Find the nearest airport in FSX using the GPS, ATC menu, World Map or Little Navmap, with tips for choosing a suitable runway.
To find the nearest airport in FSX or FSX: Steam Edition, open the aircraft’s GPS and select its NRST page. You can also use the ATC window’s nearest-airport list or pause and inspect the World Map. Check runway length, surface and heading before committing to a diversion.
How do I use the GPS nearest-airport page?
In most default GPS-equipped aircraft, press Shift+3 and then NRST to display nearby airports.
- Open the GPS: use
Shift+3in many default aircraft, or select the GPS from the aircraft’s instrument-panel menu. Add-on aircraft may use a different panel shortcut. - Press NRST: the default Garmin unit opens its nearest-airport page. If another nearest category is displayed, use the page selector to return to airports.
- Select an airport: activate the cursor and scroll through the entries. The list provides identifiers, bearings and distances; selecting an entry reveals further airport information.
- Check the runway: confirm that its length and surface suit your aircraft before treating the first entry as your destination.
- Activate Direct-To if required: highlight the airport, press the Direct-To control and confirm the identifier. This creates a direct GPS course rather than an ATC clearance or guaranteed terrain-safe route.
Our explanation of the Garmin nearest-airport controls covers the detailed button sequence. If the aircraft’s autopilot supports GPS steering, the navigation source normally must be set to GPS before NAV mode will follow that direct course.
What if the aircraft has no GPS?
Use the ATC nearest-airport list for a quick in-sim choice, or the World Map when you need a visual view of surrounding airports.
- ATC window: open ATC with its assigned key—the grave or accent key is the usual default—and choose Nearest Airport List. Select an entry to access available tower, traffic or information frequencies. This list ranks airports by proximity, not aircraft suitability.
- World Map: pause if necessary, open the map and zoom around the aircraft symbol until airport symbols appear. Selecting a symbol provides its identifier and airport details. See our guide to locating and inspecting airports on the FSX World Map for the map controls.
- External moving map: the Little Navmap utility for FSX can show the aircraft’s live position alongside surrounding airports and their runway data. It is particularly useful when comparing several diversion options.
Which nearby airport should I choose?
The closest airport is not necessarily the safest or most usable airport.
| Factor | What to check |
|---|---|
| Reachability | Distance, available altitude and intervening terrain; the GPS bearing is a straight line and does not provide terrain clearance. |
| Runway | Length, width and surface appropriate to the aircraft. A short grass strip may be closer than a suitable paved runway. |
| Wind | Choose a runway direction that avoids an excessive tailwind or crosswind. |
| Weather and lighting | Visibility, cloud, runway lighting and available instrument approaches, especially at night or in poor weather. |
| Radio services | Check whether the airport has tower, traffic, weather or approach frequencies if you intend to use FSX ATC. |
Why is a nearby airport missing from the list?
An airport appears in FSX’s nearest lists only if the simulator or installed avionics recognise it as an airport facility.
- A scenery package may contain a visible runway or buildings without a complete airport facility definition. It can look like an airport while remaining absent from GPS and ATC lists.
- The airport may lie beyond the range or number of entries shown on the nearest page. The World Map is better for searching a wider area.
- FSX’s original airport data reflects its release-era world. A renamed airport may still use an older identifier, while a newer airport may not exist unless added by scenery.
- An add-on aircraft may use custom avionics with a separate database, so its results can differ from the default FSX GPS.
- Map zoom and display settings can hide airport symbols. Zoom in or restore airport-related map symbols before assuming the airport is missing.
After installing or enabling airport scenery, restart FSX and check both the World Map and default GPS. If the airport appears only as scenery, the add-on probably lacks the airport data needed by the simulator’s navigation and ATC systems.