Check whether a FlightGear COMAC C919 download is available, where to look, how to install it, and how to identify incomplete aircraft packages.
You can fly a COMAC C919 in FlightGear only if you install a complete, compatible community aircraft package; the C919 is not a standard aircraft bundled with the simulator. Search FlightGear’s launcher aircraft catalogue first. If it is absent, there is no dependable official C919 download supplied with FlightGear, so use a verified third-party package.
Where can you download the C919 for FlightGear?
The FlightGear launcher’s aircraft catalogue is the safest place to look for a C919 package. Catalogue contents can vary with the FlightGear release and selected aircraft source, so search for both C919 and COMAC.
- Open the aircraft catalogue: Start the FlightGear launcher and open its aircraft browser or download catalogue.
- Refresh the catalogue: Allow the launcher to update its aircraft information while connected to the internet.
- Search both names: Try
C919first, followed byCOMAC. - Inspect the entry: Check any compatibility notes and confirm that it is a flyable aircraft rather than scenery, a static model or an unfinished development package.
- Install through the launcher: If a suitable entry appears, let FlightGear download it, then select the aircraft using the identifier shown by the package.
A failed search does not prove that nobody has ever developed a C919 for FlightGear. It means the catalogue available to that installation is not offering one. Community aircraft may be experimental, removed, abandoned or distributed separately; our explanation of how FlightGear discovers and installs extra aircraft covers the broader installation methods.
What if the C919 is not in the launcher?
If the C919 is missing from the catalogue, the only practical alternative is a complete manual package published by its maintainer. There is no universal C919 download address we can responsibly recommend because community releases and their compatibility can change independently of FlightGear.
Download only an archive that clearly identifies itself as a FlightGear aircraft and includes its licence, documentation and compatibility information. A model intended for MSFS, X-Plane or another simulator will not work merely by copying it into FlightGear, and converting someone else’s assets may breach their licence.
Install a manual package like this:
- Extract the archive: FlightGear cannot load an aircraft directly from a ZIP or other compressed file.
- Find the real aircraft directory: Its top level should contain a file ending in
-set.xml, possibly named something similar toC919-set.xml. - Place it below an aircraft library: A typical structure is
FlightGear-Aircraft/C919/C919-set.xml. - Add the parent directory: Configure
FlightGear-Aircraftas an additional aircraft folder, rather than selecting theC919folder or the XML file itself. - Refresh FlightGear: Restart or refresh the launcher, then search for the aircraft identifier defined by the package.
Keeping manual add-ons outside FlightGear’s installed program files prevents permissions trouble and makes updates easier. Our guidance on keeping FlightGear and downloaded aircraft in a separate writable setup explains a suitable folder arrangement.
How do you know whether a C919 download is complete?
A usable C919 package needs more than an exterior model and textures. Check the archive before adding it to FlightGear.
| Check | What a flyable package should contain | Warning sign |
|---|---|---|
| Aircraft definition | A file ending in -set.xml at the aircraft package’s top level | No set file, or one buried inside several duplicate folders |
| Flight model | A referenced JSBSim or YASim configuration and associated data | An exterior model with no flight-dynamics definition |
| Cockpit and systems | Referenced cockpit, instrument and system files that are included in the archive | Missing panels, generic placeholders or references to unavailable files |
| Documentation | Installation instructions, licence details and compatibility notes | An anonymous repack with no origin, licence or supported FlightGear release |
The presence of a -set.xml file is necessary, but it does not guarantee that every system works. Experimental packages may load while lacking a functional flight-management system, autopilot modes, displays or accurate engine behaviour.
Why does an installed C919 not appear or load?
Most C919 installation failures come from an incorrect folder level, an incomplete archive or a package built for a different FlightGear generation.
- The aircraft does not appear: Confirm that the additional aircraft path points to the directory containing the C919 folder. Also check that the archive has actually been extracted.
- FlightGear reports an unknown aircraft: Select the identifier defined by the package, which may differ from the aircraft’s marketing name.
- Models or textures are missing: Re-extract the original archive without renaming its internal files. Capitalisation errors are especially visible on case-sensitive operating systems.
- XML or Nasal errors appear: Read the FlightGear log for the first missing file or script error. This usually indicates an incomplete package, an undeclared dependency or a version mismatch.
- The aircraft loads but systems do not work: Check the included instructions before assuming installation failed; the package may intentionally provide only a basic or unfinished simulation.
How realistic is a FlightGear C919 add-on?
A community C919 should be judged package by package, not by the aircraft’s external appearance. Look for documented flight-model work, functioning cockpit displays, autopilot behaviour, engine modelling and procedures rather than screenshots alone.
Because detailed C919 systems data are not generally packaged with FlightGear, an add-on may use approximations or generic airliner instruments. Treat it as a desktop simulation, not a manufacturer-approved representation or training device. Our community-aircraft quality and compatibility checklist provides useful criteria for comparing it with more mature FlightGear airliners.