NOTE: File and directory locations shown on this page are examples. The actual locations on your computer may be different.

NOTE: Most aircraft come 'stored' in Zip files that, when 'unZiped', will recreate the file structure listed below in Step 4, and place the correct files in the correct directories. If this is the case with an aircraft you have downloaded you can move the files direct to the FlightSim 'Aircraft' directory by moving the single directory containing all the files.

However, sometimes the unZiping process does not recreate the file structure (in which case, follow all the steps below), or it may create a 'FS2002' or 'Aircraft' directory too!

It should be obvious whether you need to create further directories or only move some of the recreated directories. Whatever happens when you unZip, the final directory structure of the installed aircraft should ALWAYS end up looking similar to that in Step 4.

1) Locate your FlightSim directory:

  e.g. C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\FS2002

   (Directory path may be different on your computer)

2) Locate your 'Aircraft' sub-directory:

  e.g. C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\FS2002\Aircraft

NOTE: Within the 'Aircraft' sub-directory there will be a number of directories (e.g. 'B737_400' and 'Extra300' ) which contain the details of the original FlightSim aircraft, as well as a directory called 'FSFSConv' which contains additional panels for new aircraft that you add.

3) Create a new directory and name it after the aircraft you are installing.

  e.g. C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\FS2002\Aircraft\example

   (Where 'example' is the name of the aircraft)

NOTE: it is easiest to name the directory after the Zip file:
e.g. if the Zip file is called 'BA747.ZIP' name the directory 'BA747'

4) Within it, create four new sub-directories called 'model', 'panel', 'sound' and 'texture'.

  e.g. C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\FS2002\Aircraft\example\model
          .....................................................\panel
          .....................................................\sound
          .....................................................\texture

5) Un-Zip the aircraft file into a temporary directory, and move the files to the following sub-directories:

  ...\example          -  example.AIR  /  example.TXT
  ...\example\model    -  MODEL.CFG  /  example.MDL  /  example.MDL.mpi  /  example.MDL.nmp
  ...\example\panel    -  PANEL.CFG
  ...\example\sound    -  SOUND.CFG
  ...\example\texture  -  example.BMP  /  etc.

   Names in Italics might not be included in the files you have unZiped.
   If you have any files remaining that are not listed above, first look in the text
   files that come with the aircraft to check if it mentions what to do with them.
   If not, move them to the '...\example' directory.

1) Un-Zip the aircraft file into a temporary directory

2) Run the Microsoft Flight Shop Converter, and point it at the aircraft in the temporary directory

If you cannot find the icon to start the Microsoft Flight Shop Converter, look in the main FlightSim 2002 directory for a file called 'aafconv.exe' and click it.

The aircraft will be automatically installed (directories will be created and files copied)

TIP: the Flight Shop Converter will only copy/install aircraft specific files. Therefore, you must manually move help files etc. into the new directory after using the Converter.