How to Install Addons + Payware/Freeware Recommendations

This is a guide on installing addons into FSX. I also listed some of my favorite addons with photos.

Freeware Addons

Websites

• http://simviation.com/ < Incredible collection of freeware downloads, if you want something, they probably have it.
  
• http://flyawaysimulation.com/downloads.html < Slow download speeds if you don't have a membership, but great addons nonetheless.
  
• http://indiafoxtecho.blogspot.com/ < Absolutely stunning freeware aircraft.
  
• https://www.fullterrain.com/freeware < Not only do they have incredible payware scenery, but they have a plethora of freeware addons.
  
• http://www.world-of-ai.com/ < A stupidly large amount of free AI traffic. To my surprise, the airplanes look very nice, as well. Not just a bunch of crude paint jobs. Very well done.
  
  WOAI aircraft and the PMDG 747-8i (center)
  

Personal Recommendations

• All of Dino Cattaneo's aircraft http://indiafoxtecho.blogspot.com/
  
  Dino Cattaneo's F-14D Tomcat
  
  
  Dino Cattaneo's F-14D Tomcat
  
  
  Dino Cattaneo's F-14D Tomcat
  
  
• Virtavia F-22A Raptor http://simviation.com/1/search?submit=1&keywords=virtavia+f-22&x=0&y=0 (3rd one)
  
  
  Virtavia F-22A Raptor
  
  
  Virtavia F-22A Raptor
  
  
• AH-1W Super Cobra http://simviation.com/1/search?submit=1&keywords=ah-1w&x=0&y=0 (2nd one)
  
  
  AH-1W Super Cobra
  
  
  AH-1W Super Cobra
  
  
• F-35 Lightning http://simviation.com/1/search?submit=1&keywords=fsx+acceleration+lockheed+martin+f-35&x=0&y=0 (2nd one)
  
  
  F-35 Lightning
  
  
  F-35 Lightning
  
  
  F-35 Lightning

Payware Addons

Payware

Websites

• PMDG[precisionmanuals.com]
  
  PMDG makes some of the finest addons for Flight Simulator X. Here are the ones that I own and recommend.
  
  

  737NGX

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  777-200/300

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  MD-11

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  747-400/8i

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  Scenery

  
  
  
• https://www.fullterrain.com/ < Jaw-dropping scenery, airports and entire regions.
  
• http://www.realenvironmentxtreme.com/ < Outstanding multi-purpose addons that make the game look significantly better in nearly every way.
  
• https://www.a2asimulations.com/ < Incredibly detailed addons.
  
• http://www.fsdreamteam.com/ < Very, very nice scenery.
  
  FSDreamteam's KIAH - George Bush Inctercontinental Airport
  
  
  FSDreamteam's KIAH - George Bush Inctercontinental Airport
  
  
  FSDreamteam's KIAH - George Bush Inctercontinental Airport, F-35 Lightning
  
  
  FSDreamteam's KIAH - George Bush Inctercontinental Airport, WOAI Traffic, AH-1W Super Cobra
  
  
• http://www.flytampa.org/ < Astoundingly beautiful airports all around the world.
  
• http://www.uk2000scenery.com/newsite/default.htm < I've never owned any UK2000 scenery, but having seen videos and photos of it, I can say it looks fantastic.
  
• http://www.carenado.com/CarSite/Portal/index.php < Sexy GA aircraft.
  
• http://www.captainsim.com/ < Nostalgic aircraft as well as modern. Amazing detail and functionality.
  
• http://www.commerciallevel.com/ < Having previously owned (but then losing track of, over the course of many years) these guys' 767 and 747, I can say that they do a great job modelling and programming the functions of these airplanes. Not nearly as complex as PMDG, for example, but not default aircraft simple.
  

Installing SimObjects (Airplanes, Helicopters, Cars, etc)

So by now, you've chosen an airplane you like, downloaded it, but you don't know what to do with this mess of files. It's all very simple, really.

Read any 'readme' files

It is important to follow any special instructions the authorr says you should follow that may not be specified in this guide.

Now it is time to start moving files. Your download will be a zip file, so extract it somewhere and then open it up. It should look something like the following:

Picture 1

or

Picture 2

or it's just a folder that contains these kind of files:

Picture 3

If yours looks like Picture 1 or 2, follow the instructions immediately following. If yours looks like #3, follow the instructions after that.

Installation!

So inside the file you downloaded, you might see folders called 'Modules', 'Effects', 'SimObjects', 'Sound', 'Gauges', etc. If you've ever seen the main FSX folder, you'll have seen these names before. They're just a few of the many folders in the main FSX directory, for those who aren't familiar. The addon author conveniently organized all the different files necessary for the addon to function into folders whose names reflect where they need to go.

Drag the addon contents to the corresponding FSX folder

For example, the contents of an 'Effects' folder needs to be copied into the 'Effects' folder in the main FSX directory (sometimes, there is a 'texture' folder inside the 'effects' folder you downloaded, place the contents of that in the corresponding texture folder inside effects).

Do the same for modules, sound, and so on (if necessary).

Installation #2

If you have an addon that looks like this, you got lucky. All you need to do is extract all those folders and files to a folder, and then drag the folder into SteamApps>Common>FSX>SimObjects>Airplanes/Rotorcraft/Boats/whichever kind of addon you have

I extracted the contents of the download to a folder within the Rotorcraft folder

*Note - if there is a readme file in an addon like this, you should still read it! ^

Installing Scenery

For this tutorial, I went and downloaded a small scenery addon from Simviation
( http://simviation.com/1/search?submit=1&keywords=Lake+Simcoe+Regional%2C+Ontario&x=0&y=0 ).

This is because I usually never download freeware scenery. If I'm going to upgrade my scenery, I'm going to make it worth the while and pay for it, because payware (generally) looks better than freeware. That's not always the case, but most of the time it is. However, that's just personal preference. Also, payware tends to have an installer that does all this for you :)

First, obviously, download the scenery you want. It should contain 2 folders named 'Scenery' and 'Texture'.


Next, move the folder that contains 'Scenery' and 'Texture' to your Addon Scenery folder (SteamApps>Common>FSX>Addon Scenery)


Now, open FSX and go to Settings and then Scenery Library.


Press 'Add Area', and select the folder you placed in the Addon Scenery folder (Once you press OK, you might have to right or left click in the whitespace on the file selector for it to work. It's a weird bug, but that's what you have to do).



























After that, you should have a new entry in your scenery library. Make sure it's checked, and press OK. After pressing okay, it will load for a minute:


















After that, you should be good to go!

Installing Sounds

For this section I am using a sound pack I found on Simviation: http://simviation.com/1/browse-FS+Sounds-107-0 - 'Default FSX 737 Enhanced Sound Pack'.

Once you've downloaded the file, go ahead and extract the contents to make it easier to work with. It should look similar to this:


Next, back up the sound folder you'll be replacing. This is so that if you don't like the sounds or if something is wrong, you can revert back. So in my case, I'm replacing the default 737 sounds, so I'll simply copy the 'sound' folder and paste it elsewhere.


After you've backed it up, delete the 'sound' folder. DO NOT DELETE 'soundai'! After that, simply copy and paste the 'sound' folder you downloaded to replace the old one.

Installing Airplane Liveries

For this section I will be using a skin downloaded from Simviation: http://simviation.com/1/search?submit=1&keywords=737&categoryId=&page=2&filename= - 'Boeing 737-800 KLM New Livery PH-BXZ Textures'

Installing a new livery is very simple. Pretty much all of the time, a readme will be included with a livery... Rendering this tutorial redundant... But nevertheless, if you wish to carry on, feel free.

Download the livery you want, and then extract it to a folder to make it easier to work with.



Open the readme.txt file. Inside will be something that looks like this:



Open the aircraft.cfg file inside the folder of the airplane you wish to add the livery to. Scroll to the last [fltsim.x] entry, and paste what was in the readme below, replacing 'x' with the next number in order. In the photo below, the last entry is [fltsim.5], so for the new one, I will replace 'xx' with 6. ( [fltsim.6] )



Next, drag the folder inside your download named 'Texture.xxxxx' to the folder of the aircraft you're adding the livery to.



You're done! Now start the game and enjoy the new livery! If you have any problems with this, just let me know. However, most problems can be resolved simply by reading the readme!

Flight1 - Useful Tools

On the following webpage you will find some useful tools, especially the Registry Repair tool. Use this if installers are having issues finding your Flight Sim directory.

http://www.flight1.com/view.asp?page=library

[kalnon]

@[EDX] lk dus (Nick) I think you are confusing FSX with MSFS 2020, it's MSFS 2020 that got a 40th anniversary updated that added a bunch of new aircraft. Neither the box version of FSX or FSX:SE ever got an anniversary update of any kind.

[[EXD] Ik dus (Nick)]

Question, does the steam version not get a 40th-anniversary update? My old version got it but I barely play that version anymore. Do those planes / heli's from that update also fit in the latest steam version?

[sweeper_5]

I have been downloading some missions and aircraft and after one install, the waves, water, waterspray, snowspray, vaportrails and contrails, turned to black smoke color, not white colored.

A few tips to go back to normal white colored water/snow effects would be helpful.

[lizard1867]

need help before i can start the game i have to click close to 200 files with {aircraft have multiple name for same aircraft,is ther any way to by-pass this so i can just start the game without having to close over 200 times.thank you

[stealthsnake21]

Wish some people were better at piecing together some addons. The freeware ones can be a mess sometimes and I end up having to fix it myself. Sometimes files will be placed in the wrong or a weird place making it difficult. Addons do make FSX so much better though.

[Yazdan Khodayar]

any freeware sceneries that are free?

[Dynamosity]

Thanks for your guide. Invaluable for a newbie pilot.

[Bardo]

THANK YOU SO MUCH This was the first guide that actualy worked for me. Thank you

[milt313]

how do i install from purchase from fsps

[Freda]

Cannot load FSX because it's looking for an add on that's not there and it blocks me.