Learn how to enter GPS coordinates in a flight simulator, convert latitude/longitude formats, create a waypoint, and fix rejected or misplaced entries.
In Microsoft Flight Simulator, X-Plane, FSX and other general flight simulators, enter latitude and longitude in the pre-flight map or as a user waypoint in the aircraft’s GPS/FMS. Use the required coordinate format, usually latitude first, then verify the hemisphere, plotted position and active leg before selecting Direct-To or NAV mode.
Where do I enter latitude and longitude?
Use the pre-flight map to choose a location before loading, or the cockpit GPS/FMS to create a point during the flight. The right method depends on what you want the coordinate to do.
| Goal | Best method | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Start at the coordinate | Search for it on the pre-flight world map and set the resulting pin as the departure | An off-airport point may produce an airborne start, be rejected or move to a permitted starting location |
| Fly directly to it | Create a user waypoint in the GPS/FMS and activate Direct-To | The avionics must support raw latitude/longitude entry |
| Include it in a route | Insert the user waypoint into the flight plan | A map marker alone may not become a navigable flight-plan leg |
| Use older default avionics | Create the point through the simulator’s flight planner and load the route | Some older GPS units cannot create coordinate waypoints in the cockpit |
In Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and 2024, the world-map search field can accept decimal coordinates. Select the custom point returned by the search, then assign it as a departure, arrival or route point as the interface permits. For a complete route, our MSFS flight-planning and cockpit transfer instructions explain how the plan reaches the aircraft’s GPS, FMS or EFB.
In X-Plane, a suitably modelled Garmin unit or FMS can create a user waypoint from coordinates and place it in the route. The precise keypad syntax depends on the installed avionics; our X-Plane 12 waypoint and flight-plan procedure covers insertion and Direct-To use.
FSX’s default GPS does not provide a general-purpose field for typing arbitrary latitude and longitude. Create or position the waypoint in the Flight Planner, save the plan and load it into the aircraft; these practical FSX Flight Planner steps cover that route-based workaround.
What coordinate format should I use?
Use the format displayed by the simulator or avionics field rather than assuming every GPS accepts the same notation. These examples describe approximately the same position:
| Format | Example | Entry detail |
|---|---|---|
| Signed decimal degrees | 51.477500, -0.461400 | North and east are positive; south and west are negative |
| Hemisphere decimal degrees | N51.477500 W000.461400 | Use hemisphere letters instead of minus signs |
| Degrees and decimal minutes | N51°28.650′ W000°27.684′ | A fixed-width keypad may require N5128.650 W00027.684 |
| Degrees, minutes and seconds | N51°28′39″ W000°27′41″ | Often used in documents, but not accepted by every cockpit unit |
Latitude normally comes first and must remain between 90° south and 90° north. Longitude comes second and must remain between 180° west and 180° east. Fixed-width fields commonly use two degree digits for latitude and three for longitude, so a longitude near Greenwich may need leading zeroes.
Do not combine a minus sign with S or W. A coordinate should be either signed, such as -0.461400, or hemisphere-labelled, such as W000.461400.
How do I create a coordinate waypoint?
The safest procedure is to convert the coordinate first, create a user waypoint and inspect its plotted position before activating it.
- Check the source. Confirm which number is latitude, which is longitude, and whether the source uses WGS 84. A grid reference such as MGRS is not latitude/longitude and cannot be pasted into an ordinary lat/long field.
- Match the required format. Convert decimal degrees, decimal minutes or seconds before opening the entry page. For decimal minutes, multiply the fractional degree by 60.
- Enter latitude first. Follow separate LAT and LON prompts if provided. Avoid degree symbols, spaces or commas unless the field visibly accepts them.
- Create or name the waypoint. Use a short unique identifier if the GPS asks for one; duplicate identifiers can select an existing database waypoint instead.
- Choose the required action. Use Direct-To for an immediate course, or insert the point into the flight plan if it must sit between other waypoints.
- Verify before activating. Zoom out on the map and check the hemisphere, bearing and distance. A point thousands of miles away usually indicates reversed coordinates, a missing west/south sign or a format error.
Latitude and longitude define horizontal position only. They do not provide a safe altitude, terrain clearance, runway alignment or legal route; set those separately.
Why does the simulator reject my coordinates?
Most rejected entries are caused by incompatible notation rather than an invalid geographic position.
- Wrong coordinate type: the unit expects degrees and decimal minutes, but it received decimal degrees or degrees/minutes/seconds.
- Unsupported punctuation: degree symbols, curly minute marks, copied labels or extra spaces exceed the field’s allowed characters.
- Decimal-comma conflict: regional notation such as
51,4775can be mistaken for the separator between latitude and longitude. Use the simulator’s displayed decimal convention. - Latitude and longitude reversed: many fields expect latitude first, but copied lists and databases do not always use that order.
- Missing leading zeroes: fixed-width avionics may require longitude
000rather than0. - Unsupported cockpit GPS: some default or simplified units can follow a loaded waypoint but cannot create one from raw coordinates.
Why is the waypoint plotted in the wrong place?
A misplaced waypoint usually means minutes were treated as decimal degrees or the hemisphere was lost. For example, 51°28.650′ converts to 51.477500°, not 51.286500°.
A west longitude entered as east can move the point across the Greenwich meridian, while swapping latitude and longitude may place it on another continent or outside the valid latitude range. If the error is smaller, check whether the source used a different geographic datum or whether the avionics rounded the coordinate to fewer decimal places.
Will the autopilot fly to a coordinate?
Yes, but only after the coordinate has become an active GPS/FMS waypoint and the autopilot is following the correct navigation source. A visual pin on the world map is not necessarily an active route leg.
Activate Direct-To or the relevant flight-plan leg, select GPS/FMS rather than a radio-navigation source where required, and then engage NAV mode. Our explanation of how autopilot NAV mode follows an active route covers the source-selection and leg-activation checks.
Can I enter coordinates while airborne?
You can enter coordinates in flight when the aircraft’s GPS or FMS supports user waypoints or raw latitude/longitude. Hold a stable heading and altitude while editing, then check for a route discontinuity or an unexpected turn before executing the change.
Garmin, airliner FMS and military CDU systems use different syntax, even inside the same simulator. Do not assume a compact coordinate copied from one aircraft will work in another; follow the LAT/LON prompts and field labels in the avionics actually fitted to the aircraft.