Install aircraft repaints in FS2004 correctly, from texture folders and aircraft.cfg entries to base-model checks and missing-livery fixes.
To install an aircraft repaint in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004 (FS9), first install the exact base aircraft it requires. Copy the supplied texture... folder into that aircraft’s folder, add the supplied [fltsim.x] entry to aircraft.cfg, renumber it sequentially, then restart FS2004 and select the new variation.
Does an FS2004 repaint need the base aircraft?
Yes. A repaint normally contains only replacement exterior textures and cannot work without the compatible aircraft model, flight dynamics and configuration files.
The required aircraft may be a default FS2004 model or a separate add-on. It must be the exact version named by the repaint author; winglet, cargo, passenger and model-revision differences can use different texture mapping. For example, a repaint that explicitly names its required C-46 base model should not be installed over a different C-46 package. If the dependency is missing, search our freeware aircraft and add-ons library for the named base package.
How do I install the repaint manually?
The reliable method is to extract the download outside FS2004, inspect its instructions, and then place each item in the existing base-aircraft folder.
- Read the included instructions. Confirm that the repaint is for FS2004 and note the exact base model it requires. A repaint for FSX, Prepar3D or a different edition of the same aircraft is not automatically compatible.
- Extract the archive to a temporary folder. Do not extract directly into FS2004 until you can see its folder structure. A typical package contains a folder named something like
texture.airlineand a text block beginning with[fltsim.x]. - Find the base-aircraft directory. Open the
Aircraftfolder beneath the main FS2004 folder—the one associated withFS9.exe—and then open the folder for the required aircraft. - Copy the texture folder. Place the complete
texture.airlinefolder beside the aircraft’s existingmodel,panel,soundand othertexture...folders. Avoid creating an extra level such astexture.airline\texture.airline. - Back up and edit aircraft.cfg. Make a copy of the existing
aircraft.cfg, open the original in a plain-text editor, and paste the supplied[fltsim.x]block after the existing repaint entries. Do not replace the whole configuration file with one supplied by a texture-only repaint. - Renumber the new entry. Change
xto the next unused sequential number. If the existing sections end at[fltsim.4], the new one should be[fltsim.5]. Do not duplicate a number or leave an avoidable gap. - Save and restart FS2004. Select the manufacturer and aircraft model specified by the entry’s
ui_fields, then look for the new name in the Variation list.
This conventional texture-folder and configuration example illustrates the usual workflow and the need to install its specified base aircraft first.
How do the aircraft.cfg repaint settings work?
The values in each [fltsim.x] section connect the repaint folder to a particular model and determine how the livery appears in FS2004’s aircraft selector.
| Setting | What to check |
|---|---|
[fltsim.x] | The number must be unique and sequential within that aircraft.cfg. |
title= | Use a unique title; duplicate titles can cause aircraft-loading conflicts. |
sim= | This must match the base name of the required .air file, without its extension. |
model= | A blank value uses the model folder. A value such as model=winglet requires a matching model.winglet folder. |
texture= | The suffix must match the texture folder. For example, texture=airline points to texture.airline. |
ui_manufacturer=, ui_type= and ui_variation= | These values control where the repaint appears and what it is called in the aircraft-selection menu. |
The same suffix rule applies to panel= and sound=. Leave them exactly as supplied unless you know which matching folders the aircraft provides.
Why does the repaint not appear in FS2004?
A missing repaint nearly always comes from an incorrect folder, an invalid [fltsim.x] entry or a mismatch with the base model.
- Check the folder depth: texture files should sit directly inside
texture.name, not inside a second nested folder. - Check the numbering: every
[fltsim.x]block needs its own sequential number. - Match the suffixes:
texture=KLMmust correspond to a folder namedtexture.KLM, including spelling. - Verify the model and AIR file: incorrect
model=orsim=values can prevent the aircraft from loading correctly. - Confirm the file extension: make sure the editor did not save the file as
aircraft.cfg.txt. - Inspect the selector fields: the repaint may be listed under an unexpected manufacturer, model or variation because of its
ui_values. - Restart the simulator: FS2004 should be closed while its aircraft configuration is edited.
If FS2004 is installed in a protected Windows folder, the operating system may block or virtualise configuration changes. Edit a backed-up copy elsewhere and copy it back with the required permission, then verify that the modification time of the real aircraft.cfg changed.
Why is the repainted aircraft white, black or incomplete?
Blank, black or partially unpainted surfaces indicate missing textures, incompatible texture mapping or the wrong model variant rather than a menu-entry problem.
Check that every supplied texture file was copied and that the repaint’s instructions do not require common files from an existing texture folder. FS2004 aircraft textures are commonly compressed or extended-format BMP files; a DDS-only livery intended for a later simulator is not a drop-in replacement. Never overwrite the base aircraft’s original textures unless the package specifically requires it and you have made a backup.
Should I use an automatic repaint installer?
Manual installation is usually safer because you can confirm the destination, dependency and configuration changes before anything is overwritten.
An installer can still be convenient when its package documents the target clearly. If it asks for the FS2004 directory, select the folder containing FS9.exe rather than guessing at a subfolder, and back up aircraft.cfg first. A package offering both manual and installer-based methods shows the two approaches commonly found in older FS2004 repaint downloads.