Can't enter your aircraft in MSFS 2024? Fix Character mode, camera confusion, missing controls and aircraft without walk-in boarding support.
In Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, you enter an aircraft either from Character mode at a supported access point, or with the Enter/Exit Aircraft command. If nothing happens, you’re usually in an external camera, standing at the wrong door, using an aircraft without walk-in support, or missing the control binding.
Starting beside the aeroplane is not necessarily a fault. MSFS 2024 may deliberately begin a parked flight in walkaround mode, as explained in our guide to why flights can start beside the aircraft at a gate.
How do I enter an aircraft in MSFS 2024?
Approach the aircraft in Character mode and use the assigned Enter/Exit Aircraft control near its supported entry point.
- Confirm that you are in Character mode. You should be controlling a person on the ground, not orbiting the aircraft with an external or drone camera.
- Walk to the normal entry area. Try the pilot’s door on a light aircraft or a forward entry door on an airliner. Stand close to the fuselage and watch for an interaction prompt.
- Use Enter/Exit Aircraft. The usual default PC keyboard shortcut is
Shift+C, although custom profiles can change or remove it. Xbox and PlayStation controls depend on the active controller profile and any remapping. - Use cockpit view if physical boarding is unsupported. If your aim is simply to fly, switching directly to the cockpit bypasses the walkaround interaction.
For the control itself and what happens when leaving or re-entering the aeroplane, see our explanation of the enter, exit and end-flight controls.
Am I in Character mode or an external camera?
Only Character mode represents a person who can physically approach an aircraft; external and drone views are cameras rather than a pilot standing outside.
| What you see | Mode | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| You can walk across the ground | Character mode | Approach the supported door and use Enter/Exit Aircraft |
| The view orbits around the aeroplane | External camera | Switch to cockpit view; there is no door to enter from this camera |
| The camera flies freely away from the aircraft | Drone camera | Leave drone mode and select cockpit view |
| You are inside but looking from an unusual position | Cockpit or custom camera | Reset or select the normal pilot camera |
If the simulator has placed you in the wrong camera rather than on foot, use the steps for returning to the cockpit from external, drone or walkaround views.
Why does the Enter/Exit Aircraft command do nothing?
A missing binding, the wrong control profile or an unsupported aircraft is usually responsible when the command produces no response.
- Check the active device profile: open the Controls settings for the keyboard, controller or joystick you are actually using. Search for
enter,exitandcharacter, because the displayed command name can vary between profiles. - Look for binding conflicts: remove duplicate assignments that trigger a camera command or another action at the same time.
- Move closer to the aircraft: do not assume every visible passenger door is an entry point. Try the pilot’s side and the forward doors.
- Close menus and toolbar panels: a focused search box, settings panel or other interface element can capture the key press.
- Test a default aircraft: if boarding works with a standard aircraft but not an add-on, the add-on probably lacks a compatible walkaround entry point.
- Reload the flight: restart the activity if neither the interaction prompt nor the command works with a default aircraft. A stuck mission or aircraft state can survive camera changes.
Do all MSFS 2024 aircraft support walk-in boarding?
No. Detailed doors, boarding interactions and usable interiors are aircraft-specific, particularly with third-party aircraft or models adapted from Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020.
Some aircraft show an exterior door interaction and let you approach the cabin naturally. Others use the Enter/Exit command to place you directly in the pilot’s seat, while a few add-ons require an immediate switch to cockpit view. A modelled cabin also does not guarantee that every door or aisle is traversable; our guide to walking inside aircraft and dealing with blocked interiors explains that separate limitation.
The quickest diagnosis is therefore simple: test the same control with a default light aircraft parked on the ground. If that works, keep the binding and use the add-on’s cockpit-view or aircraft-specific entry method. If it fails as well, repair the active control profile before troubleshooting the aircraft.