Which aircraft in Microsoft Flight Simulator have steam gauges or a traditional six-pack cockpit?
In Microsoft Flight Simulator, we usually find steam gauges in the older trainers, bush aircraft and vintage types rather than the glass-cockpit fleet. The most useful stock examples are the Cessna 152, Cessna 172 Skyhawk Classic, Robin DR400, Savage Cub and Pitts Special, with extra analogue aircraft depending on your edition, sim version and any installed add-ons.
What counts as a steam-gauge or six-pack cockpit?
People often use these terms interchangeably, but they are not quite the same thing.
- Steam gauges means traditional round analogue instruments rather than a glass display such as a G1000, G3000 or airliner EFIS screen.
- Traditional six-pack usually means the classic training layout of six primary flight instruments: airspeed indicator, attitude indicator, altimeter, turn coordinator, heading indicator and vertical speed indicator.
- Hybrid cockpit means an aircraft may still have round dials, but also carry a GPS, moving map or a small modern display. That still feels analogue, but it is not a pure old-school six-pack panel.
That distinction matters because some aircraft in MSFS are definitely steam-gauge aircraft, but their panel is not arranged as a textbook Cessna-style six-pack.
Default MSFS aircraft with steam gauges or mostly analogue cockpits
The stock line-up changes between Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020, the 40th Anniversary content, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, and the edition you own. So the safest answer is to think in terms of the aircraft families and variants that are normally analogue.
| Aircraft | Cockpit type | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Cessna 152 | Traditional steam gauges | One of the clearest stock examples of a true analogue trainer and a very good choice if we want a classic six-pack scan. |
| Cessna 172 Skyhawk Classic | Traditional steam gauges | The key word is Classic. This is the analogue 172, not the G1000 version. |
| Robin DR400 | Mostly analogue | Round-dial VFR feel, though not always laid out exactly like a US training six-pack. |
| Savage Cub | Simple analogue panel | Very basic bush-style steam gauges, ideal if we want a stripped-back cockpit. |
| Pitts Special | Analogue aerobatic panel | Round instruments, but not a standard trainer six-pack layout. |
| Vintage and classic aircraft in later MSFS content | Mostly analogue | Aircraft such as classic utility, transport and taildragger types usually use round dials, but not always in a six-pack arrangement. |
If we specifically want a true six-pack, which aircraft should we choose?
If your goal is a proper basic training panel for VFR or old-school instrument practice, the shortlist is simple.
- Cessna 152 - usually the easiest stock steam-gauge trainer to find and use.
- Cessna 172 Skyhawk Classic - the best stock step up if we want more familiar general aviation handling with a traditional panel.
Those two are the closest match to what most simmers mean when they ask for a six-pack cockpit.
Aircraft that are analogue, but not really a six-pack
This is where many people get caught out. Quite a few MSFS aircraft have round dials but are not set up like a conventional training aircraft.
- Bush aircraft often have sparse panels with only the essentials.
- Aerobatic aircraft may have analogue instruments arranged around visibility and G-loading needs rather than training convention.
- Vintage aircraft can be fully analogue but use older layouts, different engine instruments and period-specific equipment.
- Hybrid GA cockpits may combine steam gauges with a GPS unit or a modern nav screen.
So if we care about layout rather than just round dials, we should check the panel preview before choosing the aircraft.
How do we find steam-gauge aircraft in the MSFS hangar?
Microsoft Flight Simulator does not always give us a neat filter labelled steam gauges, so the easiest method is to check the aircraft variant and cockpit preview.
- Open the aircraft selection menu and browse the aircraft you own.
- Look for variant names such as
Classicrather than G1000, G3000 or other glass-avionics labels. - Check the cockpit thumbnail or preview. Round dials are easy to spot once the panel image loads.
- Avoid glass-cockpit labels if you want a true analogue experience. Terms like G1000, G3000 and modern avionics almost always mean a glass panel.
- Load into the cockpit once if you are unsure. Some aircraft are partly analogue and partly modern, so the preview does not always tell the whole story.
MSFS 2020 versus MSFS 2024: is the answer different?
Yes, a bit. The core idea stays the same, but the stock roster changes.
In MSFS 2020, the easiest stock steam-gauge answers are usually the Cessna 152 and the Cessna 172 Classic, plus a handful of bush and aerobatic aircraft with mostly analogue panels.
In MSFS 2024, the aircraft list is different again, and some career-friendly trainers and utility aircraft may be more relevant to what you want. Even so, the rule still holds: older, simpler or explicitly classic variants are the ones to look for if we want steam gauges.
Do edition and add-on aircraft change the list?
Very much so. Deluxe, Premium Deluxe, anniversary aircraft and third-party packages can expand the number of analogue cockpits quite a lot.
That is why there is no single universal list that fits every MSFS installation. Two simmers can both say they own Microsoft Flight Simulator and still have different steam-gauge aircraft available because their edition and installed content differ.
If we add third-party aircraft, the analogue choices widen considerably. We keep a large MSFS library at Fly Away Simulation downloads, and many community aircraft focus on classic round-dial flying rather than glass avionics.
Best stock aircraft for analogue flying in MSFS
If we want the short answer rather than the full list, these are the best bets.
| Use case | Best stock choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Classic six-pack training | Cessna 152 | Simple, clear, forgiving and genuinely old-school. |
| More capable GA analogue flying | Cessna 172 Skyhawk Classic | Familiar trainer layout with more flexibility than the 152. |
| Bush flying with steam gauges | Savage Cub | Minimalist and very easy to read in VFR flying. |
| Aerobatic analogue cockpit | Pitts Special | Round dials and a very different kind of flying challenge. |
| Vintage analogue atmosphere | Classic anniversary-era aircraft | Best for period flying, though not necessarily a six-pack. |
The practical answer
If we only need a quick recommendation, pick the Cessna 152 or Cessna 172 Skyhawk Classic. They are the clearest stock answers to the question.
If we simply want round dials of any kind, then the pool is wider: Robin DR400, Savage Cub, Pitts Special and several older or vintage aircraft also qualify. Just remember that steam gauges and traditional six-pack are related, but not identical, so the exact cockpit layout still matters.