Fix ChasePlane not loading or connecting in MSFS 2020 or 2024 with the correct install, launch order, SimConnect, firewall and camera checks.
To fix ChasePlane not loading or connecting to Microsoft Flight Simulator, use the ChasePlane build intended for MSFS 2020 or 2024, install it as a Windows application rather than in the Community folder, load fully into a flight, then check updates, Windows security permissions and the local SimConnect connection.
Identify the ChasePlane failure first
ChasePlane failures split into distinct groups, and each requires a different fix.
| Symptom | Likely cause | First action |
|---|---|---|
| The application never appears | Blocked file, background process or damaged installation | End the process, check Windows Security and repair the installation |
| ChasePlane waits for MSFS | No active flight, wrong simulator target or failed SimConnect session | Load into the cockpit and verify the selected MSFS version |
| It connects and then disconnects | MSFS restarted, stalled or lost its SimConnect session | Close both applications and repeat the launch sequence |
| Status shows connected, but cameras do not move | Camera profile, input binding or competing camera utility | Check the active profile and remove conflicting controls |
How do I restore the ChasePlane connection?
The most reliable approach is to confirm the installation first and then test ChasePlane against a clean, fully loaded flight.
- Confirm the platform and simulator version. ChasePlane is an external Windows application, so this troubleshooting applies to PC. Use a release that explicitly supports MSFS 2020 or MSFS 2024; a legacy FSX or Prepar3D edition cannot connect to either simulator.
- Install it outside the Community folder. ChasePlane is not a conventional Community package. Remove any copy you manually placed there, then use the supplied installer or application manager. Our ChasePlane installation and simulator-selection walkthrough covers this setup in detail.
- Restart and update both applications. Close MSFS and ChasePlane completely. Check Task Manager for a ChasePlane process left running, end it if necessary, and restart Windows. Install a ChasePlane release compatible with the installed simulator update.
- Load an actual flight before testing. Start Microsoft Flight Simulator, choose an aircraft and airport, and wait until the cockpit, scenery and aircraft controls are responsive. Launch ChasePlane only then. The main menu and loading screen do not provide the active aircraft session it needs.
- Check Windows security controls. Look in Windows Security protection history for quarantined ChasePlane files. Restore a file only when it came from your trusted original installer, and allow the ChasePlane executable through the firewall on the network profile in use. Do not leave antivirus or the firewall disabled.
- Use normal Windows permissions. Run MSFS and ChasePlane from the same Windows account. Remove forced compatibility mode or permanent administrator settings from ChasePlane first; elevation is useful only as a temporary test for a permissions fault.
- Isolate SimConnect. Close other camera programs and unnecessary MSFS companion utilities, restart the simulator, and test ChasePlane alone. MSFS includes SimConnect support, so do not copy random SimConnect DLL files into the simulator. The shared SimConnect and blocked-application checks used for AutoFPS also apply when several external utilities cannot detect MSFS.
- Repair ChasePlane last. Back up or export camera presets if the application provides that option, then use its repair or reset function. If that fails, uninstall it and reinstall a fresh supported build rather than copying files from an older installation.
Why does ChasePlane say it is waiting for the simulator?
A waiting or searching message means ChasePlane is running but cannot see a usable MSFS flight through SimConnect. The usual causes are launching it while MSFS is still at the menu, selecting the wrong simulator generation during setup, or allowing the simulator to stall before the cockpit becomes active.
If the progress bar never finishes or the cockpit remains unresponsive after an update, fix the simulator first using our checks for an MSFS flight that stalls while loading. ChasePlane cannot connect properly until MSFS has completed that process.
What if ChasePlane will not open at all?
If ChasePlane produces no window or closes immediately, the fault is in the Windows application rather than its MSFS connection. End any existing ChasePlane process, restart the PC, inspect Windows Security for a blocked component and rerun the original installer’s repair option.
A mistake we see constantly is repeatedly launching the shortcut while a failed copy remains suspended in the background. If repair does not help, preserve the camera presets, uninstall ChasePlane and install it again under the same Windows user account that runs MSFS.
Why is ChasePlane connected but not controlling the camera?
A connected status with no camera movement is normally an input or profile problem, not a SimConnect failure. Confirm that the intended aircraft camera profile is active, return from Showcase or drone mode to the view ChasePlane is meant to control, and temporarily close every other camera utility.
- Remove duplicate camera axes or key assignments that continuously override ChasePlane.
- Test a command assigned directly inside ChasePlane rather than relying on an old imported binding.
- Check whether the problem affects every aircraft or only one profile; a single-aircraft failure points to that profile.
- If the view moves and immediately snaps back, look for a controller axis sending constant camera input.
Can ChasePlane run with MSFS on Xbox or PlayStation?
ChasePlane cannot run natively on Xbox Series X|S or PlayStation 5 because those consoles cannot install its external Windows application. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 remains a PC and Xbox title, while MSFS 2024 also runs on PlayStation 5, but ChasePlane connection troubleshooting applies only to the PC version.