diff --git a/src/blackmisc/fileutils.cpp b/src/blackmisc/fileutils.cpp
index e4069f02a..ecacfb8c7 100644
--- a/src/blackmisc/fileutils.cpp
+++ b/src/blackmisc/fileutils.cpp
@@ -346,4 +346,12 @@ namespace BlackMisc
         default: return QStringLiteral("Bad error number");
         }
     }
+
+    QString CFileUtils::fixWindowsUncPath(const QString &filePath)
+    {
+        if (!filePath.startsWith('/')) { return filePath; }
+        if (filePath.startsWith("//")) { return filePath; }
+        static const QString f("/%1");
+        return f.arg(filePath);
+    }
 } // ns
diff --git a/src/blackmisc/fileutils.h b/src/blackmisc/fileutils.h
index 2aaf46dd5..021e1e01c 100644
--- a/src/blackmisc/fileutils.h
+++ b/src/blackmisc/fileutils.h
@@ -126,6 +126,10 @@ namespace BlackMisc
 
         //! Error message explaining why a QLockFile failed to lock.
         static QString lockFileError(const QLockFile &lockFile);
+
+        //! UNC file paths on Qt start with "/", but UNC file paths only work when they start with "//"
+        //! \remark On Windows starting with "/" means an UNC path, on UNIX it varies, see http://unix.stackexchange.com/a/12291/19428
+        static QString fixWindowsUncPath(const QString &filePath);
     };
 } // ns
 
diff --git a/src/blackmisc/simulation/fscommon/aircraftcfgparser.cpp b/src/blackmisc/simulation/fscommon/aircraftcfgparser.cpp
index c05207310..902f38228 100644
--- a/src/blackmisc/simulation/fscommon/aircraftcfgparser.cpp
+++ b/src/blackmisc/simulation/fscommon/aircraftcfgparser.cpp
@@ -69,7 +69,9 @@ namespace BlackMisc
                 static const CStatusMessage statusLoadingError(this, CStatusMessage::SeverityError, "Aircraft config parser did not load data");
 
                 const CSimulatorInfo simulator = this->getSimulator();
-                const QString modelDirectory(!directory.isEmpty() ? directory : this->m_settings.getFirstModelDirectoryOrDefault(simulator)); // expect only one directory
+                const QString modelDirectory = CFileUtils::fixWindowsUncPath(
+                                                   directory.isEmpty() ? this->m_settings.getFirstModelDirectoryOrDefault(simulator) : directory
+                                               ); // expect only one directory
                 const QStringList excludedDirectoryPatterns(this->m_settings.getModelExcludeDirectoryPatternsOrDefault(simulator)); // copy
 
                 if (mode.testFlag(LoadInBackground))
@@ -170,7 +172,7 @@ namespace BlackMisc
                     return CAircraftCfgEntriesList(); // can happen if there are shortcuts or linked dirs not available
                 }
 
-                QString currentDir = dir.absolutePath();
+                const QString currentDir = dir.absolutePath();
                 CAircraftCfgEntriesList result;
 
                 // Dirs last is crucial,since I will break recursion on "aircraft.cfg" level