Learn what NeoFly adds to MSFS 2020, how to install and connect it, fly your first mission, use add-on aircraft and fix common problems.
NeoFly is a Windows career application for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020. It connects through SimConnect, adds a persistent pilot profile, jobs, money, aircraft ownership and progression, then monitors flights in the simulator. Install it outside the Community folder, create a pilot, accept a suitable mission, fly it in MSFS and complete it after parking.
What does NeoFly add to MSFS 2020?
NeoFly adds a career layer that Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 does not provide on its own. Depending on the NeoFly release and optional modules, this can include passenger and cargo work, emergency missions, pilot progression, aircraft purchases, maintenance, fuel costs and company management.
The application runs separately from MSFS and reads flight data through SimConnect. It tracks details such as your position, aircraft, departure, landing and mission conditions; it does not replace the simulator's flight model or install scenery. Our explanation of how external flight-simulator careers work covers the difference between this type of solo career application and a virtual airline.
How do you set up and use NeoFly with MSFS 2020?
The basic workflow is to create a career, select a job, load the matching flight in MSFS 2020 and leave NeoFly running until the mission has been completed.
- Install the Windows application. Use the NeoFly installer or application package from its developer and place it in a normal Windows application location. Do not extract or install it inside the MSFS Community folder.
- Create your pilot profile. Select a starting airport and an available starter aircraft. Choose an airport you can identify by ICAO code; similarly named airports are an easy source of failed departures.
- Select a suitable mission. Check the departure, destination, payload, distance and aircraft requirements. For the first few jobs, favour short routes with a comfortable runway and plenty of fuel and payload margin.
- Load the flight in MSFS 2020. Use the same departure airport and aircraft expected by NeoFly. Starting from a parking stand is safer than spawning on the runway because it gives the application time to identify your position and load the mission.
- Confirm the SimConnect connection. Wait until the cockpit has fully loaded and NeoFly reports that it is connected. A standard MSFS 2020 installation normally supplies the SimConnect components required by companion applications.
- Start the job and load its payload. Follow the controls and conditions displayed by your NeoFly release. Do not change aircraft, teleport, use slew mode or move to a different airport after starting the mission.
- Fly and finish the mission. Land at the specified destination, taxi inside the recognised airport area, stop and apply the parking brake. If the job requires shutdown, turn off the engines before using NeoFly's unloading or completion control.
Keep NeoFly open for the whole flight. Returning to the MSFS main menu or closing the companion application before it records completion can leave the mission unfinished.
Does NeoFly go in the MSFS Community folder?
No, NeoFly is an external Windows program and should not be placed in the MSFS 2020 Community folder. Only its interaction with the running simulator matters; it is not loaded by MSFS as an aircraft, scenery or gauge package.
This distinction causes a surprising number of installation problems. Our guide to the MSFS 2020 Community-folder mod process explains where conventional simulator packages belong, but those instructions should not be applied to NeoFly itself.
Can NeoFly use add-on aircraft?
Yes, NeoFly can be used with many add-on aircraft, provided the aircraft is installed in MSFS and NeoFly can match it to a suitable career aircraft entry. The model must also have sensible range, payload and performance values for the selected job.
First install and verify the add-on aircraft in MSFS 2020, then load it once so the simulator can register it. If NeoFly reports the wrong aircraft, select the exact variant expected by the career or use the aircraft-management options available in your NeoFly release. Do not rename files inside the aircraft package merely to force a match.
Variants can look identical in the MSFS aircraft selector while exposing different internal titles or ICAO data. Liveries usually cause fewer problems than genuinely separate variants, but a heavily modified aircraft may need its own NeoFly entry.
Why will NeoFly not connect or complete a mission?
Most NeoFly problems come from an incomplete SimConnect connection, an aircraft mismatch or starting and finishing outside the airport area expected by the job.
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| NeoFly remains disconnected | MSFS has not loaded into the cockpit, or the two programs have different Windows permission levels | Load a flight fully, restart NeoFly and run both applications under the same user permissions. Check security software only if the connection still fails. |
| Wrong aircraft warning | The MSFS variant does not match the career aircraft entry | Select the exact aircraft variant expected by NeoFly or configure a recognised equivalent through its aircraft-management controls. |
| No suitable jobs appear | Filters, pilot rank, location, aircraft range or payload limits exclude the available work | Clear restrictive filters and look for shorter or lighter jobs from the pilot's present airport. |
| Departure is not detected | The flight started at the wrong ICAO code or outside the expected airport boundary | Return to the World Map and start from a parking position at the mission's exact departure airport. |
| The mission will not complete | The aircraft is still moving, outside the destination area or has not met the shutdown conditions | Taxi closer to the airport parking area, stop completely, apply the parking brake and shut down the engines when required. |
| Career data disappears after a move or update | The local profile database was not carried over or cannot be written | Close NeoFly and restore the backed-up profile or database. Keep a copy before updating the application or moving it to another PC. |
Does NeoFly work with MSFS 2020 on Xbox?
NeoFly cannot be installed or run natively on Xbox because it is a Windows companion application rather than an Xbox Marketplace add-on. Reliable NeoFly use therefore requires the PC version of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020, with the companion application running alongside the simulator.