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What is Model Matching?

Model matching is the system that determines how other pilots’ aircraft appear in your simulator. When another pilot is flying a Boeing 737-800 with Air Canada livery, model matching is what makes your simulator display that specific aircraft type and paint scheme instead of a generic default. Without model matching configured, all network traffic will either appear as a single default aircraft type or be completely invisible depending on your pilot client and simulator. Configuring model matching properly is one of the most important steps in your VATSIM setup. With proper model matching, you see correct aircraft types and often correct airline liveries, giving you a realistic traffic picture that helps with visual separation and situational awareness.
Without model matching configured, you will not see other aircraft on the network. This is a safety concern because you cannot visually identify nearby traffic, increasing the risk of conflicts on the ground and in the air.

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How Model Matching Works

When you connect to VATSIM, your pilot client receives data about every nearby aircraft on the network. This data includes the aircraft’s ICAO type code (for example, B738 for a Boeing 737-800) and the airline code (for example, ACA for Air Canada). Your pilot client takes this information and searches through your installed models to find the best match, following a priority cascade:
  1. Exact match - Same aircraft type and same airline livery (ideal result)
  2. Type match - Same aircraft type but different or generic livery
  3. Similar type - A visually similar aircraft type (for example, showing an A320 model for an A319)
  4. Default fallback - A generic aircraft model when no reasonable match exists
The better your model library, the more exact and type matches you will get, resulting in a more realistic traffic picture. Different pilot clients use different model formats:
  • vPilot uses VMR (VATSIM Model Matching Rule) files - XML-based rule sets that map ICAO codes to installed MSFS models
  • xPilot uses CSL (Common Shape Library) packages - pre-built 3D model files for X-Plane
  • Swift uses its own model set system that handles mapping and matching automatically
Model matching only affects what you see on your screen. Each pilot on the network sees their own model matching results independently. If another pilot sees your aircraft as the wrong type, it is their model matching configuration that needs adjustment, not yours.

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Model Packages for MSFS

There are two main model matching packages for Microsoft Flight Simulator. You can use either one or both together.
You can use FSLTL and AIG together for the broadest possible coverage. Install both model packages and add both folders to vPilot’s model matching settings. vPilot will search all configured folders when looking for a match.

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Model Packages for X-Plane

The standard model matching package for X-Plane is the Bluebell CSL package. It covers over 80 aircraft types with approximately 1,800 liveries in OBJ8 format. The download is roughly 560 MB. Bluebell is the most widely used CSL package and provides good coverage for the majority of traffic you will encounter on VATSIM. xPilot will prompt you to install Bluebell on your first network connection if no CSL models are configured.

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Setup by Client

vPilot uses VMR files to map network aircraft data to installed models in your simulator.

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Setting Up Model Matching in vPilot

1

Install a model package

Install FSLTL (recommended) or AIG following the instructions above. FSLTL’s installer handles everything automatically. For AIG, use the AIG AI Manager to download and install model packs.
2

Set AI traffic to zero

In MSFS, go to Options > General > Traffic and set both AI Traffic and Multiplayer sliders to zero. This prevents MSFS’s built-in traffic from conflicting with VATSIM traffic rendered by vPilot.
3

Open vPilot model matching settings

In vPilot, go to Settings and then Model Matching. This is where you configure which model folders vPilot should scan.
4

Add your model folder

Click Add and browse to the folder containing your model files. For FSLTL, this is typically inside your MSFS Community folder. For AIG, point to the AIG model folder. You can add multiple folders if you use more than one package.
5

Configure the default model

In the model matching settings, choose a default model that vPilot will display when no match is found. A common choice is a generic white airliner or a Cessna 172 for general aviation.
6

Verify and test

After scanning completes, vPilot will show the number of models it found. Connect to VATSIM and verify that other aircraft are now visible with correct types and liveries.
vPilot applies model matching in this priority order: Custom Rules > Automatic Scan > Default Model. If you need specific aircraft to always display a certain way, you can add custom VMR rules in the Custom Rules tab under Model Matching settings. Custom rules take priority over automatic matching.

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FlyByWire Aircraft and Model Matching

If you fly the FlyByWire A32NX or A380X in MSFS, there are a few things to know about how these aircraft interact with model matching.

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How Your Aircraft Appears to Others

Your aircraft’s appearance on other pilots’ screens depends entirely on their model matching setup, not yours. When you fly the A32NX, your pilot client sends the ICAO type code (A20N for the A320neo) to the network. Other pilots’ clients then match that code to whatever A320neo model they have installed. You do not need to do anything special for others to see your aircraft correctly.

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Liveries

Default Asobo A320neo liveries from MSFS are not compatible with the FlyByWire A32NX or A380X. If you want to fly with a specific airline livery, you need to download FlyByWire-compatible liveries from community sites such as flightsim.to. This only affects what you see in your own cockpit and external views - it has no effect on model matching or how other pilots see you.

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FSLTL Integration

FSLTL is built and maintained by the FlyByWire team, so compatibility between the two projects is seamless. If you already have FSLTL installed for model matching, no additional configuration is needed for your FlyByWire aircraft.

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TCAS Compatibility

Both the A32NX and A380X include custom TCAS (Traffic Collision Avoidance System) implementations that work correctly with VATSIM traffic. The A32NX supports both TCAS Traffic Advisories (TAs) and Resolution Advisories (RAs) with autopilot-guided avoidance maneuvers.
Model matching and liveries are separate systems. Model matching controls how other pilots’ aircraft appear to you. Liveries control how your own aircraft looks in your simulator. Installing FlyByWire-compatible liveries does not affect your model matching, and configuring model matching does not change your own aircraft’s appearance.

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Optimizing Your Setup

  • Keep packages updated. Model matching packages are regularly updated with new liveries, aircraft types, and bug fixes. Check for updates periodically to maintain the best coverage.
  • Set AI traffic to zero in MSFS. Go to Options > General > Traffic and disable both AI Traffic and Multiplayer. This prevents the simulator’s built-in traffic from interfering with VATSIM traffic and improves performance.
  • Reduce render distance if needed. If you experience performance issues with heavy traffic, reduce your pilot client’s visibility or aircraft render distance. This limits how many models are loaded simultaneously.
  • Combine packages for better coverage. Using FSLTL and AIG together gives you the broadest airline coverage, but increases disk usage and memory consumption. Start with FSLTL alone and add AIG later if you find coverage gaps.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Technically, no - you can connect and communicate with ATC without model matching. However, you will not see any other aircraft, which means you lose visual awareness of nearby traffic. Model matching is strongly recommended for safety and realism.
FSLTL is easier to set up and provides excellent coverage with over 2,300 liveries. It is built by the FlyByWire team and uses efficient glTF models. AIG offers the broadest coverage with over 250,000 VMR entries but requires more setup effort through the AIG AI Manager. Most users should start with FSLTL and add AIG later if they want more coverage.
No model library covers every possible aircraft type and livery combination. When your client cannot find an exact match, it substitutes the closest available model. This is normal and expected, especially for rare aircraft types or small regional airlines.
Yes. Most pilot clients allow you to configure multiple model folders. Models from all configured locations are combined into a single matching pool. This can improve coverage but may increase memory usage and disk space requirements.
Yes. Model matching controls how you see other pilots’ aircraft - it is not related to your own aircraft. Whether you fly the FlyByWire A32NX, A380X, or any other aircraft, you still need model matching configured to see other traffic on the network.
Yes. Disabling the built-in AI traffic and multiplayer traffic in MSFS prevents conflicts with VATSIM traffic rendered by vPilot. It also improves simulator performance. Go to Options > General > Traffic and set both sliders to zero.
No. Other pilots see whatever their own model matching resolves to based on your aircraft’s ICAO type code and airline code. Your installed liveries only affect what you see on your own screen.
FSLTL requires approximately 2 to 4 GB. AIG varies depending on which packs you install, typically 4 to 10 GB. For X-Plane, the Bluebell CSL package is approximately 560 MB. Swift model sets vary by simulator but are generally in a similar range to FSLTL.