How do I install add-on aircraft in Prepar3D?

To install add-on aircraft in Prepar3D, extract the download, identify the folder containing aircraft.cfg, and copy that complete folder into SimObjects\Airplanes. Copy supplied effects or gauges only as the readme directs. For packages containing add-on.xml, keep the package intact and use Prepar3D’s add-on discovery system instead.

Which Prepar3D aircraft installation method should I use?

Use the installer or package format supplied by the developer rather than converting it to another method.

Before downloading, check that the aircraft explicitly supports your Prepar3D generation. Our Prepar3D-compatible aircraft library helps separate P3D packages from files intended only for another simulator.

Installing a Prepar3D aircraft step by step

1. Check compatibility. Confirm which Prepar3D versions the aircraft supports. A package described only as an FSX aircraft is not automatically compatible with every P3D release.
2. Extract the archive. Do not copy files directly from the ZIP window. Extract everything to a temporary folder, preserve its subfolders and read any included instructions. Our guide to extracting and placing simulator downloads explains how to recognise wrapper folders and common archive layouts.
3. Find the actual aircraft folder. It normally contains aircraft.cfg alongside folders such as model, panel, sound and one or more texture folders. Copy this whole folder, not merely the files inside it.
4. Install it using the supplied format. For a legacy package, copy the aircraft folder to Prepar3D\SimObjects\Airplanes. For an add-on.xml package, place its complete outer folder under Documents\Prepar3D vX Add-ons, where vX represents your installed version. The add-on.xml file must remain at the package root.
5. Place supporting files correctly. With a legacy package, copy the contents of any supplied Effects folder into Prepar3D’s main Effects folder. Treat Gauges and other components the same way only when the readme explicitly requires it. Do not create accidental paths such as Effects\Effects, and do not overwrite existing files without a backup.
6. Start Prepar3D and enable the package. Accept an add-on discovery prompt if one appears, then open the aircraft or vehicle selection screen. Clear manufacturer, category and search filters before deciding that the aircraft is missing.

The Boeing 727 package with separate aircraft and effects folders is a useful example of the conventional manual layout. Packages with installers or add-on.xml should still be installed according to their own documentation.

Where is the Prepar3D aircraft folder?

The conventional aircraft directory is SimObjects\Airplanes inside the folder containing Prepar3D.exe.

The simulator may be installed in a custom location, so do not assume that another user’s full path matches yours. Locate the Prepar3D executable, open its folder, and then open SimObjects\Airplanes. If Windows requests administrator permission when copying there, an add-on.xml package outside the protected simulator directory is usually the cleaner option.

A frequent mistake is copying the archive’s outer wrapper folder into Airplanes. Prepar3D must be able to reach the configuration as SimObjects\Airplanes\AircraftName\aircraft.cfg, not through several unrelated wrapper directories.

Why does my installed aircraft not appear in Prepar3D?

An aircraft that does not appear is usually installed at the wrong folder depth, disabled as an add-on, filtered from the selection screen or dependent on a missing base aircraft.

• Folder nested too deeply: move the directory containing aircraft.cfg directly beneath SimObjects\Airplanes.
• Entire SimObjects folder copied: copy its contents into the matching simulator folders instead of creating SimObjects\Airplanes\SimObjects\Airplanes.
• Add-on package not enabled: verify that add-on.xml is at the package root and that the package is enabled in Prepar3D’s add-on controls.
• Livery mistaken for a full aircraft: a download containing mainly a texture folder needs the specified base model. Install that model first and add the supplied [fltsim.x] entry to its configuration.
• Duplicate or damaged configuration: duplicate aircraft titles, malformed [fltsim.x] sections or missing model references can prevent an entry from loading correctly.
• Blank instruments or missing systems: the aircraft may depend on gauge or module files that were omitted, blocked or built for a different simulator architecture.
• Missing smoke, lights or other effects: confirm that the supplied effect files reached the main Effects folder, unless an add-on.xml package manages them internally.

Packages with several components, external library paths or add-on registrations are easier to diagnose using our broader Prepar3D add-on installation and management guidance.

Can FSX aircraft be installed in Prepar3D?

Some FSX-native aircraft work in Prepar3D, but compatibility must be checked package by package.

Simple aircraft using compatible models and XML gauges have the best chance. Older compiled gauges, DLL-based systems, installers that cannot detect Prepar3D and aircraft built for much older model formats are common failure points. Prepar3D v4 and later are 64-bit applications, so old 32-bit gauge or module DLLs will not work merely because the aircraft files are visible.

Never direct an FSX-only installer into Prepar3D unless the package documentation specifically permits it. The aircraft may appear while its cockpit, animations or flight systems remain broken.

Removing an aircraft safely

For an add-on.xml package, disable it in Prepar3D and remove its complete package folder. For a legacy installation, delete only that aircraft’s folder from SimObjects\Airplanes. Remove copied effects or gauges only when you know they are not shared by another aircraft; keeping a record of manually copied files prevents accidental damage later.