How do I download and install a freeware Airbus A320 in FSX?

You can download a complete freeware Airbus A320 for FSX and FSX: Steam Edition from our FSX library. We recommend an A320 with FD-FMC and a virtual cockpit because it includes the base aircraft. Extract it, then place its aircraft folder in FSX\SimObjects\Airplanes; copy any supplied gauges or effects only as the readme directs.

Where can I download a complete freeware A320 for FSX?

The strongest all-in-one choice is our complete A320 package with FD-FMC and a virtual cockpit. It includes the required base model, so you do not need to find a separate aircraft before installing it.

If you mainly want that airline and livery, our complete British Airways A320 download is another option. For a broader choice, consult our comparison of freeware Airbus aircraft for FSX.

Check that any download says it contains the full or base aircraft. An archive containing only a texture folder and an aircraft.cfg entry is a repaint; it will not work without the exact base model named in its documentation.

How do I install the freeware A320 in FSX?

Install the A320 by copying the folder that directly contains aircraft.cfg into your active SimObjects\Airplanes directory.

Those are common locations, not guarantees. If FSX or Steam was installed in a custom library, use that actual installation folder. Do not install aircraft into Documents\Flight Simulator X Files; that folder is primarily for saved flights and flight plans.

1. Close FSX completely. The simulator normally reads new aircraft when it starts.
2. Extract the ZIP archive to a temporary folder. Do not place the unopened ZIP in SimObjects\Airplanes, and avoid extracting straight into a protected FSX directory.
3. Read the included instructions. Find the aircraft folder containing aircraft.cfg and folders such as model, panel, sound and texture.
4. Copy the complete aircraft folder. Place it in [FSX root]\SimObjects\Airplanes. The finished path should resemble SimObjects\Airplanes\A320 Package\aircraft.cfg.
5. Install supplied support files. Copy files from any included Gauges or Effects folders into the matching folders under the FSX root, but only when the readme tells you to. Leave gauge .cab files intact unless the package specifically says otherwise, and back up any shared file before replacing it.
6. Start FSX and select the aircraft. Look under Airbus and enable all variations if the expected livery is hidden. On first use, FSX may display a trust prompt for a gauge module; approve only files from a download you trust.

Some archives already contain top-level SimObjects, Gauges and Effects folders. Treat that structure as a map of the FSX root rather than copying the whole extracted archive into Airplanes. Our manual FSX aircraft installation instructions cover other archive layouts in more detail.

Why does the Airbus A320 not appear in FSX?

An A320 that does not appear is usually installed one folder too deep or is only a repaint without its required base model.

• Nested aircraft folder: Airplanes\A320\aircraft.cfg is the intended layout. If the path is Airplanes\A320\A320\aircraft.cfg, move the inner aircraft folder up one level.
• Repaint instead of full aircraft: A texture folder cannot supply the model, panel or flight dynamics. Install the specified base aircraft or choose a complete package.
• Unexpected menu name: FSX uses the manufacturer, type and variation entries inside aircraft.cfg, not necessarily the Windows folder name. Clear aircraft-selection filters and show all variations.
• Blank FMC or cockpit displays: Confirm that the supplied gauges were installed and that the panel folder is present. A declined gauge trust prompt or an unsupported legacy gauge can also leave displays black.
• Crash after installation: Move the new aircraft folder outside FSX and restart the simulator. If stability returns, reinstall from a clean extraction and restore any shared files you replaced without a backup.

Does a freeware A320 work in FSX: Steam Edition?

Most native FSX aircraft packages can work in FSX: Steam Edition because it uses the same SimObjects\Airplanes structure, but they must be installed under the Steam copy of FSX.

Older automatic installers may search only for boxed FSX and select the wrong directory. Point such an installer at the real Steam installation root when possible, or use the manual method above. The model may load even when an older compiled gauge does not, so a black FMC is not necessarily an aircraft-folder problem.

Is a freeware A320 a study-level simulation?

Do not assume an A320 is study-level simply because it includes an FMC and virtual cockpit. Freeware packages vary in managed modes, flight-control logic, start-up procedures and cockpit functionality. Use the package documentation for its supported procedures rather than applying instructions written for a different A320 add-on.