Add-ons
Add-ons that Enhance the Virtual World
Software
Add-ons that Enhance the Virtual World
Introduction
When you first purchase a flight simulator, you get the "world" (consisting of landscapes, water, and cities), weather, airports, and aircraft. In most modern flight simulators, this base world generally looks excellent. However, you may find that some airports or airplanes aren't as detailed as you would like.
Software add-ons, sometimes known in gaming circles as "mods" or "downloadable content (DLC)", enhance your simulator by integrating new features or aspects into the base world. Some add-ons are free, while others are paid downloads through either an in-game marketplace or third-party website.
Let Calum from FSElite introduce you to the world of flight simulation software add-ons.
Types of Software Add-ons
Software add-ons can be just about anything! Some are created by large organizations with multiple employees, while others are developed by small groups or individuals. To give you a sense as to what's possible, a few free and paid examples are listed below.
Airplanes
Modifications of a default aircraft to give it more realistic properties (like the free Zibo Mod 737-800X for X-Plane)
An entirely new aircraft (like the free FlyByWire Airbus A380 for MSFS)
A repaint or livery for an aircraft (like these examples for the PMDG Boeing 737)
An avionics component, like a GPS or FMS
Scenery
A minor update to an airport that fixes small bugs (like this free KBOS update for MSFS)
A complete overhaul of an airport that truly makes it look like the real thing (like Flightbeam's scenery products)
A modification to a distinct area like a city or landscape (like Orbx's Sydney Cityscape)
A large-scale modification to a wide area or set of objects (like Aerosoft's Antarctica)
Utilities
Software that creates additional 'purpose' for your flying, like Odyssey Aviation's mission packages
Better camera angles and recording options, as offered by FlightControlReplay
Flight tracking utilities such as Orbx's Volanta
Flight planning software/services such as those by SimBrief, SkyVector, and FlightAware
Where to Find Add-ons
Typically, finding a particular software add-on begins with a simple Google search. For example, let's say you're looking for a Boeing 757 add-on for X-Plane. Searching "Boeing 757 addon x-plane" on Google leads to the FlightFactor Boeing 757, a highly-regarded Boeing 757 add-on.
Another good place to start is by reviewing well-known marketplaces and add-on websites, such as those listed on our Flight Simulation Resources Guide. A selection of those resources are discussed below.
Payware
Most payware developers have dedicated websites where you can find and purchase their products. There are also marketplaces like Contrail and SimMarket that aggregate add-ons from several publishers.
Increasingly, simulators themselves have "in-game" marketplaces that allow you to purchase content and integrate it into the base world immediately. For example, the marketplace in Microsoft Flight Simulator has thousands of aircraft, scenery, and utility add-ons available for direct installation.
A Note on Marketplaces
In exchange for providing you the service of collecting add-ons in one place, marketplaces often charge a commission to developers. Purchasing products directly from a developer's own store—rather than a marketplace—will in some cases allow your money to more directly fund the creator. However, ultimately you should buy from the place that works best for you.Freeware
For freeware, we recommend starting your research with the following websites, based on your simulator of interest:
MSFS: FlightSim.to
X-Plane: X-Plane.org, X-Plane.to, and X-Craft's add-ons list.
Other Legacy Simulators: AVSIM or FlightSim.com
Because freeware add-ons are available across a wide variety of websites, we have a dedicated guide available for those who want to learn more.
Choosing the Right Add-ons
Below are some considerations to help guide you in evaluating potential products or add-on developers.
Think about what simulators you use.
Generally, it's difficult to find high-quality add-on products that are compatible with more than one simulator (though it's not unheard-of). If you fly multiple simulators, you'll likely find that each simulator is best-suited for a specific type of flying. For example, you might choose X-Plane for general aviation flying, but opt for MSFS when flying airliners.
Evaluate freeware options first.
In general, developers who charge for their payware software have put in the extra time and effort to make the product worth the money. But that's not always the case, and there is some incredible freeware available too. One of the most popular add-on aircraft in X-Plane (the Zibo Mod 737-800X) is entirely freeware! The nice thing about freeware is you can download and install it for no cost. So, if you find a freeware option, consider installing it and trying it before you buy the payware option.
Leverage the community for help
If you've found a few payware options and are looking to compare them, look for reviews on a reputable flight simulation news website or search YouTube for reviews. You can also look at the developer's website or see how active they are in the community.
In general, the best flight simulation developers will be:
Well-established, having produced one or more add-ons
Selling products through multiple stores, likely including their own
Mentioned regularly on flight sim news websites
Sponsors or exhibitors at large community events like FlightSimExpo and FSWeekend
Remember, the fact that something is payware or listed on a popular downloads website does not necessarily mean it's right for you. Picking aircraft from well-known, popular brands is a good place to start, but always conduct your own research before buying or downloading.
The Most Popular Add-ons
Our community's best source of data is the FlightSim Community Survey, an annual effort organized by Navigraph that receives over 20,000 responses from experienced community members.
Survey respondents most commonly fly their simulator for 1-4 hours per week, with 64% of respondents indicating they fly under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) 'most of the time'. In MSFS, here's what they're flying:
Percentage of respondents who indicated they fly the specific add-on listed.
Source: Navigraph FlightSim Community Survey
The above data only includes add-ons for MSFS. Similar data is not yet available for X-Plane or other simulators.
More generally, the types of aircraft being flown are detailed below:
Narrow Body Airliners
73%
Wide Body Airliners
60%
Single Engine Pistons
51%
Multi Engine Pistons
51%
Turboprops
41%
Business Jets
41%
Helicopters
20%
Combat
18%
Gliders
8%
Percentage of respondents who indicated they fly the associated type of aircraft in their simulator.
Source: Navigraph FlightSim Community Survey
Software Partners
To give you a sense of what's available, we've categorized FSA Software Partners by the types of add-ons they produce. However, this is just a fraction of the payware developers out there—and don't forget about the freeware community, too! Part of the fun of flight simulation is looking through what's available to find the right add-on for you.
