Step-by-step instructions to download and install an aircraft in X-Plane 12

Installing an aircraft in X-Plane 12 (step-by-step)

Here’s the “normal” manual install process that works for most 3rd-party aircraft in X-Plane 12.

1) Download the aircraft file

1. Download the aircraft from wherever you purchased it / got it (store, developer site, etc.).
2. It will usually download as a .zip file (sometimes .rar or .7z).
3. Save it somewhere easy to find (like your Downloads folder).

2) Extract (unzip) the download

1. Right-click the downloaded file and choose “Extract” (Windows) or double-click to unzip (Mac).
2. After extracting, you should end up with a folder that contains the aircraft files.

3) Confirm you have the correct “aircraft folder” level
This part trips a lot of folks up.

• Open the extracted folder and look for an .acf file (that’s the aircraft file X-Plane loads).
• If you don’t see an .acf file, you may be “one folder too high” or “one folder too low” (nested folder). Keep opening until you see the .acf.

4) Move the aircraft folder into X-Plane 12’s Aircraft directory

1. Go to your X-Plane 12 install folder.
2. Open the Aircraft folder.
3. Drop the aircraft’s folder in there.

A common end result looks like:

X-Plane 12\Aircraft\Some Aircraft Name\ (lots of files inside, including .acf)

Tip: I usually create a subfolder to keep things tidy (optional):

X-Plane 12\Aircraft\Addons\Some Aircraft Name\

5) Start X-Plane and load the aircraft

1. Launch X-Plane 12.
2. Go to your aircraft selection screen.
3. Look for the new aircraft and load it.

6) If it’s a “complex” aircraft
Some aircraft come with extra steps (plugins, license/activation, etc.). If the developer included a README or install manual in the download, follow that exactly.

Common problems (and quick fixes)

• Aircraft doesn’t show up in the list: Almost always the folder is nested incorrectly (X-Plane can’t see the .acf). Re-check Step 3.
• Plane loads but is “broken” or missing systems: Often the aircraft wasn’t unzipped correctly, or a plugin didn’t load. Try re-extracting with a proper unzip tool and reinstalling cleanly.
• You installed it into “Extra Aircraft” or “Laminar Research” folders: That’s not ideal. Put it in your own addon folder inside Aircraft instead.

A couple quick questions so I can tailor this to your setup

• Are you on Windows, macOS, or Linux?
• Is the aircraft from the X-Plane.org store / a developer site, or is it a freeware download?
• When you unzip it, do you see an .acf file anywhere in the extracted folders?
• If it’s not showing up (or errors pop up), can you paste any message you’re getting or tell me exactly what happens when you try to load it?