Downloaded 787 does not show in airplane selection box after install?

I am new to FS 2004 and flight sims in general and I cannot get some aircraft to upload properly.

I have read the download instructions and feel I am following them but until the light bulb goes on

and I can recall what I did to get a successful download and have it appear in the list I need some help.

One of my concerns is most read me files say to unzip the entire download into the airplane folder,

others say to separate and put texture or gauges in there own folder. Some files have listed info but it's not clear what folder these are entered into if this is the proper way.

Sterk03 - Firstly, welcome to the FlightSim.com family! Download aircraft becomes easier, the more you do! I will try to give you just simple ways of downloading and getting your aircraft to a new home!

 

1) Download the aircraft of your choice. This download will come to your computer as a compressed file. I run Windows 7 and my downloads go to "Downloads" folder of the Favorites section.

 

2) What I do, I go into this Downloads folder, find my newly downloaded aircraft in compressed format

and I "Right" click the file, and then left click on "EXTRACT ALL" It will then want to know where you want to Extract this compressed aircraft file to. I have created TEMP folders in C: I am currently extracting all my downloads to C:\Temp5, so when i am extracting to my choice of destinations, I overwrite what Windows offered, and entering my Temp5 as my destination. Click on "EXTRACT"

 

3) NOW, if all went well, your completed downloaded aircraft folder should be sitting in Temp5 (my choice). From there, you can right click the folder and select left click "Cut" or "Copy" the Aircraft folder. A "Cut" removes the aircraft completely from your temporary folder, a "Copy" will remain in the temp folder. When cutting or copying the aircraft to the Airplanes folder, you will need to right click on "Airplanes" chose and left click "Paste"and your aircraft will be planted there in the Airplanes folder!

 

4) Now, your plane is ready to be flown! A couple of things which might hinder your aircraft from showing is:

manufacturer= should be something like Boeing, Cessna, Beechcraft, and NOT the developers name which sometimes they put it there. Example: Twilight Designs (not a real name), developers names are not aircraft manufacturers.

sim= should be the same name as the Air file

 

Some other examples include downloading FS9 aircraft to FSX flight sims. Sometimes, "hard to get" download in this process want FSX panels and/or sound to go with the FS9 download. BUT, that is a whole different scenerio.

 

I think you will be able to sort thru the obvious, just looking quickly at the aircraft.cfg file for

manufacturer= or sim= to determine those entries are correct.

 

Just learn the download process first. Getting airplanes to show will come along. You can check the above or you can always post a "HELP" on this site, and I know you know how to do that!

 

I had to walk thru what I wrote to be certain I had this correct. This process is kind of like tying your shoes, you do it automatically, without thinking about process. Now put it into words or explain it to a child and it becomes more difficult! Hang in there you will get it, just takes several times to do it. When you do get it right in your mind, make a cheat sheet for yourself for later.

 

Good luck! Rick :cool:

Thanks for your help, sorry for the delay but life is getting in the way. I am getting better at it, its just some of the files folders have other items in the folder and not all go into the airplane folder.