Set up VRAAS in MSFS 2020, choose the correct install method, prevent duplicate callouts, and fix missing or incorrect runway alerts.
To set up VRAAS in MSFS 2020, first identify its format. Put a package containing manifest.json and layout.json in Community; run a standalone VRAAS program from a normal folder instead. Connect it after MSFS loads, enable the required advisories, and keep every other RAAS system disabled.
How do I install VRAAS in MSFS 2020?
The files inside the download determine the correct installation method. Do not put a standalone program in Community, and do not try to run a Community package as an application.
| Download contents | Installation method |
|---|---|
manifest.json and layout.json | Copy the folder containing those files directly into Community. |
| A VRAAS executable or launcher | Extract the complete archive to a permanent folder outside Community, then run the program. |
| An installer | Close MSFS, run the installer, and retain its default components unless the supplied instructions say otherwise. |
For a Community package, the most common mistake is an extra folder level. The correct structure is Community\vraas-package\manifest.json, not Community\vraas-package\another-folder\manifest.json. Our MSFS 2020 Community folder instructions explain how to locate the right folder for each PC installation type.
- Close MSFS 2020. Packages copied while the simulator is running may not be detected until the next launch.
- Extract the archive completely. Do not place the ZIP file itself in Community or run an external utility from inside the archive.
- Install according to the file type. Copy the actual package folder to Community, or keep the standalone utility in its own normal folder.
- Start Microsoft Flight Simulator. Load fully into a flight before launching an external VRAAS utility. A Community version may start automatically or provide a toolbar panel, depending on the release.
- Confirm the connection. If there is a status indicator, it should show that MSFS or SimConnect is connected before runway advisories can work.
- Test at a stock airport. Taxi from parking towards a clearly marked runway and listen for the appropriate approach or runway-entry advisory.
Do not install FSUIPC7 merely because VRAAS is not producing sound. Many utilities communicate through SimConnect directly. If the documentation supplied with your particular release explicitly lists FSUIPC7 as a requirement, follow our FSUIPC7 installation and connection steps.
Which VRAAS settings should I use?
Start with the default advisory set, then change one option at a time. Enable the runway-entry, runway-approach and remaining-runway alerts offered by your build before experimenting with runway-length thresholds or specialised warnings.
- Audio output: Select the headset or speakers used by MSFS if VRAAS offers its own output-device setting.
- Voice volume: Set it high enough to be heard over engines, but check both the VRAAS control and the relevant MSFS sound sliders.
- Runway thresholds: Retain the defaults for the first test. An aggressive minimum-length setting can suppress alerts at small airfields.
- Airport data: Rebuild or rescan the database after adding airport scenery if your VRAAS release provides that function.
VRAAS supplies runway-awareness advisories; it is not a replacement for terrain warning, traffic alert or ground-proximity systems. For differences between this and other implementations, see our comparison of RAAS options for Microsoft Flight Simulator.
Why is VRAAS not working?
Missing callouts usually come from an incorrect folder structure, no simulator connection, muted audio or conflicting RAAS software. Work through those causes before reinstalling anything.
VRAAS does not appear in MSFS
Open the installed folder and verify that manifest.json and layout.json are at its top level. If they are buried inside another folder, move the inner package folder into Community. Also check that the package was not installed in a different MSFS installation's Community folder.
VRAAS appears but produces no callouts
Load into an aircraft and move towards or onto a runway before judging it; runway advisories are event-triggered, so silence at the gate can be normal. Check the selected audio device, VRAAS volume, MSFS volume and any Windows per-application volume control.
For an external version, start VRAAS after the simulator has reached the flight and verify its connection indicator. If the program reports a missing runtime or component, use only the prerequisite named in its supplied documentation rather than installing unrelated SimConnect or FSUIPC packages.
The runway name or warning is wrong
Test the same airport without third-party scenery. Duplicate airport packages, outdated runway layouts or conflicting scenery priorities can make the advisory system read different runway data from the scenery visible on screen. If VRAAS offers a database refresh, run it after changing airport packages.
Every advisory plays twice
Disable all but one runway-awareness system. Some detailed aircraft have their own RAAS implementation, while another utility or Community package may also be active. Two systems monitoring the same runway event will produce overlapping or slightly delayed duplicate calls.
Does VRAAS work on Xbox?
A VRAAS release that requires the Community folder, an executable or an installer is for PC. Xbox versions of MSFS 2020 cannot manually install Community packages or run external utilities, so only an officially distributed console-compatible add-on could work there.