Simviation Forums

Ok, I know this topic has been covered many -a-time, but I have a zero success rate for doing this.  I'm no dummy, but I can't seem to get aircraft to work, or even show-up in my aircraft listing in FSX.

Yes, I have placed the aircraft file into the simobject/aircraft folder.
Yes, on occasion I have also placed gages and effects, per the developers instructions, into the gages and effects folders.
I have done the following per these really well explained instructions and still nothing.

1.Copy the aircraft folder (in this case the paf folder) into C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X\SimObjects\Airplanes folder.

2.Copy all of the files in the gauges folder and put them in the C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X\Gauges folder.

3.Copy all of the effects from the effects folder and put them in the C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X\Effects folder.

Please help this evidently challanged AF Major...

Thanks,

AFSOC guy

I had somewhat the same problem, limited to the gauges not functioning in an add-on aircraft, but helpful instructions from another forum member - that the gauges should be put in the panel folder of the add-on aircraft, rather than in the gauges folder of FSX, solved the problem (at least as regards gauges). Beyond that I know nothing.
                                Good luck

This keeps cropping up so let me try to explain. The default location to install your aircraft is the Flight Simulator X\SimObjects\airplanes folder. You can install them all there if you wish. This is exactly the same as installing aircraft to the Aircraft folder in FS9 or previous versions of FS.  

However, with FSX it's possible to create as many locations for your addon aircraft as you like anywhere you like & with whatever folder name you like PROVIDING you edit FSX.cfg to recognise them. (I have't tried it but these folders don't even need to be in the FSX root directory. They should work from any location on your PC providing you add the exact path to them in fsx.cfg.) Look on these as different hangars to keep your addons separate for your own convenience. For example, I could have hangars in the FSX root directory folder named Aircraft, FS9 Aircraft, AI Aircraft etc. etc. The appropriate CFG entries would be:  

SimObjectPaths.x=Aircraft  
SimObjectPaths.x=FS9 Aircraft  
SimObjectPaths.x=AI Aircraft  

Note that the x in the SimObjectPaths.x entry must be the next number in sequence. This will obviously depend on how many new entries you add.

PS.  Most 3rd party aircraft have their own panels these days but any with aliased panels won't show up unless the aircraft they're aliased to are installed to the same hangar. These can easily be re-aliased or given their own panels.  
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See if this helps - it was in another response to a similar question about adding aircraft....

This keeps cropping up so let me try to explain. The default location to install your aircraft is the Flight Simulator X\SimObjects\airplanes folder. You can install them all there if you wish. This is exactly the same as installing aircraft to the Aircraft folder in FS9 or previous versions of FS.  

However, with FSX it's possible to create as many locations for your addon aircraft as you like anywhere you like & with whatever folder name you like PROVIDING you edit FSX.cfg to recognise them. (I have't tried it but these folders don't even need to be in the FSX root directory. They should work from any location on your PC providing you add the exact path to them in fsx.cfg.) Look on these as different hangars to keep your addons separate for your own convenience. For example, I could have hangars in the FSX root directory folder named Aircraft, FS9 Aircraft, AI Aircraft etc. etc. The appropriate CFG entries would be:  

SimObjectPaths.x=Aircraft  
SimObjectPaths.x=FS9 Aircraft  
SimObjectPaths.x=AI Aircraft  

Note that the x in the SimObjectPaths.x entry must be the next number in sequence. This will obviously depend on how many new entries you add.

PS.  Most 3rd party aircraft have their own panels these days but any with aliased panels won't show up unless the aircraft they're aliased to are installed to the same hangar. These can easily be re-aliased or given their own panels.  
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See if this helps - it was in another response to a similar question about adding aircraft....

Thank you but your post of this earlier was also one of the ones I have tried.
I think all are loaded ok, but no graphic representation of the aircraft appears in the aircraft selection screen at start-up.  Could this be the problem and if so, how can it be fixed?

AFSOCguy

Lysander quoted my instructions from a previous topic. Unfortunately downloads vary & they are not all configured in the same way. If you give me an example of an aircraft you're having problems with I'll be happy to check it out for you. I need the file name & the exact page the file is posted on.

Lysander quoted my instructions from a previous topic. Unfortunately downloads vary & they are not all configured in the same way. If you give me an example of an aircraft you're having problems with I'll be happy to check it out for you. I need the file name & the exact page the file is posted on.

Thank you for the help.  Here is the info:

http://www.simgameit.com/

File:  f16/viper.zip

Please email me at usafmajor@gmail.com if it is easier

I downloaded the file & installled it. It's a bit of a mess but all works fine. This is what I found.

When you extract the zipfile (f16/viper.zip) you shoiud find it contains 3 folders named Effects, Gauges & paf. The paf folder is the aircraft so paste the complete paf folder into the FSX\SimObjects\airplanes folder. Open the Effects folder & select the 2 files inside it. Paste these into the FSX\Effects folder. Ignore the Gauges folder as the gauges are already installed to the Panel folder of the aircraft. It should be listed on the FSX selection menu as
Lockheed Martin
F-16 viper (USAF)
Clean (Virtual Cockpit Friendly)

AHHH...Ya beat me to it there HAGAR...Guess I'm just to slow...HA-HA! I just tried it myself and was going to reply back myself...all worked fine for me also! My steps were (probably the same as yours but I'll put them here anyway to help out also):
1) Extract all files from the zip folder to a temporary folder.
2) Open the F16Viper folder.
3) Copy the paf folder into FSX/Simobjects/Airplanes
4) Copy all of the contents within (not the folder itself) the the F16Viper/guages folder into the FSX/Guages folder.
5) Copy all of the contents within (not the folder itself) the F16Viper/Effects folder into the FSX/Effects folder.
6) Now the F-16 Viper should show up in the FREE FLIGHT menu as Lockheed Martin F-16 Viper (USAF) Clean...

Seemed to work for me and HAGAR as well and sure hope it works for you!!!

Many Regards,
Nigel
jnigeld11@yahoo.com

Thanks a bunch all for helping get this F-16 up and running.  It works.  I am still amazed on how each aircraft, depending on the author, can be completly different to install.  Is is safe to install FS2004 aircraft files to FSX?

Again...Thank you!

DB

[quote]Thanks a bunch all for helping get this F-16 up and running.

Cheers HAGAR! Yeah, I found that out after the fact, but all still worked fine in the end. Glad you cleared that one up here for all for future reference...that f16 is one of the trickier ones for install, but worth it as it's a great FS aircraft...applause to the designers!!!

Nigel