | What it provides | Choose it when |
|---|---|---|
| Complete aircraft | A flyable model, cockpit and required aircraft files | You want a new selectable aircraft |
| Livery or repaint | A different paint scheme for an existing aircraft | You already have the exact aircraft named as a requirement |
| Enhancement or systems mod | Changes to the cockpit, systems, sounds or flight behaviour | You have the required default or third-party base aircraft |
| AI or static model | Traffic or scenery content that may not be pilotable | You want airport traffic or parked aircraft rather than a cockpit aircraft |
| FSX or Prepar3D aircraft | Files made for an older simulator architecture | Only when the package has been specifically rebuilt for MSFS 2020 |
A mistake we see constantly is downloading an attractive repaint and expecting a new plane. If the description says it requires another aircraft, the free download supplies only the stated modification. The same warning applies to sound packs, cockpit improvements and flight-model changes.
For a complex airliner, favour active projects with clear dependency notes, documented installation and custom systems. For sightseeing or casual flying, a simpler standalone model may be easier to install and less likely to conflict with simulator updates. Our curated shortlist comparing worthwhile freeware aircraft by type will help narrow the choice.
Do not assume that a package marked only as MSFS will work in both simulator generations. Check specifically for MSFS 2020 support; an MSFS 2024-only aircraft is not automatically compatible. Original FSX, Prepar3D and X-Plane aircraft also cannot simply be copied into MSFS 2020.
How can I check that a free aircraft download is safe?
A trustworthy freeware package clearly identifies its simulator version, package type, dependencies and installation method before asking you to run or copy anything.
- Confirm the simulator: Look for an explicit MSFS 2020 compatibility statement rather than relying on a screenshot or a generic Microsoft Flight Simulator label.
- Confirm what is included: Check whether it is a complete aircraft, repaint, enhancement, AI model or conversion.
- Read the dependency notes: Freeware can legitimately require a default aircraft, another community project or a separately installed base model.
- Inspect the extracted package: An ordinary manually installed aircraft commonly has
manifest.jsonandlayout.jsonin its package root. - Treat executables carefully: Some complex projects use a dedicated installer, but an ordinary drag-and-drop aircraft or livery should not require an unrelated program, account password or disabled security software.
- Keep removal simple: Install one new package at a time and retain the original archive until the aircraft has loaded successfully.
Our package-safety checklist for MSFS aircraft covers the warning signs and compatibility checks in more detail.
How do I install downloaded planes in MSFS 2020?
Most free MSFS 2020 aircraft are installed by extracting the package and copying its root folder into the active PC installation’s Community folder.
- Close Microsoft Flight Simulator. Installing while it is running can prevent the package from being detected until the next full restart.
- Read the supplied instructions. Use a dedicated installer when the aircraft developer requires one; otherwise prepare to copy the package manually.
- Extract the archive. Do not put an unopened ZIP, RAR or 7z file in
Community. Extract it to a temporary location first. - Identify the package root. The folder containing
manifest.jsonandlayout.jsonis normally the folder to copy. An archive may contain documentation outside that folder or several separate package folders. - Find the active Community folder. Its location varies with the installation source and any custom packages location. More than one folder may exist after a reinstall or move, so use our instructions for finding the Community folder used by your installation.
- Copy the complete package folder. The expected structure is similar to
Community/package-name/manifest.json. Do not merge its internal folders with another aircraft. - Start the simulator and find the aircraft. Search by the aircraft’s displayed model, manufacturer or developer name, which may differ from the downloaded archive name.
Why does my downloaded aircraft not appear?
A missing aircraft is most often caused by the wrong Community folder, an extra nested directory, a missing base aircraft or a package built for another simulator version.
- Wrong Community folder: Confirm that the folder belongs to the active MSFS 2020 packages installation, especially after moving or reinstalling the simulator.
- Archive not extracted: The simulator does not load an aircraft directly from ZIP, RAR or 7z files.
- Double-nested package: If the path resembles
Community/package-name/package-name/manifest.json, move the inner package folder up one level. - Repaint or enhancement only: Install the exact base aircraft identified in the description. A similarly named model from another developer may not satisfy the requirement.
- Wrong simulator generation: Remove FSX, Prepar3D, X-Plane or MSFS 2024-only packages. They are not interchangeable with MSFS 2020 aircraft.
- Hidden by a search or filter: Clear the aircraft-selection search and look under the displayed manufacturer or model name.
- Duplicate package: Remove older copies of the same aircraft. Two versions with different folder names can still conflict.
- Community conflict: Move unrelated add-ons temporarily outside
Community, test the aircraft alone, then restore other packages in small groups. - Outdated or incomplete download: Replace the package with a clean copy explicitly supporting your simulator version.
What do pink textures, a broken cockpit or a loading crash mean?
Visible faults usually indicate missing files, an unmet dependency or a conflict rather than an installation that was entirely ignored.
- Pink or chequered textures: The texture files are missing, incorrectly referenced or supplied by a required base package that is not installed.
- Invisible exterior or missing cockpit: The download may be a repaint, AI model, incomplete conversion or enhancement rather than a complete aircraft.
- Inoperative displays: Check the documentation for required avionics or systems packages before assuming the aircraft is broken.
- Crash or endless loading: Test the aircraft by itself in
Community. If the problem remains, remove it and obtain a compatible build rather than repeatedly loading the simulator with the faulty package present.
Can I install free aircraft downloads on Xbox or PlayStation?
Web-downloaded MSFS 2020 aircraft can only be manually installed on PC. Xbox users cannot access a PC-style Community folder, so they must obtain compatible add-ons through the Marketplace available within the simulator; a downloaded PC archive cannot be transferred to the console.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 was never released on PlayStation. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is a separate release available on PlayStation 5, but that does not make an MSFS 2020 PC aircraft package installable there.