FS2004 Continental Boeing 737-400

This freeware repaint brings the Continental Airlines theme to the default Boeing 737-400 in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004. Created by Tony Potter, the package incorporates non-mipmapped textures for enhanced clarity. It does not include the base 737-400 model, so ensure you have that freeware package from the Fly Away Simulation library.

Continental Heritage and Model Features

Continental Airlines, once a major U.S. carrier, operated a wide variety of Boeing 737 variants over the years. The 737-400 belongs to the Classic generation (alongside the -300 and -500), designed for short- to medium-range operations. This repaint reflects the airline’s familiar livery with its globe tail design and finely detailed fuselage markings. Users can expect crisp external graphics and faithful coloring to match the real-world fleet.

Technical Notes on the Livery

These textures were carefully prepared to avoid mipmaps. Mipmaps are smaller versions of the same texture embedded within the primary texture file; removing them often enhances sharpness when viewed at specific angles or distances. This approach ensures the lettering and logos remain consistently sharp, capturing minute details across various viewpoints and lighting conditions.

Recommended Installation Options

Option 1: Non-AI Setup

1. Unpack the downloaded ZIP archive to a temporary directory.
2. Copy the Texture.x folder into your fs2004/aircraft/b737_400 directory. Next, rename texture.x by replacing the “x” with the next unused number.
3. Locate the [fltsim.x] section below and copy its entire content. Then open the aircraft.cfg file within the b737_400 folder. Scroll to the last existing [fltsim.#] entry, just before the [General] section, and paste the new [fltsim.x] block. Replace the placeholder “x” markers with the correct sequential number.
4. Save and close the aircraft.cfg file.
5. Launch your flight simulator and enjoy flying the 737-400 in Continental colors.

Option 2: AI Aircraft Setup

1. Back up your original texture folder and aircraft.cfg file for the default 737-400.
2. Extract this repaint package to a temporary directory.
3. Open the relevant default texture folder in fs2004/aircraft/b737_400/texture.x (could be texture.0, texture.1, and so on) and overwrite the existing files with the new textures.
4. Copy the [fltsim.x] segment below. Access the aircraft.cfg in your fs2004/aircraft/b737_400 directory and find the [fltsim.#] entry that matches the texture folder you replaced. Paste in the new entry, then rename the placeholders accordingly.
5. Save your aircraft.cfg and load the simulator to verify the AI aircraft texture.

Configuration Details

To integrate this repaint correctly, insert the following code into your aircraft.cfg file, adapting any “x” placeholders to match your current numbering sequence:

[fltsim.x]
title=Boeing 737-400 PaintX
sim=Boeing737-400
model=
panel=
sound=
texture=x
kb_checklists=Boeing737-400_check
kb_reference=Boeing737-400_ref
atc_id=N16301
atc_airline=Continental
atc_flight_number=1123
ui_manufacturer=Boeing
ui_type=737-400
ui_variation=Continental Airlines
description=One should hardly be surprised that the world's most prolific manufacturer of commercial aircraft is also the producer of the world's most popular jetliner. The 737 became the best-selling commercial jetliner worldwide when orders for it hit 1,831 in June 1987 (surpassing Boeing's own 727 as the previous champ). However, it wasn't always that way\s in the first few years of production, there were so few orders that Boeing considered canceling the program. They didn't, and the airplane has more than proven itself in over three decades of service.

Important Note

This repaint is freeware and requires the default Boeing 737-400 that ships with Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004. If you do not possess the base model, it can be acquired as a freeware download in the Fly Away Simulation library. All credit for these custom textures goes to Tony Potter.