I’ve managed to convert some of my FSX payware planes to MSFS 2020. Of course they don’t work 100% but at least the cockpit instruments are working.
I’ve noticed that everything of JustFlight isn’t correctly imported since the whole flight model is invisible.
Did anyone manage to import one of their planes without being invisible in MSFS 2020?
Getting the JF aircraft into the new sim is a lot more involved than using the usual import methods. It also involves circumventing the copy protection of the aircraft, meaning that the addon cannot be distributed legally. I look forward to JF bringing out MSFS native aircraft, which will perform much better in sim than the current portovers.
If you install Notepad++ then right click on the MDL file and open it with Notepad++ at the very top in the first line you will see something like
RIFFÒ MDLXMDLH @â
The MDLXMDLH is the crucial part. If the X is there it is a FSX aircraft and will import.
if it says MDL8MDLH then it is an FS9 plane. The Legacy importer will go through its usual conversion but you wont see the model ingame due to it being an FS9 or earlier model. It must say MDLXMDLH in that header for the model to be visible ingame.
If you check that on each plane before you convert it you will save yourself alot of time and trouble.
And before anyone asks no you cant simply change the 8 or whatever is there to an X as it changes the file size for one, plus its constructed different to an FSX MDL File.
Thanks for this tip with notepad++. Now I no longer have to hinder on converting aircraft that are for the FSX but with the FS9 model. Therefore not applicable.