Find safe free aircraft downloads for Microsoft Flight Simulator, check MSFS 2020/2024 compatibility, avoid repaint mistakes and install correctly.
Download free aircraft for Microsoft Flight Simulator from an established, moderated add-on library that identifies simulator compatibility and scans files, such as our MSFS aircraft and mod library. On PC, verify the package supports MSFS 2020 or 2024 before installing it; Xbox and PlayStation users cannot install external aircraft files.
Where should you download free MSFS aircraft?
Choose a library that provides a proper description, screenshots, compatibility information, dependencies and installation instructions rather than an anonymous file link. Our main library covers complete aircraft, modifications and repaints for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and 2024.
If you specifically want an airliner, browse the dedicated collection of freeware airliners and civil jets. A recognised project such as the FlyByWire A32NX download listing also illustrates what to look for: clear compatibility notes, package details and an identified developer.
Do not download cracked payware presented as freeware. Apart from breaching the developer's licence, pirated packages are a common vehicle for modified executables and credential-stealing malware.
How do you check whether an aircraft download is safe?
Treat every downloaded archive as untrusted until you have checked both its source and its contents. File scanning reduces risk, but no scan is an absolute guarantee.
- Confirm the simulator version: MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024 packages are not automatically interchangeable. Use a download only when its listing explicitly names your simulator or documents cross-version support.
- Inspect the archive: A manually installed aircraft normally contains package folders and files such as
manifest.jsonandlayout.json. Unexpected scripts, key generators or unrelated programs are warning signs. - Scan before extracting or running anything: Use your local security software, especially when the download contains an executable installer.
- Question password-protected archives: A password is not proof of malware, but it can prevent automated scanning. The listing should explain why one is required.
- Avoid forced download managers: A freeware aircraft should not require an unrelated browser extension, system cleaner or advertising program.
Our detailed archive and installer safety checklist explains how to examine suspicious files without blindly launching them.
Is the download a complete aircraft or only a repaint?
Read the package type before downloading because many files described as aircraft are actually liveries or enhancements for another model.
| Package type | What it provides | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Complete aircraft | A selectable flyable aircraft | Any documented dependencies and the supported MSFS version |
| Aircraft enhancement | Improved systems, cockpit or flight behaviour | The exact default or separately installed aircraft it requires |
| Repaint or livery | New colours and markings only | The precise base model; a livery cannot fly by itself |
A mistake we see constantly is installing a repaint and then looking for a new aircraft in the selector. If the required base model is missing or the livery was made for a different developer's model, it will not work.
How do you install a downloaded aircraft on PC?
Most manually installed MSFS aircraft go into the active Community folder, although packages supplied with a documented installer may manage their own installation.
- Read the listing: Confirm MSFS 2020 or 2024 support, required base aircraft and any special installation instructions.
- Download and scan the archive: Do this before running an installer or copying files into the simulator.
- Extract the archive: Do not place the unopened ZIP or RAR file in
Community. - Find the package folder: For a normal manual package, locate the folder containing files such as
manifest.jsonandlayout.json. Copy that folder, not an unnecessary outer wrapper folder. - Copy it into the active Community folder: Its location varies with the simulator edition, installation source and any custom Packages path.
- Restart Microsoft Flight Simulator: Check the aircraft selector in Free Flight first. An aircraft not being available in MSFS 2024 Career mode does not necessarily mean the installation failed.
Why does the downloaded aircraft not appear?
A missing aircraft is usually caused by the wrong package type, an extra folder level or installation into an inactive Community directory.
| Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|
| The archive is still compressed | Extract it fully before copying the package |
| There is an extra wrapper folder | Move the folder containing manifest.json directly into Community |
| It is only a repaint | Install or select the exact required base aircraft |
| The wrong Community folder was used | Locate the Packages path used by the active simulator installation |
| The aircraft targets another MSFS version | Download a package explicitly supporting your version |
| It is absent from Career mode | Test it in Free Flight; Career availability has separate requirements |
Can Xbox and PlayStation install free aircraft downloads?
Xbox and PlayStation cannot install external aircraft archives because they do not expose the PC Community folder. Console users must obtain compatible free content through Microsoft Flight Simulator's in-simulator Marketplace or official content system.
This applies to MSFS 2020 on Xbox and MSFS 2024 on Xbox Series X|S. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is also available on PlayStation 5 and PS5 Pro, while MSFS 2020 was never released for PlayStation. There is no supported USB method for sideloading a PC aircraft ZIP onto either console family.