Fix the GSX Pro bad jetway data error in Microsoft Flight Simulator by checking scenery conflicts, profiles, Couatl and replacement jetways.
To fix the GSX Pro “bad jetway data” error in Microsoft Flight Simulator, update GSX and the affected airport, remove duplicate airport scenery, and stop GSX replacement jetways from overlapping custom ones. Close both the simulator and Couatl before relaunching. If one gate still fails, the airport’s compiled jetway link is probably faulty.
What does “bad jetway data” mean in GSX Pro?
The message means GSX cannot obtain a valid relationship between a jetway object and its assigned parking stand. GSX reads that relationship from the airport scenery; it is not primarily an aircraft, livery or door-configuration error.
The scope of the fault usually identifies its cause:
| Where the error appears | Likely cause | Best first action |
|---|---|---|
| At many airports | Incomplete GSX update, damaged package link or Couatl problem | Update and verify GSX |
| Across one add-on airport | Duplicate scenery or incompatible replacement jetways | Isolate the airport and exclude its custom jetways from replacement |
| At one or two gates | Malformed jetway-to-parking association in the airport scenery | Update the airport or use another stand |
| After installing a profile | Profile made for another scenery release | Remove the profile temporarily and retest |
How do I clear the GSX bad jetway data error?
- Establish whether the fault is airport-specific. Test a known working gate at a different airport without changing aircraft. If the warning appears everywhere, concentrate on GSX and Couatl. If it follows one airport or one stand, concentrate on scenery data.
- Update GSX and the airport. Close Microsoft Flight Simulator, run the GSX installer’s update or verification function, and install any available airport update separately. Our guide to repairing or updating GSX Pro and Couatl covers the package-link checks as well.
- Remove duplicate airport definitions. Temporarily disable old versions, airport enhancements and other packages covering the same ICAO code. Test with GSX, the intended airport and its required libraries active, but without competing scenery. Follow our method for isolating MSFS scenery conflicts if the duplicate is not obvious.
- Use only one set of jetways. If the add-on airport supplies custom jetways, exclude that ICAO from GSX’s replacement-jetway package through the GSX configuration panel. Do not manually delete individual GSX files. At a stock airport using standard jetways, leave replacement enabled unless the airport’s documentation requires otherwise.
- Test without the airport profile. Move the matching ICAO profile out of
%APPDATA%\Virtuali\GSX\MSFSrather than deleting it. Reload the airport with GSX’s default stand data. Our GSX profile installation and rollback instructions explain how to restore the file after testing. - Perform a complete restart. After changing scenery packages or replacement-jetway configuration, close both the simulator and Couatl, then relaunch. Returning to the main menu or restarting Couatl alone may not reload compiled airport scenery.
When should I exclude an airport from GSX jetway replacement?
Exclude an airport when it already includes its own custom or scripted jetways. Allowing GSX’s replacement package to affect the same airport can create duplicate objects or leave GSX reading parking and jetway information from different scenery layers.
Do not exclude every add-on airport automatically. Some airports use standard MSFS jetways and work correctly with GSX replacements; the deciding factor is whether the scenery supplies its own jetway system or explicitly requires an exclusion.
Can a GSX profile repair bad jetway data?
A GSX profile can adjust stopping positions, service locations, stand names and aircraft handling, but it cannot repair a malformed jetway association compiled into an airport BGL. Removing a stale profile is a useful diagnostic step, not a cure for defective scenery.
If the profile was created for a different edition or revision of the airport, replace it with one matching the installed scenery. Confirm that the airport works without any profile before adding one back.
What if the error affects only one gate?
A repeatable error at one gate, with duplicate scenery removed and the airport fully updated, normally points to faulty or unsupported jetway data in that stand’s scenery. Use another gate while waiting for an airport update, or use a non-jetway stand if the flight permits it.
When reporting the fault to the scenery developer, include the ICAO code, exact stand number, airport version and whether GSX replacement jetways were excluded. If the warning disappears but the jetway still refuses to connect or animate, work through our separate checks for GSX jetways that do not move; that is usually a parking-position, aircraft-door or Couatl issue rather than bad airport data.