Can you update AIRAC cycles for free in flight simulators, and what are the legal options?
Yes, sometimes. You can legally update AIRAC data for free in a flight simulator only when the simulator, aircraft developer or a community project is allowed to distribute that navdata. What you usually cannot do legally is copy current commercial cycles from paid products, shared files or unofficial downloads without a licence.
What AIRAC cycles are in flight simulators
AIRAC is the regular navigation data cycle used for procedures, waypoints, navaids, airways and runway-related coding. In sim terms, it is the database your FMC, GPS or navigation computer reads when you load a SID, STAR, approach or airway route.
That matters because a simulator can have several databases at once. The base sim may have one set of navdata, an add-on aircraft may carry its own, and a third-party planner may use another. When those do not match, you start seeing missing waypoints, procedure mismatches or route discontinuities.
Can you get free AIRAC updates legally?
Yes, but only through sources that have the right to supply them. In practice, that usually means one of four routes:
- Built-in simulator updates that refresh navdata as part of the platform.
- Aircraft or avionics add-ons that include their own legal update method.
- Community navdata projects built from sources that can be redistributed legally.
- Older bundled databases that are out of date but were released for public use by the developer.
The key point is not whether the file costs money. The key point is whether the person distributing it has the legal right to do so.
What are the legal free options?
1. Simulator-supplied navdata updates
Some simulators update navigation data through official platform updates. If that is how the sim is designed, it is the cleanest free option because the data format, installer and compatibility are all handled for you.
The drawback is timing. Official sim updates do not always track the current real-world AIRAC cycle exactly, and older simulators may receive no navdata refresh at all.
2. Add-on aircraft with included database support
Some aircraft developers bundle navdata or provide a legal updater for the avionics they ship. If that update path comes from the developer and is covered by the product licence, it is fine to use.
Do check the wording carefully. A developer may let you update the aircraft you bought, but not copy that database into another aircraft, another simulator or a shared community package.
3. Community-created navdata from redistributable sources
There are community projects that compile navigation data from sources that can legally be shared. These can be excellent for general route structure and many procedures, especially in open or older simulator ecosystems.
Still, legality does not guarantee completeness. Coverage, coding depth and format support vary a lot. A freeware database may work well in one GPS or FMC and fail in another that expects a different structure.
4. Older freeware or legacy navdata packages
For older platforms, you may find legacy navdata packages that were openly distributed years ago. If the original release allowed redistribution and the files are still shared under those terms, that is generally the safest no-cost route for old add-ons.
Just remember that legal does not mean current. Those packages may be many cycles behind, which can be fine for offline flying or vintage routes but not for matching present-day charts.
What is not legal?
This is where many simmers get caught out. These are the common cases we would treat as not legal unless the licence explicitly says otherwise:
- Downloading current AIRAC files that were extracted from a paid navdata subscription or paid add-on.
- Copying navdata from one product to another because the formats happen to fit.
- Sharing a friend’s update files or pulling them from a forum, cloud folder or file archive.
- Redistributing converted commercial navdata even if you changed the file format yourself.
- Using a paid updater beyond its licensed scope, such as on unsupported aircraft or multiple users where the licence forbids it.
The simple rule is this: if the source is current, polished and obviously taken from a commercial provider, assume you need a valid licence unless the developer states otherwise.
Which free AIRAC option makes sense for your simulator?
| Simulator or setup | Free legal options | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Modern all-in-one simulator | Official platform navdata updates, bundled avionics updates | May not always be on the latest real-world cycle |
| Older simulator with legacy add-ons | Older freeware navdata packs, community conversions where redistribution is allowed | Often out of date and format-specific |
| Study-level airliner with its own FMC database | Developer-supplied data only, or community data if the aircraft explicitly supports it | Base sim navdata may not update the aircraft FMC |
| Open-source or community-driven platform | Community navdata projects using legally shareable sources | Coverage and procedure quality can vary |
How do we update AIRAC legally and safely?
- Identify which database you need. Check whether the route data lives in the base simulator, the aircraft’s FMC, a separate GPS package or an external planner.
- Read the add-on documentation. Look for the developer’s stated update method rather than assuming the base sim database will feed the aircraft.
- Confirm the licence. If the source does not clearly say you may use and redistribute the files, do not treat it as a legal free update.
- Back up the existing data. Older aircraft and GPS units can be very sensitive to navdata changes, and rolling back is often the quickest fix.
- Install only the correct format. A legal database can still break things if it is intended for a different avionics package.
- Check cycle consistency. Compare the cycle shown in the sim, FMC or GPS with your charts or flight planner so you know what you are actually flying.
- Test a known route. Load a simple SID, airway and approach before using the update on a serious flight.
Why does my simulator still show old procedures after an update?
Because the update may have gone to the wrong place. This is extremely common. You update the base sim, but the airliner still reads its own internal database, so the FMC continues to show the old cycle.
The reverse also happens. An aircraft gets current procedures while the simulator world data stays older, which can affect ATC route matching, map displays or autopilot behaviour during some approaches.
There is also a coding issue. Not every simulator or avionics package supports every procedure type the same way. So a legal, current AIRAC can still leave out certain transitions, RF legs or special procedures if the software itself cannot use them properly.
Do you need the latest AIRAC cycle?
Not always. If you mainly fly offline, use built-in ATC casually, or stick to older aircraft and older scenery, a non-current but stable legal database is often enough.
If you fly online, follow current charts closely, or use advanced airliners and realistic dispatch planning, current navdata matters much more. In that case, a paid licensed update path is often the only reliable and legal answer.
Common AIRAC myths
“If it is free on a forum, it must be allowed”
No. Free access does not prove legal redistribution.
“Updating the simulator updates every aircraft”
No. Many complex aircraft use their own separate database.
“Old navdata is illegal because it is old”
No. Age is not the legal issue. Licensing and redistribution rights are.
“If I convert the files myself, they become mine”
No. Changing file format does not erase the original data licence.
Our practical view
If you want a free AIRAC update, stay with official simulator updates, developer-approved aircraft updates, or community databases that are clearly licensed for redistribution. If the source looks like copied commercial navdata, avoid it. That keeps you on safe legal ground and usually saves a lot of troubleshooting as well.
For simulator files, aircraft packages and related downloads, we keep our own library at Fly Away Simulation Downloads. When working with older add-ons in particular, always match the navdata source to the exact aircraft or avionics package rather than assuming one database fits everything.