Learn how to repaint aircraft liveries for flight simulators, from paint kits and texture formats to packaging, testing and fixing common errors.
To repaint aircraft liveries for flight simulators, start with the exact aircraft variant’s paint kit, edit its layered texture files in an image editor, preserve UV layout and alpha channels, export in the simulator’s required format, then create a separate livery package or texture folder and test it in varied lighting.
Across general flight simulators, the artwork process is broadly shared, but packaging is not. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and 2024, FSX, Prepar3D, X-Plane and older titles expect different file formats and registration methods, so copy the structure of a working livery for the same aircraft rather than improvising one.
What do you need before painting a livery?
You need the correct paint kit, an editor that preserves layers and alpha channels, and the aircraft developer’s livery instructions.
- The exact aircraft and variant: winglets, engine types, fuselage lengths and cargo or passenger models may use different UV maps.
- A layered paint kit: this normally separates base colour, panel lines, rivets, shading, dirt, labels and a UV wireframe.
- A suitable image editor: it must retain layers, transparency and channels and export the required texture format.
- Permission to modify and share: a paint kit or existing texture being accessible does not automatically grant redistribution rights.
For a worked example covering layered source files, export and registration, see our aircraft-specific Aerosoft repaint workflow.
What if no paint kit exists?
Use an existing texture as a reference only when its licence permits modification. A flattened diffuse or albedo texture can be repainted, but it lacks the editable masks and separate detail layers found in a proper kit, making clean colour changes and logo alignment harder.
Do not treat normal, bump or metallic/roughness textures as ordinary artwork. If source textures are encrypted or their licence forbids extraction, creating a conventional texture repaint may not be possible.
How do you repaint an aircraft livery step by step?
- Match the paint kit to the model. Confirm the simulator, aircraft release, fuselage variant and engine option. A texture can appear almost correct on the wrong model while leaving engines, doors or winglets unpainted.
- Keep an editable master. Duplicate the paint kit and retain its native dimensions, layers and channels. Save flattened or compressed textures only as export copies.
- Identify each mapped surface. Use the wireframe layer to locate the fuselage, tail, wings, engines, control surfaces and small parts. If no guide exists, a temporary numbered grid can reveal the UV layout during testing.
- Paint below the detail layers. Put colours, stripes and logos beneath panel lines, rivets, ambient shading and labels unless the kit instructions specify another order. Use masks rather than erasing original detail.
- Align artwork across seams. Markings crossing the nose, fuselage sections, doors or tail usually need small adjustments after an in-simulator check. Inspect both sides because one side may be rotated or use a separate texture island.
- Check for mirrored UV mapping. Some aircraft reuse one texture area on both sides. Text and logos will then appear backwards on one side, and there may be no texture-only fix unless the model supports separate decals.
- Preserve material channels. Alpha channels may control transparency, reflectivity or another material property, depending on the simulator and aircraft. Keep normal and PBR maps unchanged unless you deliberately need to alter the surface finish.
- Export using the aircraft’s existing specification. Match its file names, dimensions, compression family, alpha handling and mipmap behaviour. Never assume that every aircraft in the same simulator uses identical export settings.
- Package the repaint separately. Create a new livery folder or add-on package rather than overwriting the base aircraft. Give menu titles, configuration entries and package identifiers unique values.
- Test the whole model. Reload the aircraft or restart the simulator, then inspect both sides at close range and from a distance. Check daylight, dusk, reflective surfaces, control surfaces, landing-gear doors and lower levels of detail.
Which texture format and folder structure should you use?
Use the format and naming scheme already used by the target aircraft; the simulator name alone is not enough.
| Simulator family | Typical livery structure | Main trap |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and 2024 | DDS textures inside a separate add-on package with configuration and package metadata such as layout.json and manifest.json. | Copying loose textures into the wrong folder or failing to update the package layout. Our MSFS package and Community-folder instructions explain the finished structure. The Community-folder method is for PC; console builds do not expose the same open file access. |
| FSX and Prepar3D | A folder such as texture.MyLivery, normally registered through a unique [fltsim.x] entry in aircraft.cfg. Files may be DDS or extended BMP according to the aircraft. | Wrong texture suffixes, missing fallback files, duplicate aircraft titles or an entry created for the wrong model variant. |
| FS2004 | Usually an extended-BMP texture folder plus an [fltsim.x] registration entry. | Incorrect alpha handling or export format. Our legacy FS2004 bitmap and aircraft.cfg process covers these details. |
| X-Plane | Normally liveries/Livery Name/objects, containing PNG or DDS files named to match the aircraft’s original object textures. | Incorrect paths, mismatched names or letter-case differences on case-sensitive systems. |
| Other simulators | Aircraft-specific livery folders, packages or material definitions. | Assuming an FSX, MSFS or X-Plane structure will transfer unchanged. |
Once the artwork has been exported, our cross-simulator livery installation overview covers the placement and registration stage without repeating the painting work.
Why is my repaint white, mirrored or missing?
A white, invisible or distorted repaint usually points to packaging or channel handling rather than bad artwork.
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Livery is absent from the aircraft selector | Wrong aircraft variant, invalid configuration, duplicate title or incomplete package metadata. | Compare the repaint with a working livery for that exact model and assign unique identifiers. |
| Aircraft is white or shows missing textures | Incorrect file names, unsupported export settings, wrong folder path or missing fallback textures. | Match names exactly, including letter case, restore required fallback files and export using the source texture’s specification. |
| Text is backwards on one side | The model mirrors the same UV area across both sides. | Use a decal system if the aircraft supports one; otherwise avoid directional text in the mirrored area. |
| Paint is too glossy, matt or transparent | An alpha channel or PBR material channel was replaced or exported incorrectly. | Restore the original channel and change only the intended albedo or diffuse artwork. |
| Repaint looks correct nearby but wrong at distance | Missing mipmaps, unsuitable compression or separate textures used by lower-detail models. | Follow the source texture’s mipmap settings and inspect every available model level. |
| Saved changes do not appear | A duplicate package is taking priority, the loaded aircraft has not refreshed, or the edited file belongs to another variant. | Remove duplicate copies, verify the active path and reload the aircraft or simulator. |
Can you share or upload the finished repaint?
You may share a repaint only when the source artwork, aircraft licence and any third-party logos permit it.
- Include only the livery-specific textures, configuration data and package files required for installation unless the aircraft licence explicitly allows more.
- State the exact simulator, aircraft add-on, model variant and required version; a repaint rarely fits every edition of an aircraft.
- Use unique livery names and package identifiers so the repaint does not overwrite another add-on.
- Provide concise installation and removal instructions, along with any required credits and permissions.
- Do not redistribute a complete payware aircraft, its models, gauges or unmodified base textures as part of a repaint archive.