Why is FlyByWire free in Microsoft Flight Simulator?
Why is FlyByWire free? Learn what the A32NX and A380X include, MSFS platform limits, licensing, liveries and common installation fixes.
FlyByWire is free in Microsoft Flight Simulator because its A32NX and A380X are community-built, open-source aircraft developed largely by volunteers rather than sold as commercial add-ons. The aircraft have no purchase price, but you still need access to a compatible PC version of Microsoft Flight Simulator, and the software remains subject to licence terms.
Why can FlyByWire Simulations give away the A320 and A380?
FlyByWire Simulations can charge nothing because it uses an open community-development model instead of funding each aircraft through sales. FlyByWire Simulations is the project behind the aircraft, not a separate flight simulator and not the publisher of Microsoft Flight Simulator itself.
Contributors work on the flight model, avionics, displays, electrical and hydraulic systems, documentation, testing and other components. The A32NX began as an enhancement for the simulator’s stock A320neo before growing into a much deeper aircraft with extensive custom systems; the A380X applies the same broad model to an Airbus A380.
Open development does not mean that creating or maintaining these aircraft costs nothing. It means users are not charged a mandatory aircraft purchase price.
What is free, and what must you still pay for?
The FlyByWire aircraft packages are free; the simulator, computer and optional external services are separate.
| Item | Price model | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|
| FlyByWire A32NX | No aircraft purchase price | Requires a compatible PC installation of MSFS |
| FlyByWire A380X | No aircraft purchase price | Requires a compatible PC installation and remains under active development |
| Microsoft Flight Simulator | Separate purchase or qualifying subscription access | Not included with either aircraft |
| Charts, flight-planning data and updated navigation services | Free and paid options may exist | Paid external services are optional, not an aircraft unlock |
There is no time-limited trial or feature-locked premium edition of the A32NX. Our FlyByWire A32NX freeware package record describes what the package contains and its GPL v3.0 licensing.
Is the FlyByWire A32NX free in MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024?
The FlyByWire A32NX has no aircraft purchase price in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 or Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 on PC, provided that a build intended for the chosen simulator is installed. Do not assume an MSFS 2020 package can simply be copied into MSFS 2024; use the installer’s matching simulator option and release channel.
The normal FlyByWire packages are PC add-ons installed through a PC-style Community folder. Xbox users cannot sideload them, and the same restriction applies to PlayStation: MSFS 2020 was never released for PlayStation, while MSFS 2024 is available on PS5 and PS5 Pro but does not expose the PC installation method. Freeware status does not make the aircraft a console entitlement.
Is the FlyByWire A380 free?
Yes, the FlyByWire A380X is also a free, open-source aircraft rather than a paid expansion. Microsoft Flight Simulator is still required, the installer package is intended for compatible PC installations, and unfinished or changing systems should be expected during development.
For the differences between this project and other A380 products, see our breakdown of the free and paid A380 choices for MSFS.
Does free mean public domain?
No, free of charge, open source and public domain are different legal concepts.
- Free of charge means there is no mandatory purchase price for the aircraft.
- Open source means covered source code can be studied, modified and redistributed under the conditions of its licence.
- Public domain generally means applicable copyright restrictions have expired or been relinquished; that label does not automatically apply to FlyByWire material.
Covered A32NX code is distributed under GPL v3.0, which gives users substantial rights but also places obligations on redistribution. Aircraft artwork, trademarks, branding, documentation and liveries may have different terms. A mistake we see repeatedly is treating “free download” as permission to repackage or sell every included asset without checking its licence.
Does free mean FlyByWire is lower quality than payware?
No, price does not determine systems depth, although community software and commercial aircraft have different development and support models. The A32NX includes detailed Airbus-style avionics, MCDU functions, autoflight behaviour and aircraft systems rather than acting as a cosmetic reskin of the stock A320neo.
- Choose the A32NX when you want an A320neo, no aircraft purchase price, open development and substantial systems depth.
- Choose a commercial alternative when its exact aircraft variant, feature set, release policy or vendor support is more important than avoiding a purchase.
Our side-by-side explanation of FlyByWire and the commercial Fenix A320 covers that decision without assuming that paid automatically means better.
Which FlyByWire release channel should I use?
For routine flying, use the Stable channel when the installer offers it for your simulator. Development builds contain newer changes and fixes but can introduce regressions; Experimental builds are intended for features or testing specifically identified by the project.
Do not install multiple channels beside one another. Switching channels through the installer is safer than keeping Stable, Development and an old manual copy in the same Community folder.
How should I install the free FlyByWire aircraft?
The safest method is to use the project’s supported installer, select the correct simulator and keep only one installer-managed copy of each aircraft.
- Run Microsoft Flight Simulator once. This allows a new or updated installation to create its package folders before the add-on installer tries to find them.
- Remove obsolete manual copies. Search the active
Communityfolder for an older A32NX or A380X installation rather than installing another copy over it. - Select the correct simulator. Check carefully whether the installer is targeting MSFS 2020 or MSFS 2024, especially if both are installed on the same PC.
- Confirm the Community-folder path. Do not install the aircraft in the simulator’s
Officialfolder. If using an archive supplied through a supported package, avoid creating an extra nested folder above the directory containingmanifest.json. - Test the aircraft before adding extras. Load it with its default livery and without cockpit modifications, sound replacements or other aircraft-specific add-ons.
- Add liveries and optional mods one at a time. This makes the source of a new loading or texture fault much easier to identify.
Why is the A32NX missing, broken or showing blank screens?
Most first-install problems come from an incorrect package path, duplicate aircraft copies, incompatible liveries or an unpowered cockpit.
- Aircraft not listed: verify that the installer targeted the active simulator and its real
Communityfolder. With a manual package, check for an unnecessary extra folder level. - Two aircraft entries or mixed systems: remove the obsolete copy. An installer-managed package and an old manual installation can conflict even when their folder names differ.
- Blank cockpit displays: first confirm that the aircraft is electrically powered; a cold-and-dark Airbus should have dark screens. If power is available, remove duplicate packages and incompatible cockpit modifications.
- Crash or endless loading after a simulator update: update the FlyByWire package, then temporarily move unrelated add-ons out of
Community. Keep the installer-managed aircraft and its bundled components together, and restore other add-ons one at a time. - Stock systems appear instead: check that you selected the FlyByWire aircraft entry rather than the simulator’s standard A320neo.
Are FlyByWire A32NX liveries free too?
Many FlyByWire A32NX liveries are free, but the aircraft’s price and licence do not automatically apply to every independent repaint. Each livery can have its own copyright and redistribution conditions.
Choose a livery explicitly made for the FlyByWire A32NX and the simulator generation you use. A repaint for the stock A320neo or an obsolete A32NX layout can produce pink textures, missing exterior sections or an incorrect aircraft thumbnail. Our guide to worthwhile free MSFS liveries explains what to check before installing additional repaints.
Will Project Flight ever be free because FlyByWire is free?
FlyByWire’s freeware model says nothing about whether Project Flight will ever be free. Project Flight is a separate product, while FlyByWire Simulations develops add-on aircraft that run inside Microsoft Flight Simulator; only the publisher of a separate product can set or announce its future pricing.