installation of Simviation freebees

[johnlewendon]

Greetings friends,
I am sure this is an old chestnut, but when clicking on ' installation' on many of the sim freebees ( eg Alfa Lysander )I get the notice 'the application could not be installed because the AIR file is damaged. Try obtaining a new AIR file from the author '. Often the downloaded program does not detail a drop-list of individual programs to install manually. What can I do ?
regards
john lewendon

[Hagar]

Hi John. This is a bug caused by an application named Adobe AIR which has nothing to do with Microsoft Flight Simulator. The AIR file you're trying to run is not an installer package & is not corrupt. It defines the flight characteristics of the aircraft in FS & there is no need to click on it.

You can install the aircraft manually in the usual way. This tute might help. http://simviation.com/1/fsxinstall

[johnlewendon]

Greetings Hagar and thanks. I have made a couple of successful using your using your directions
John

[Hagar]

Greetings Hagar and thanks. I have made a couple of successful using your using your directions
John

Always glad to help. Microsoft has been using AIR files (files with the .air extension) in the Flight Simulator franchise for many years. It's unfortunate that Adobe didn't check for unused file extensions before deciding to use it for their latest software. http://www.adobe.com/uk/products/air.html

Doubly unfortunate that Adobe AIR automatically associates itself with all AIR files on your system & changes the file type & icon to its own. However, this does not change the properties of FS AIR files or affect them in any way.

This is how the AIR file of the FSX default DC-3 displays in Windows Explorer after Adobe AIR has been installed.



It is NOT an Installer Package & there is no need to click on it or attempt to run it.

Note. Adobe AIR is included in updates for Adobe Reader. There is no warning or option to disable it but it can be safely uninstalled from Add Remove Programs. It can be useful & as it causes no harm my advice it to leave it alone.

[Gregm]

Thanks Hagar.

Greg

[EVVFCX]

You'll probably find as well that you don't need the Adobe AIR to be installed so removed it, then in a way your system won't even try and associate a program to it but you will get the message about program to open the air file not found.


regards

Steve