Learn how to install AutoGate in X-Plane 11, operate compatible jetways, and fix missing, static or misaligned gates.
To install AutoGate in X-Plane 11, extract the AutoGate plugin folder into X-Plane 11/Resources/plugins, restart the simulator, and load an airport built with AutoGate-enabled jetways. Park accurately, set the parking brake, shut down as required, and allow the scenery's docking system and bridge to operate automatically.
What does AutoGate need to work?
AutoGate requires both the global plugin and airport scenery specifically designed for it. Installing the plugin does not make every jetway move: a static bridge remains static, while scenery made for another jetway system will continue using that system.
- The AutoGate plugin: Installed once under
Resources/plugins, not separately inside every airport. - Compatible airport scenery: Its description or documentation must explicitly mention AutoGate support.
- Correct parking: The aircraft must enter the gate's detection area and stop close to the intended position.
- Suitable aircraft geometry: Poorly defined or unusually positioned doors can cause the bridge to miss or clip the fuselage.
The AutoGate scenery-development kit is intended for airport creators. Ordinary users normally need only the runtime plugin and a completed AutoGate-compatible airport.
How do I install AutoGate in X-Plane 11?
- Close X-Plane 11. Installing while the simulator is running can leave the old plugin loaded until the next restart.
- Extract the download fully. Do not run AutoGate from a ZIP archive or copy the archive itself into the simulator.
- Find the real plugin folder. It should contain the plugin files or a
64subfolder containing the platform binaries. Remove any unnecessary wrapper folder created during extraction. - Copy it into the plugin directory. The usual layout is
X-Plane 11/Resources/plugins/AutoGate/64/. A common mistake is ending up withResources/plugins/AutoGate/AutoGate/64/, which prevents loading. Our X-Plane mod installation and folder guide explains this nesting problem in more detail. - Install a compatible airport. Place the airport package under
X-Plane 11/Custom Sceneryas instructed by its documentation. Check descriptions carefully when browsing our X-Plane aircraft and scenery downloads, because not every airport with visible jetways supports AutoGate. - Start X-Plane and verify the plugin. Open Plugin Admin from the Plugins menu and confirm that AutoGate is listed and enabled.
- Load the airport at a supported stand. Choose a gate identified by the scenery documentation or taxi to one displaying an AutoGate docking system.
How do I use an AutoGate jetway?
AutoGate normally operates from aircraft position and state rather than a universal keyboard command. The exact trigger can vary with the airport scenery.
- Approach the stand slowly. Follow the painted centreline and any docking display or marshaller provided by the scenery.
- Stop at the indicated position. Being several metres short, long or off-centre can keep the bridge outside its operating range.
- Secure the aircraft. Set the parking brake. If the bridge does not move, switch off the engines and beacon after completing the shutdown checklist; many AutoGate installations expect a parked, safe aircraft.
- Allow the animation to finish. Do not reposition the aircraft while the bridge is extending.
- Prepare for departure. Close the aircraft doors and restore the departure state used by that scenery, commonly including the beacon. Confirm that the bridge has fully retracted before releasing the parking brake or taxiing.
If the docking display works but the bridge does not, the aircraft is usually outside the trigger zone, in the wrong state, or using door geometry the scenery cannot accommodate.
Why is AutoGate not working?
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| AutoGate is absent from Plugin Admin | Wrong folder depth, missing platform binary or an operating-system security block | Check the folder layout, then search X-Plane 11/Log.txt for AutoGate and plugin-loading errors. |
| The airport appears, but every bridge is static | The scenery does not use AutoGate | Read the airport documentation. A bridge model alone does not prove AutoGate compatibility. |
| The docking display activates, but no bridge connects | Incorrect stopping position or aircraft state | Repark on the centreline, set the brake, and complete the shutdown conditions required by the scenery. |
| The bridge misses or enters the fuselage | Aircraft door position or gate geometry is unsuitable | Try another stand or an aircraft type closer to the one for which the gate was designed. |
| The downloaded airport does not appear | Incorrect scenery installation or ordering | Check for nested airport folders and ensure the airport sits above the default Global Airports entry in scenery_packs.ini. |
On macOS, an older unsigned plugin may be blocked by system security. Approve it only if the package came from a source you trust. On any platform, remove duplicate AutoGate copies and restart X-Plane after making changes; reloading scenery alone may not reload the plugin cleanly.
Can I use the same AutoGate setup in X-Plane 12?
The basic plugin-folder principle is similar, but X-Plane 12 also has native jetways and different compatibility considerations. Do not copy an old X-Plane 11 installation blindly; use our X-Plane 12 AutoGate setup and troubleshooting instructions for that simulator.