How do I update Fenix A320 AIRAC in MSFS?
To update the Fenix A320 AIRAC in Microsoft Flight Simulator, install the latest Fenix navdata through your Navigraph updater, not just through MSFS. Then restart the Fenix app and the simulator, and make sure the aircraft, the sim and any SimBrief route are all on the same AIRAC cycle.
How to update the Fenix A320 AIRAC in MSFS
The supported method is to update the Fenix aircraft database separately from the base simulator. Updating Microsoft Flight Simulator alone does not guarantee that the Fenix MCDU is using the same cycle.
- Close Microsoft Flight Simulator and the Fenix app. Shut down both before changing navdata so the aircraft does not keep the old database in memory.
- Open your Navigraph updater. Most people will use Navigraph Hub, though some older setups may still use the older Navdata Centre.
- Update the Fenix A320 navdata package. Find the Fenix entry in the updater and install the latest AIRAC. If you want the world map, ATC and default aircraft to match as well, update the simulator navdata entry too.
- Restart the Fenix app, then launch MSFS. A full restart matters. One of the most common mistakes we see is updating the data, then loading straight back into a flight without restarting the external Fenix application.
- Check the cycle in the cockpit. Open the MCDU and look for the database or status page that shows the active AIRAC cycle and validity dates. If you want to confirm that procedures are really available in the FMS, our guide to programming the A320 MCDU and selecting SIDs, STARs and approaches shows the right places to look.
How do I check which AIRAC cycle the Fenix is using?
Check the cycle number and validity dates shown on the MCDU’s database/status pages. If that cycle is older than the one used by your flight planner, the update did not reach the aircraft even if MSFS itself looks up to date.
Why updating MSFS does not always update the Fenix A320
The Fenix A320 does not simply mirror whatever navdata the base simulator is using. Its flight management system uses its own database, which is why the MSFS world map can show a procedure that the Fenix MCDU does not, or the other way round.
| Component | What to update | Typical mismatch symptom |
|---|---|---|
| Fenix A320 FMS | Fenix navdata package in your Navigraph updater | SIDs, STARs, approaches or airways missing in the MCDU |
| MSFS world map and default systems | Simulator navdata package or default sim data | World map route differs from what the Fenix accepts |
| SimBrief route | Your planner’s AIRAC cycle | Imported route contains unavailable procedures or broken airways |
This is why matching cycles matters. If the planner, the sim and the aircraft all reference different AIRAC data, route entry becomes messy very quickly.
Do I need Navigraph to keep the Fenix AIRAC current?
If you want regular AIRAC updates, yes in practice. The Fenix A320 is not kept current just by installing simulator updates, and manual Community-folder tweaks are not the normal way to update its internal FMS database.
Without a supported navdata source, you are usually limited to the cycle bundled with the aircraft or included with a Fenix aircraft update. That may be fine for casual flying, but it is the wrong setup if you want your charts, SimBrief route and onboard FMS all aligned.
Why are procedures still missing after the update?
If a procedure is still unavailable after updating, the cause is usually a mismatch somewhere else rather than a bad Fenix install.
- SimBrief is on a different cycle. If you generate routes externally, keep that planner on the same AIRAC as the aircraft. If you are using MSFS 2024 tools as part of the workflow, our guide to importing and starting a SimBrief flight plan with matching navdata shows where cycle mismatches tend to appear.
- The simulator and the Fenix are on different cycles. The aircraft may still fly normally, but you can see different procedures in the world map, ATC and the MCDU.
- An airport add-on is older than the AIRAC. Custom scenery can preserve old runway designations or airport data. If you suspect a conflict, check your MSFS Community folder location and temporarily remove scenery or navdata packages that affect that airport.
- The issue is radio navigation, not navdata. If the route exists but a VOR or other navaid seems dead after the update, work through our checks for VOR signals not working properly in Microsoft Flight Simulator.
If the updater never shows a Fenix entry at all, update or repair the Fenix application first, reopen the navdata updater, and then check again. That is a simpler and more common fix than trying to copy files around by hand.