Find out why Darkstar engines shut down in MSFS 2020, when turbine shutdown is normal, and how to prevent or recover from a flameout.
In Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020, the Darkstar’s turbine indications may fall during a successful handover to scramjet propulsion. If the aircraft also stops accelerating, it has usually entered the transition too slowly, climbed too steeply, or run out of usable airflow. Fuel controls, failures and duplicate hardware bindings are the other common causes.
Is the turbine shutdown normal when scramjets engage?
A reduction in turbine-engine indications can be normal if scramjet mode has engaged and the Darkstar continues accelerating. The aircraft uses its turbine engines for take-off and initial acceleration, then changes propulsion regime for hypersonic flight.
The decisive test is what happens to the aircraft’s energy. If Mach continues rising and scramjet thrust is indicated, the turbine reduction is part of the handover. If Mach falls, both thrust indications disappear or the aircraft starts descending despite a high-power setting, it has suffered a flameout or failed transition.
Scramjets need high-speed airflow and produce no useful low-speed thrust. They cannot rescue a Darkstar that has climbed too high while still too slow. Our explanation of the Darkstar’s high-altitude acceleration profile gives more context on why it must build speed before committing to the hypersonic climb.
| What you see | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Turbine indications fall but Mach keeps rising | Normal scramjet handover | Maintain the commanded attitude and monitor scramjet thrust |
| Thrust disappears while Mach is falling | Aircraft is too slow or too high for the selected propulsion mode | Lower the nose, descend and attempt a turbine relight |
| Engines stop when the physical throttle moves | Conflicting fuel-cutoff, engine-master or throttle bindings | Remove duplicate assignments and retest with a default controller profile |
| Shutdown follows prolonged afterburner use | Low fuel or unavailable fuel supply | Check remaining fuel and the cockpit fuel controls |
| Engines start but stop before take-off | Incomplete start procedure or an active cutoff command | Check power, fuel controls, engine masters and hardware switches |
How do I stop the Darkstar engines flaming out?
Prevent a Darkstar flameout by building Mach before altitude and waiting for the cockpit’s scramjet-ready indication rather than selecting the system by altitude alone.
- Start with a clean test. Load the Darkstar on a runway with adequate fuel and failures disabled. If the problem only occurs from a parked state, compare your procedure with our MSFS cold-and-dark startup checks.
- Confirm full throttle travel. Make sure the cockpit throttles reach their full range and enter afterburner. A poorly calibrated axis that stops short of the afterburner detent may leave the Darkstar unable to reach its transition speed.
- Accelerate before climbing aggressively. Do not chase altitude while Mach is decaying. The supplied Darkstar training profile uses an acceleration phase through the transonic region before the high-altitude climb.
- Watch Mach and angle of attack. At altitude, indicated airspeed alone is misleading. Excessive pitch or angle of attack increases drag and can leave too little airflow for a stable propulsion transition.
- Wait for scramjet readiness. The transition normally occurs around Mach 3, but the cockpit status and training prompts should take precedence over a guessed speed. Selecting or expecting scramjet thrust outside its operating envelope will not provide useful propulsion.
- Verify the handover. After engagement, check that scramjet thrust appears and Mach continues increasing. A turbine indication falling by itself does not prove that all engines have failed.
Why do the engines cut out when I move the throttle?
An immediate shutdown when the throttle is moved usually points to a control binding rather than the Darkstar’s flight envelope. Switches on throttle quadrants can remain assigned to engine master, fuel valve or automatic shutdown commands, while a second throttle assignment fights the intended axis.
Open MSFS 2020’s Controls Options, use its input search to identify every command sent by the suspect lever or switch, and remove conflicting engine or fuel assignments. Test once with the keyboard or a fresh controller profile. Our broader checks for engines that stop when take-off power is applied cover fuel controls, failures and common hardware conflicts without repeating them here.
Can the Darkstar engines restart after a flameout?
The turbine engines may relight after a flameout if the Darkstar descends into denser air and remains controllable, but a scramjet cannot restart while the aircraft is below its required speed.
- Set a safe attitude. Lower the nose enough to preserve speed and begin descending. Avoid abrupt control inputs at very high Mach.
- Return to the turbine configuration. Disengage the failed scramjet mode if necessary, bring the throttles back and confirm that fuel controls and engine masters are on.
- Use the cockpit restart procedure. Follow the in-simulator checklist once altitude and airflow permit a relight; do not repeatedly cycle starters at full throttle.
- Stabilise before accelerating again. Once turbine thrust has returned, rebuild speed in denser air and repeat the transition without allowing Mach to decay.
If the shutdown repeats under the same conditions despite a correct profile, temporarily empty the Community folder, disable simulated failures and test with a default control profile. A successful clean test points to an add-on, saved failure state or controller assignment rather than a fault in the Darkstar’s intended propulsion behaviour.