Compare every helicopter included in MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024, with Standard, Deluxe, Premium Deluxe and Aviator edition differences.
Updated MSFS 2020 includes the Bell 407 and Guimbal Cabri G2. MSFS 2024 Standard includes those plus the Airbus H125, H225, Erickson S-64F Aircrane and Robinson R66. Deluxe adds none; Premium Deluxe adds the H160 and CH-47D Chinook; Aviator also adds the Bell 47J Ranger, Westland Scout and Westland Wasp.
Complete list of default MSFS helicopters
MSFS 2020 has two included helicopters, while the MSFS 2024 total ranges from six to eleven according to edition.
| Simulator and edition | Included helicopters | Total |
|---|---|---|
| MSFS 2020 Standard, Deluxe and Premium Deluxe | Bell 407; Guimbal Cabri G2 | 2 |
| MSFS 2024 Standard | Airbus H125; Airbus H225; Bell 407; Erickson S-64F Aircrane; Guimbal Cabri G2; Robinson R66 | 6 |
| MSFS 2024 Deluxe | The same six helicopters as Standard | 6 |
| MSFS 2024 Premium Deluxe | The Standard six, plus Airbus H160 and Boeing CH-47D Chinook | 8 |
| MSFS 2024 Aviator | The Premium Deluxe eight, plus Bell 47J Ranger, Westland Scout and Westland Wasp | 11 |
In the usual base-game sense, MSFS 2024 Standard therefore has six default helicopters. Deluxe adds only fixed-wing aircraft, while Premium Deluxe and Aviator provide extra rotorcraft as part of their bundled content. Our complete MSFS 2024 aircraft and edition breakdown covers the rest of each fleet.
The selection is tied to edition rather than platform. The equivalent MSFS 2024 edition provides the same included helicopter types on PC, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 and PS5 Pro. MSFS 2020 remains a PC and Xbox simulator and was never released for PlayStation.
Did MSFS 2020 include helicopters at launch?
No helicopters shipped with the original 2020 release; the Bell 407 and Guimbal Cabri G2 arrived later through the free 40th Anniversary update. They are included for owners of every MSFS 2020 edition, not restricted to Deluxe or Premium Deluxe.
An installation that has not finished its simulator and aircraft-content updates may therefore lack both models. They are default updated content, not separate Marketplace purchases.
Are eVTOL aircraft counted as helicopters?
No. We have excluded multicopter eVTOLs and other powered-lift aircraft because they are not conventional helicopters, even if the aircraft selector places them near rotorcraft or they use similar vertical-flight controls.
Why is an included helicopter missing?
A missing helicopter is usually caused by the wrong edition entitlement, an aircraft-selection filter or content that has not finished downloading or streaming.
- Confirm the edition. MSFS 2024 Standard and Deluxe will not provide the H160, Chinook or Aviator rotorcraft. Aviator includes all Premium Deluxe aircraft before adding its own bundled models.
- Check in Free Flight. Remove manufacturer, aircraft-type and favourites filters. Career mode only displays aircraft suitable for the selected certification, company and mission, so it is not a reliable inventory screen.
- Update and check content. In MSFS 2020, inspect the content-management screen for uninstalled core aircraft packages. In MSFS 2024, check the library for entitled content and allow aircraft data to stream.
- Verify the signed-in account. Use the account that owns the simulator edition or upgrade, then restart the simulator after its entitlement and content checks finish.
- Test without add-ons on PC. A damaged or conflicting package in the
Communityfolder can disrupt the aircraft selector or loading process. Temporarily move those packages elsewhere and test again.
Which included helicopter is best for beginners?
The Guimbal Cabri G2 is the best starting point because it is a light training helicopter with straightforward systems and less mass to manage than the transport and utility types. Start with gentle hover work, then progress to the Bell 407, Robinson R66 or H125.
The H225, Chinook and S-64F are specialised heavy aircraft rather than ideal trainers. Control binding matters as much as aircraft choice: collective, cyclic, pedals and throttle must not be treated as interchangeable axes. Our helicopter control and hovering guide explains a practical setup, while our recommended MSFS helicopter add-ons and mods covers additional rotorcraft beyond the bundled fleet.