Can you help convert the Corby Starlet model to be able to run in FS2020?

You've posed a captivating question that many FSX enthusiasts who've transitioned to Microsoft Flight Simulator (MSFS 2020) can resonate with. While I can't provide a complete step-by-step guide to aircraft conversion due to its technical complexity, I can definitely outline the general process and recommend resources to help you on this journey.

It's important to note, the FSX and MSFS 2020 platforms operate on fundamentally different graphics and physics engines. Meaning, there's no simple 'convert button' for moving aircraft from one platform to the other. Instead, the process entails modifying and adapting the existing aircraft files to make them compatible with the newer platform.

Step 1: Obtaining Permission

The first step to converting an aircraft is to seek permission from the original designer or copyright holder. This might seem like a formality, but it's an essential step in the ethical conversion of aircraft models.

Step 2: Extracting and Adapting Model Files

Once you have the permission, the next step is to extract the model files from the original FSX package. These typically include the 3D model files, textures, and aircraft configuration files.

Some of these files can be adapted and used in MSFS 2020, but others, like the aircraft configuration file, will need to be rewritten to ensure compatibility with the new simulator's physics engine.

The 3D model will also need some reworking to take full advantage of the advanced rendering techniques available in MSFS 2020, which is a significant improvement over the older FSX graphics engine.

Step 3: Importing and Adjusting in MSFS 2020

This involves importing your model into MSFS 2020 and making necessary adjustments to ensure that the model functions correctly in the new environment. This step can be quite complex as it often requires a deep understanding of the new simulator's systems and coding.

Step 4: Testing and Tweaking

The final step is to extensively test the aircraft within MSFS 2020, and tweak the aircraft's performance to closely match that of the real-world counterpart.

To help with this process, I recommend exploring resources like the official Microsoft Flight Simulator documentation. This provides a comprehensive guide to the architecture of aircraft in MSFS 2020 and is a must-read for anyone undertaking a conversion.

Remember, aircraft conversion is a challenging project that requires patience, but with time and dedication, it can be incredibly rewarding, especially when you can fly your favorite model in a state-of-the-art simulator.

I hope this helps and wish you the best of luck in your endeavors to get the Corby Starlet flying in FS2020.

Stuart / Luke,

Thanks for circling back, Stuart — and that all makes perfect sense. The jump from FSX to MSFS isn’t just “old model in a new sim”; it’s a different aircraft system architecture, different gauges, and (usually) a different expectation for how engines/props/electrics are driven. So your decision to just enjoy it in FSX is honestly the most time-efficient way to keep “XO” alive.

Luke: since you’ve got the model importing but can’t get the engine to light, that’s actually a pretty common “first brick wall” when an FSX aircraft gets shoehorned into an MSFS package. The sim may load it visually, but nothing underneath is wired the way MSFS expects.

A practical way to narrow down the “engine won’t start” issue

1) Confirm what kind of cockpit/gauges you’re using
If the aircraft is still relying on FSX-era XML/C gauges, it may “look” fine but not actually drive MSFS engine logic properly. MSFS generally wants a proper MSFS-compatible panel/instrument setup to control mixture, starter, fuel valve, mags, etc.

2) Try a basic engine start sanity check in-sim
This sounds obvious, but it tells you whether you’ve got a control-binding issue vs. a systems/config issue:

• Use the on-screen cockpit controls (mags / starter / mixture / throttle) rather than hardware bindings.
• Try the MSFS “auto-start” / “ready for takeoff” style start (whatever method you normally use in MSFS) to see if the sim can force it alive.

If auto-start can’t even get a cough, it usually points to configuration/systems not being recognized by MSFS.

3) Check whether it’s acting like “no fuel” or “no ignition”
If you can tell what you’re seeing, it helps a lot:

• Prop doesn’t move at all when hitting starter = starter/eng/electrical not wired, or the sim isn’t reading the starter event.
• Prop cranks but never fires = often mixture/fuel valve/mags not being driven, or the engine definition doesn’t line up with what MSFS expects.

4) Don’t underestimate the prop/engine type mismatch
If the imported aircraft is set up in a way MSFS interprets incorrectly (wrong engine type, wrong prop settings, etc.), you can end up with a “dead” engine even though everything appears to be moving. This is where MSFS is far less forgiving than FSX.

5) Log what the sim is doing
If you can grab any MSFS console/dev mode messages or anything obvious from the sim when the aircraft loads/starts, that’s gold. Even a short snippet of errors can point straight to what’s missing.

A quick reality check (so you don’t waste months)
Getting an FSX aircraft to:

• Load visually, and
• Taxi/fly with a working engine, and
• Have a usable cockpit with correct controls

…usually means rebuilding the “brains” of the aircraft for MSFS, not just importing the model. Many people hit exactly what you’re seeing: the 3D shows up, but the aircraft systems never truly come online.

A few targeted questions for Luke
To give you something actionable (instead of generic conversion talk), can you post:

• Are you using MSFS 2020 or MSFS 2024?
• Is your Corby package using a default MSFS cockpit/instrument set as a stand-in, or did you bring the original FSX panel/gauges across?
• What exactly happens when you attempt a start (prop cranks? any ignition? any movement at all)?
• Any error messages you’re seeing on load (even one or two lines)?

If you answer those, we can usually tell pretty quickly whether this is a control-binding/ignition/fuel issue you can patch around, or whether you’ve hit the “needs a real MSFS systems/panel build” stage.