Downloading Freeware Planes and SimBrief Flight Plans for X-Plane 11 on a MacBook Pro

David S Guest
Asked
Wed Aug 16, 2023 4:37 pm

I have X-Plane 11, Steam version, running on a Macbook Pro.  I want to find help in learning how to download freeware planes to use with the flight simulator and how to download SimBrief flight plans instead of having to key them in if that is possible on a Mac.  

Everything I am finding on the net seems to either refer to X-Plane running on a Windows PC or to Microsoft Flight Simulator.  

Thank you for any assistance you may be able to give.  

All my previous experience was on a PC, most recently with FSX, so both the Apple machine and the X-Plane software are new to me.  

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Pro Member Captain
Ian Stephens (ianstephens) Captain
Joined: Feb 22, 2012 Posts: 828 Ian Stephens is an expert on this topic. Read his bio here.
Expert Answered
Wed Aug 16, 2023 9:51 pm

It's great to see another flight sim enthusiast making the leap to X-Plane 11 on a Mac! Let's dive straight in and clarify how you can enhance your flying experience with freeware planes and SimBrief flight plans.

1. Downloading Freeware Planes for X-Plane 11 on Mac:

  • Step-by-step:
  • First, navigate to a reliable freeware source. Fly Away Simulation's X-Plane section is a comprehensive resource to consider.
  • Once you've found an aircraft you're interested in, download the file. Typically, it'll be in a .zip or .rar format.
  • Unzip the file, revealing the aircraft folder.
  • Place this folder into the 'Aircraft' directory of your X-Plane 11 installation. On a Mac, the path usually is: /Users/[YourUsername]/Library/Application Support/Steam/steamapps/common/X-Plane 11/Aircraft/

Note: Nearly all freeware mods for X-Plane are platform-independent. Thus, they should run seamlessly on PC, Mac, and Linux. This is a significant advantage over some other simulators.

2. Using SimBrief Flight Plans with X-Plane 11 on Mac:

  • Step-by-step:
  • Head over to SimBrief and generate your desired flight plan.
  • Once the plan is ready, you'll have the option to download it in different formats. For X-Plane, choose the FMS format.
  • Save the .fms file to your X-Plane 11 flight plans folder. Typically, on a Mac, it would be: /Users/[YourUsername]/Library/Application Support/Steam/steamapps/common/X-Plane 11/Output/FMS plans/
  • In X-Plane, use the flight plan loader to access and utilize the .fms file.

Understanding the quirks and peculiarities of a new platform (especially transitioning from Windows to Mac) and a different flight simulation software can initially be challenging. However, once you get the hang of it, you'll appreciate the unique features and capabilities that X-Plane offers.

I hope this guide assists you in enjoying a richer and more immersive flying experience on your MacBook Pro. Remember to stay tuned to the Fly Away Simulation X-Plane section for upcoming aircraft releases and other updates. If you have any further queries, don't hesitate to ask. Happy flying!

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