Create a custom FS2004 checklist, link it in aircraft.cfg, open it in the kneeboard, and fix blank or missing Checklist tabs.
To create a custom checklist in FS2004, save it as a basic .htm file in the aircraft’s folder, point the selected [fltsim.x] entry’s kb_checklists line to its filename without the extension, reload the aircraft, then open the kneeboard with Shift+F10 and select Checklist.
How do I make the FS2004 checklist file?
The safest method is to copy a working checklist from another FS2004 aircraft, rename it and replace its contents with procedures for your aircraft.
- Back up the aircraft files. Copy
aircraft.cfgbefore changing it. On a standard installation, each aircraft has its own folder beneathFlight Simulator 9\Aircraft. - Create the checklist. Copy an existing
*_check.htmfile into the aircraft’s folder, or make a new plain-text file with a short name such asmyaircraft_check.htm. Confirm that Windows has not silently saved it asmyaircraft_check.htm.txt. - Edit it as simple HTML. FS2004 uses an old embedded HTML renderer, so headings, paragraphs, lists and tables are safer than modern CSS or scripts. A minimal document can contain
<html><body><h1>Checklist</h1><h2>Before start</h2><table><tr><td>Parking brake</td><td>SET</td></tr></table></body></html>. - Link it in aircraft.cfg. In the
[fltsim.x]entry for the aircraft or repaint you fly, add or replacekb_checklists=myaircraft_check. Leave off.htm, and repeat the line in every repaint entry that should use the checklist. - Reload and open it. Reselect the aircraft or restart FS2004, open the kneeboard with Shift+F10 or its Aircraft menu command, and select the Checklist tab. A customised key assignment may use a different shortcut.
If FS2004 is installed under a protected Windows folder, your text editor may be unable to save changes directly. Edit a copy elsewhere and copy it back with the required permission, then verify the file’s modified date.
What should an FS2004 checklist contain?
A useful checklist groups concise action-and-result pairs by phase of flight rather than reproducing the entire aircraft manual.
- Pre-flight or cockpit preparation
- Before start and engine start
- Before taxi and before take-off
- Climb, cruise and descent
- Approach, landing and runway vacation
- Shutdown and securing
- Abnormal procedures only when they are accurate for that model
Write entries such as “Fuel selector — BOTH” rather than long explanations, and check them against the specific add-on because switch layouts can differ between models of the same aircraft. Our aircraft-specific A320 checklist booklet provides a useful example of organising procedures by flight phase, although its content must be adapted before being used as kneeboard HTML.
Should limitations go in the Checklist or Reference tab?
Put procedures in the Checklist tab and stable operating data such as speeds, limits and power settings in the Reference tab.
| aircraft.cfg setting | Kneeboard tab | Best use |
|---|---|---|
kb_checklists=myaircraft_check | Checklist | Ordered actions for each phase of flight |
kb_reference=myaircraft_ref | Reference | Speeds, limits, weights and operating notes |
Create the reference document as another .htm file in the same folder and omit its extension in aircraft.cfg. For a practical file-layout example, inspect an FS2004 DC-3 package configured with checklist and reference files.
Why is my custom checklist blank or missing?
A blank or missing FS2004 checklist usually comes from a filename mismatch, the wrong repaint entry or HTML that the old kneeboard renderer cannot process.
- Check the extension: the actual file must end in
.htm, not.txtor a hidden double extension. - Remove the extension from aircraft.cfg: use
kb_checklists=myaircraft_check, notkb_checklists=myaircraft_check.htm. - Edit the selected repaint: every
[fltsim.x]block is separate. Changing only[fltsim.0]will not necessarily affect another livery. - Keep the file local: place it beside that aircraft’s
aircraft.cfgrather than in another aircraft folder. - Test minimal HTML: remove Word-generated markup, scripts, external assets and complex styling until a basic heading displays.
- Force a reload: reselect the aircraft or restart FS2004 after changing
aircraft.cfg.
Can FS2004 tick checklist items automatically?
No—the standard FS2004 kneeboard displays an HTML document but does not monitor switches, detect completed actions or operate aircraft systems. HTML checkboxes may be clickable, but their state is not dependable after the page or aircraft reloads.
Some complex add-ons provide a separate panel-based checklist or virtual first officer; changing kb_checklists does not alter those systems. If your procedure starts from a fully shut-down cockpit, use the checklist alongside our instructions for starting an FS2004 aircraft cold and dark.