Enable altitude callouts in FSX cockpit view by adding a compatible GPWS gauge, editing panel.cfg, and fixing missing sounds or gauges.
FSX and FSX: Steam Edition have no global switch for altitude callouts. To hear them in cockpit view, use an aircraft that already includes a radio-altimeter or GPWS callout system, or install a compatible callout gauge and sound set, then add its required entry to that aircraft’s panel.cfg file.
Can altitude callouts be enabled in the FSX settings?
No. Spoken altitude callouts are produced by an aircraft gauge or custom system, not by a general FSX sound or realism setting. Availability therefore depends on the aircraft being flown.
If an add-on aircraft already includes GPWS or TAWS, check that the aircraft has electrical power and that its terrain, GPWS, inhibit and volume controls are configured correctly. For the stock airliner, follow our procedure for adding GPWS callouts to the default FSX 737.
Which type of altitude callout do you need?
Landing callouts report radio height above the terrain; they are different from selected-altitude alerts and FSX ATC instructions.
| What you want to hear | System responsible | Required change |
|---|---|---|
| Landing callouts such as “50, 40, 30” | Radio altimeter, GPWS or TAWS | Enable the aircraft’s system or install a compatible callout gauge |
| A warning near the autopilot’s selected altitude | Aircraft altitude-alert system | Use an aircraft or gauge that specifically supports selected-altitude alerts |
| Assigned-altitude instructions | FSX ATC | Use the ATC window; a GPWS gauge will not add these announcements |
How do I add a GPWS altitude-callout gauge?
- Check the aircraft first. Look for an existing GPWS, TAWS, radio-altimeter or ground-proximity system. Installing a second gauge can cause overlapping or doubled announcements.
- Choose an FSX-compatible package. It must support FSX or FSX: Steam Edition and include any required gauge modules and sound files. Packages intended only for another simulator may not load.
- Close FSX and back up the panel. The aircraft’s panel configuration is normally under
SimObjects\Airplanes\[aircraft]\panel. Copypanel.cfgsomewhere safe before editing it. - Install the supplied files exactly as documented. Gauge files commonly go in the simulator’s
Gaugesfolder, while sounds may use either the main sound folder or an add-on-specific location. Preserve CAB gauge archives unless the package explicitly says to extract them. Our FSX gauge installation instructions cover the file placement and panel-editing rules. - Add the provided gauge entry. A typical entry resembles
gaugeNN=ModuleName!GaugeName, x, y, width, height, but use the exact module name, section and dimensions supplied with the gauge. ReplaceNNwith an unused number in that section. - Reload the aircraft and test during descent. Fly down through the supported radio-altitude thresholds. These are heights above the ground, not indicated altitude above sea level, and many systems do not announce the same thresholds while climbing.
FSX and the Steam Edition use the same basic gauge and panel.cfg structure, although their simulator installation folders differ. If the aircraft’s panel is aliased to another aircraft, the gauge normally has to be installed in the panel that the alias actually loads.
Why are the altitude callouts not working?
A silent callout system usually means that the gauge did not load, its sounds are missing, or it was placed in a panel section that is not active.
- No gauge response: Check the module name, punctuation and gauge number. A duplicate
gaugeNNentry in the same section can prevent the intended gauge from loading. - Gauge appears but remains silent: Confirm that every supplied sound file is in the package’s specified folder, then check FSX sound volume and the active Windows audio output.
- Works in the 2D panel but not the virtual cockpit: The gauge may be attached to a pop-up or panel section that is not loaded in that view. Use the section recommended by its author rather than copying it into every
VCockpitsection. - Callouts play twice: Remove duplicate instances. Installing the same logic in both a 2D section and a virtual-cockpit section can run two copies simultaneously.
- No announcements during testing: Approach the ground while descending through the callout thresholds. Starting below a threshold, flying over changing terrain or testing against indicated altitude can give misleading results.
- Blank or missing instrument: Work through our checks for FSX gauges that fail to display or load.
Do altitude callouts work only in cockpit view?
No. Cockpit view does not activate the system; the loaded aircraft gauge does. Callouts should continue while changing views, although cockpit and external sound levels may differ.
The installation is aircraft-specific. Each aircraft needs its own compatible system or panel entry unless several variants deliberately share the same aliased panel.