Compare the best free ChasePlane alternatives for MSFS: custom cockpit views, Drone Camera and replay tools, plus their limits and platform support.
The best free ChasePlane alternative in Microsoft Flight Simulator is the simulator’s own camera system: custom cockpit views replace saved cockpit presets, while the Drone Camera handles exterior and cinematic shots. Add Sky Dolly to replay a flight for filming. No free tool matches ChasePlane’s full preset management, effects and transitions.
That split matters because ChasePlane is a camera manager, whereas a recorder solves a different problem. If named view banks, rapid switching and tightly controlled transitions are essential, the no-cost setup remains a compromise. Our comparison of free and paid MSFS 2020 camera tools explains what the dedicated add-ons provide beyond the stock system.
Best free ChasePlane alternatives compared
For most simmers, built-in custom cockpit views paired with the Drone Camera provide the closest free replacement.
| Free option | Best use | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Custom cockpit views | Repeatable pilot, instrument and panel positions saved for each aircraft | No named folders or ChasePlane-style control over transitions and effects |
| Drone Camera | Exterior views, screenshots, fly-bys and cinematic movement | Not a complete aircraft-specific preset manager |
| Sky Dolly | Replaying a flight so the camera can be operated on a second pass | A replay companion rather than a direct camera manager |
| Flight Recorder | Basic flight capture and second-pass filming | Features and simulator compatibility depend on the particular release |
| OpenTrack | Free head tracking in the cockpit | Does not manage fixed views, exterior cameras or cinematic sequences |
How do I recreate ChasePlane views with the MSFS camera system?
MSFS custom cockpit cameras reproduce ChasePlane’s most useful everyday function: returning to repeatable viewpoints. Position the camera, use the active control profile’s numbered Save Custom Camera command, and recall it with the corresponding Load Custom Camera command.
The presets are aircraft-specific. A view saved for one A320 package will not automatically appear in another A320 add-on, and separate variants may maintain different view sets. Our walkthrough for creating and recalling aircraft-specific cockpit presets covers the bindings and storage behaviour in detail.
A mistake we see constantly is assigning the numbered slots randomly. Use the same scheme across aircraft—for example, pilot eye position first, then overhead, pedestal and close instrument views—so muscle memory replaces ChasePlane’s named preset interface.
How can I get free cinematic replays and fly-bys?
Sky Dolly is the stronger free choice when the objective is filming rather than organising camera presets. Record the flight, replay it, and operate the stock Drone Camera without also having to fly the aircraft.
The Drone Camera, also presented through the Showcase camera mode, can move independently, follow the aircraft, lock onto a subject and adjust movement speed. Our detailed guide to Drone Camera movement, follow and lock controls covers that workflow without duplicating it here.
Flight Recorder is another free option for basic capture and playback. Choose one recorder whose documentation explicitly supports MSFS 2020 or MSFS 2024 rather than running several together. Replay tools may not reproduce every cockpit switch, animation, weather change, AI aircraft or multiplayer event exactly, so make a short test recording before filming a long sequence.
Why do custom views or Drone Camera controls stop working?
Most apparent camera failures are mode or binding problems, not damaged presets.
- Wrong camera mode: Cockpit-view commands work in Cockpit mode, while drone movement requires the Drone or Showcase camera to be active.
- Different aircraft package: Loading another model or variant can expose a different set of aircraft-specific views.
- Binding collision: Modified keyboard, joystick and controller profiles can contain duplicate camera assignments. Search the active profile by command name and consult our MSFS camera and keyboard command reference; number-row and numeric-keypad inputs are treated separately.
- Unwanted drift: A noisy joystick axis assigned to drone translation or rotation can make the camera creep. Remove that assignment or increase the axis dead zone.
- Recorder connection failure: Confirm that a flight is fully loaded, restart the utility, and check that security software is not blocking its SimConnect connection.
Do free ChasePlane alternatives work on Xbox and PlayStation?
The built-in custom views and Drone Camera work on every platform supported by the relevant simulator, but standalone utilities such as Sky Dolly, Flight Recorder and OpenTrack require a PC.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 supports PC and Xbox, while Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 supports PC, Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5. On PlayStation, this advice therefore applies only to MSFS 2024 because MSFS 2020 was never released there.
Console users cannot run Windows camera or replay utilities, so the best free setup is the stock camera system with a dedicated controller profile. Assign the most-used load-view and drone controls directly rather than relying on crowded default button combinations.