How do I install aircraft and other add-ons in FSX?

To install aircraft and other add-ons in FSX or FSX: Steam Edition, extract the download first, identify the add-on type, then copy its files to the matching FSX folder. Aircraft go under SimObjects, scenery needs Scenery Library activation, while gauges and effects use their named folders. Always follow the package readme.

Where is the FSX add-ons folder?

FSX has one installation root but no single folder for every add-on. The destination depends on whether the package contains an aircraft, scenery, gauges, effects, missions or several of these components.

A typical boxed FSX installation is under C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X. A common Steam location is C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\FSX, but either edition may be installed elsewhere. Locate fsx.exe rather than assuming the default path; Steam's Browse local files command opens the correct folder.

How do I install an aircraft manually in FSX?

A manual aircraft installation is complete when the aircraft's main folder sits directly inside SimObjects\Airplanes and any supplied supporting files have been placed in their matching FSX folders.

1. Close FSX. Installing files while the simulator is running can prevent them from being detected until the next launch.
2. Extract the download. Unzip it into a temporary folder first; do not place the archive itself in SimObjects.
3. Read the supplied instructions. The package may require a particular base aircraft, gauge library or installer.
4. Find the actual aircraft folder. It should contain aircraft.cfg, usually an .air file, and folders such as model, panel, sound and texture.
5. Copy that complete folder into FSX\SimObjects\Airplanes. Helicopters normally belong in FSX\SimObjects\Rotorcraft.
6. Install supporting files. Copy supplied effects, gauges or global textures only to the locations specified by the readme, preserving the package's folder structure.
7. Start FSX and check the aircraft selector. Accept a module trust prompt only when it clearly belongs to the add-on you intended to install.

The final path should resemble FSX\SimObjects\Airplanes\AircraftName\aircraft.cfg. A mistake we see constantly is an extra nested directory, such as AircraftName\AircraftName\aircraft.cfg; FSX will not find the aircraft there. Our detailed aircraft installation walkthrough covers package layouts and installer-based aircraft in more depth.

If the extracted package already contains top-level folders named SimObjects, Effects and Gauges, copy their contents into the corresponding folders under the FSX root. Do not put the package's enclosing folder inside FSX.

Where do FSX scenery, gauges and effects go?

Each supporting file type has its own destination, and copying everything into SimObjects\Airplanes will leave parts of the add-on missing.

Scenery is not normally activated merely by copying it. Use our scenery installation and Scenery Library instructions when a package contains Scenery and Texture subfolders.

Gauge packages need particular care. A .cab gauge may need to remain intact, while older .gau or module-based instruments can have additional dependencies. We explain where standalone gauges belong and how panel.cfg references work.

Automatic installers versus manual installation

Use the supplied installer for complex add-ons with modules, shared libraries or several scenery components; use manual installation for straightforward freeware packages when you want full control over every copied file.

When an installer asks for the simulator location, point it to the folder containing fsx.exe. Older installers sometimes detect boxed FSX but miss FSX: Steam Edition, creating an unused Microsoft Games directory instead. Check our Steam Edition compatibility and installer-path guidance if that happens.

If Windows refuses to write into Program Files, approve the file operation or run the trusted add-on installer with administrator rights. Do not disable Windows security or grant elevated access to an unidentified executable.

Why does an installed FSX add-on not appear?

An installed add-on usually fails to appear because it is in the wrong FSX installation, has an extra folder level, lacks a required dependency or has not been activated.

• Aircraft missing from the selection screen: confirm that aircraft.cfg is directly inside the aircraft's folder under SimObjects\Airplanes. Clear manufacturer, publisher and aircraft-type filters in the selector.
• Aircraft visible but cockpit instruments missing: install the supplied gauges and check for a required base aircraft or panel alias. Do not assume every gauge belongs in the global Gauges folder.
• Scenery absent: add it to the Scenery Library, ensure the selected layer points to the folder containing the scenery subfolder, and review its priority where it overlaps another airport.
• Installer reports success but nothing changes: inspect the path it used. With multiple FSX installations, it may have written to the wrong one or created a second, empty FSX directory.
• FSX crashes after installation: remove the newest add-on or restore the files it replaced. Modules built for another simulator or edition cannot be made compatible simply by copying them into FSX.
• Textures, effects or sounds are missing: return to the extracted package and look for additional top-level folders that were not copied. Preserve exact file names and directory structure.

Removing an add-on without damaging FSX

Remove only files known to belong to that add-on, because gauges, effects and libraries may be shared by several aircraft.

For a self-contained aircraft, delete its folder from SimObjects\Airplanes. For scenery, remove or disable its Scenery Library entry before deleting its files. Use the package uninstaller when one is provided, and restore backed-up configuration files rather than trying to reverse undocumented edits by hand.