How do I get and fly a Boeing 747-400 in MSFS 2024?

MSFS 2024 does not include a conventional passenger Boeing 747-400 as its standard 747; the included passenger model is the 747-8 Intercontinental. Get a complete MSFS 2024-compatible aircraft add-on from the in-sim Marketplace, if offered on your platform, or install an external package on PC, then select it in Free Flight.

Is the Boeing 747-400 included in MSFS 2024?

A conventional passenger 747-400 is not the standard Boeing 747 supplied with Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. The included passenger version is the newer 747-8 Intercontinental. A Dreamlifter, where included or separately owned, is a heavily modified 747-400 derivative rather than a normal passenger -400.

Before downloading or buying anything, check that the product is a complete flyable aircraft, explicitly supports MSFS 2024 and is available on your platform.

A mistake we see constantly is downloading a repaint and expecting a new aircraft to appear. Our guidance on matching 747 liveries to the correct model and developer explains why even two packages labelled “747-400” may not be interchangeable.

How do I install a 747-400 on PC, Xbox or PlayStation?

1. Confirm the exact product. The listing should identify the 747-400 variant, supported simulator, developer and required base package. Passenger, freighter and specialised derivatives are not automatically included together.
2. Check platform support. Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 users must obtain compatible aircraft through the simulator's Marketplace. Consoles cannot install PC Community folder packages.
3. Install it through the correct channel. Marketplace purchases are managed through My Library; our Marketplace and My Library aircraft-installation guide covers that workflow. On PC, follow the package instructions. If manual installation is specified, extract the archive and place the actual package folder—not the ZIP file or an extra wrapper folder—inside the active Community folder.
4. Restart and verify it. Search the aircraft selector for the model and developer name. If it is absent, check that the package is installed and enabled, that it is not nested one folder too deep, and that you have not left an older duplicate installed.

An aircraft labelled only for MSFS 2020 may load in MSFS 2024, but that does not guarantee working displays, avionics, animations or flight dynamics. Use a package whose developer explicitly declares MSFS 2024 support.

How do I fly the Boeing 747-400?

The safe method is to use the add-on's own manual and performance tools, because cockpit systems and automation depth differ sharply between 747-400 products. Do not copy fixed take-off or landing speeds from a generic tutorial; V-speeds depend on weight, flap setting, runway, weather and engine model.

1. Choose an initial aircraft state. For a first flight, begin on a runway or use the add-on's ready-for-take-off state. A gate start may load the aircraft cold and dark and require electrical power, IRS alignment, APU, pneumatics and engine-start procedures.
2. Load fuel and payload. Use the aircraft's electronic flight bag or load manager when one is provided. Avoid changing the same load simultaneously through both the add-on and the simulator, and confirm that gross weight and centre of gravity remain within the displayed limits.
3. Programme the FMC. Enter or import the route, initialise position, select the departure and arrival, resolve route discontinuities and complete the performance pages. Set cruise altitude, reserves, take-off flap, thrust setting and calculated V-speeds. A World Map route does not automatically populate every third-party FMC.
4. Set the Mode Control Panel. Turn on the flight directors, set the cleared altitude, heading and initial speed, and arm autothrottle, LNAV or VNAV only where the add-on's procedure permits. Confirm the Flight Mode Annunciator rather than assuming a button press activated the intended mode.
5. Configure for take-off. Set the calculated flap and stabiliser trim, arm the spoilers as required, check flight controls and verify the runway. Apply take-off thrust using the modelled TO/GA method, maintain the centreline, rotate at VR and retract the landing gear after a positive climb.
6. Manage the climb and cruise. Follow the flight director and engage the autopilot only after the aircraft is stable and above the add-on's stated engagement height. Monitor active pitch, roll and thrust modes, fuel balance, pressurisation and route progress.
7. Prepare the descent early. Check the arrival and approach, calculate landing performance and set a lower cleared altitude before commanding descent. Reaching the FMC top-of-descent marker will not make the aircraft descend while the MCP altitude still blocks it or the required vertical mode is inactive.
8. Fly a stabilised approach. Set the calculated VREF and any prescribed wind additive, configure flaps and gear on schedule, and arm the approach only after verifying the correct runway, localiser and glide path. Use our practical 747 landing procedure for flare sight picture, spoilers, reverse thrust and braking.

Why are the FMC or autopilot not working?

Most 747-400 automation problems come from incomplete FMC data, the wrong active mode or an add-on compatibility problem rather than a failed autopilot.

• LNAV will not engage: check IRS alignment, the active route, route discontinuities and whether the aircraft is positioned to intercept the programmed leg.
• VNAV will not descend: set the cleared lower altitude and confirm that VNAV descent is active rather than merely armed. Speed or altitude constraints may also be holding the aircraft.
• The route is missing: the add-on may not import the World Map plan. Load it through the aircraft's supported method or enter it in the FMC.
• Displays remain black: verify electrical power, battery or external power, avionics state and required dependencies. An unsupported MSFS 2020 package may need an updated MSFS 2024 build.
• The autopilot oscillates: return to normal simulation rate, remove conflicting control inputs, check centre of gravity and verify that no duplicate or outdated package is installed.
• The aircraft will not accelerate correctly: check parking brake, spoilers, thrust mode, fuel load and duplicate throttle bindings. Hardware noise can also disconnect or override autothrottle.

Can I use 747-8 procedures for a 747-400?

747-8 guidance is useful for the broad Boeing workflow, but it is not a switch-for-switch 747-400 checklist. Route entry, MCP logic, LNAV/VNAV monitoring and descent planning are similar; the cockpit displays, electrical and pneumatic systems, FMC implementation and engine procedures can differ.

Our detailed 747-8 FMC, autopilot and descent walkthrough is a useful procedural reference, but the 747-400 add-on's own documentation takes priority wherever the controls or mode logic differ.