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The instructions may be right on the download page or included in a ‘.txt’ file titled “ReadMe” with the file download. However, you’ll almost always find clearly-written installation instructions included with each download, and that should be your starting point. There are thousands of freeware flight simulator add-ons available across the internet, and the process for installing each one is a little different. That way, it will be easy to relocate it if you ever need to re-install your simulator or switch computers. zip file, etc.) along with a link to the website you downloaded them from. Each time you download a product, save the source files (installer.
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In X-Plane, the default Beechcraft Baron, Beechcraft King Air, and Cessna 172 are well-respected in the community, and the Boeing 737 is excellent (made even better by a free add-on we’ll discuss later on this page).įor all your add-ons, but especially for freeware, it’s a good idea to take an organized approach. In Prepar3D, several of the aircraft available include products that were formerly payware add-ons.
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Today, major flight simulators include high-fidelity, fully-functional aircraft right “out of the box”. However, that has changed in recent years. Historically, the “stock” aircraft included with a flight simulator were considered to be of limited functionality. It’s easy to add in a new scenery or aircraft and decide for yourself whether you like it.ĭon’t forget about the default aircraft in the simulators. The nice thing about freeware is that you don’t have to worry about trying before you buy. In many cases-yes! There are many talented individuals who have donated creations to the community. Is freeware really as good as paid content?
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However, you’re not paying anything for them, and the results you can achieve with free simulator modifications are pretty incredible. They range from well-established organizations with professional websites, to individual posts on forums, submissions to file libraries, and even GitHub repositories.Īt times, you might find it’s a little more work to find, configure, and install some freeware add-ons. As a result, there are thousands of free downloads available to enhance the simulation experience. Many popular flight simulators, including Microsoft Flight Simulator, Prepar3D, and X-Plane, encourage and support community-contributed content. One of the best things about the flight simulation community is that it’s always been heavily and passionately supported by creative people who have made their work and contributions available to the community for free. In the world of flight simulation software add-ons, there are “freeware” (no charge) and “payware” (for a price) modifications you can apply to your simulator.
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