Learn how to install GSX profiles in Microsoft Flight Simulator, use airport and aircraft profiles, and fix wrong folders or profiles that will not load.
To install GSX profiles in Microsoft Flight Simulator on PC, extract the download, put airport profile files in %APPDATA%\Virtuali\GSX\MSFS, or place an aircraft profile’s folder under %APPDATA%\Virtuali\Airplanes. Restart Couatl or the simulator; GSX detects the matching airport or aircraft automatically—there is no manual profile loader.
GSX Pro and Couatl must already be installed and working. Profiles contain configuration data; they do not install GSX, an airport or an aircraft. If the GSX toolbar menu is missing, complete the GSX Pro installation, activation and Couatl checks before troubleshooting a profile.
Which GSX profile type have you downloaded?
Airport and aircraft profiles solve different problems and belong in different folders.
| Profile type | What it controls | Typical file | Destination |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airport profile | Stand positions, stopping points, pushback routes, operators, passenger paths and service behaviour | .ini | %APPDATA%\Virtuali\GSX\MSFS |
| Aircraft profile | Door locations, cargo holds, service points, stairs and ground-equipment positioning | gsx.cfg inside an aircraft-specific folder | %APPDATA%\Virtuali\Airplanes |
The same basic method applies to PC installations of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and 2024, but compatibility between simulator versions is not guaranteed. An airport profile must match the actual scenery package and layout, not merely its ICAO code.
GSX airport profile installation
- Extract the archive. Do not place the ZIP or RAR file in the Community folder. Read any included instructions because a package may contain profiles for several versions of the same airport.
- Choose the correct scenery variant. A profile made for the default airport may not work with a third-party rendition, while profiles for different releases of the same add-on can use different stand coordinates or scenery references.
- Open the profile folder. Press
Windows key + R, enter%APPDATA%\Virtuali\GSX\MSFSand press Enter. If the folder does not exist, run GSX successfully once so it can create its user directories. - Copy the profile. Put the selected
.inifile directly in that folder. Avoid an extra nested directory such asMSFS\ProfileName\airport.iniunless the profile’s instructions explicitly require one. - Remove stale duplicates. Back up and remove an older profile that targets the same airport and scenery package. Two competing custom profiles can make it unclear which configuration GSX has selected.
- Reload GSX. Restart Couatl using its restart command, or close and reopen Microsoft Flight Simulator.
GSX aircraft profile installation
- Find the aircraft folder. A correctly packaged aircraft profile normally contains a named folder with
gsx.cfginside it. - Copy the complete folder. Place that folder under
%APPDATA%\Virtuali\Airplanes. The finished path should resemble%APPDATA%\Virtuali\Airplanes\AircraftProfileName\gsx.cfg, not%APPDATA%\Virtuali\Airplanes\gsx.cfg. - Preserve the supplied name. GSX uses the aircraft’s internal identity when matching profiles. Renaming the folder or substituting a similar aircraft variant can stop the match.
- Restart and verify. Load the intended aircraft, open the GSX aircraft customisation screen and confirm that doors and service points line up with the model.
Most liveries inherit their base aircraft’s GSX configuration. A livery packaged as a separate aircraft title can require its own match, even when the visible model appears identical.
How does GSX use an installed profile?
GSX loads the matching airport and aircraft profiles automatically after the flight reaches the airport. Open GSX from the simulator toolbar, select the stand or requested service, and use boarding, catering, refuelling, baggage and pushback in the normal way.
The airport profile determines where vehicles, passengers and the tug should operate. The aircraft profile tells GSX where the doors and connection points are. Our guide to configuring GSX aircraft, airports and services covers the editor and service workflow without repeating the installation process here.
A profile does not add scenery objects or repair a poorly modelled airport. It can adjust GSX behaviour around an existing stand, but it cannot create a missing jetway, correct the airport’s taxiway network or alter the aircraft’s visual model.
Why is my GSX profile not loading?
Most profiles that appear to do nothing are in the wrong folder or target a different scenery package.
- It was copied to Community: move the profile to the relevant
%APPDATA%\Virtualifolder. GSX profiles are user configuration files, not conventional Community packages. - The archive is still compressed: extract it first. Couatl will not read a profile from inside a ZIP or RAR file.
- There is an extra directory level: confirm that an airport
.iniis directly inside the MSFS profile folder and that an aircraftgsx.cfgis inside its aircraft-specific subfolder. - The scenery does not match: check whether the profile was made for the default airport, a particular third-party airport or another simulator version. Marketplace and separately installed editions can also expose different package references.
- Couatl has not reloaded: restart Couatl or the entire simulator after copying or replacing profile files.
- The scenery index is stale: if the airport was installed after GSX, run GSX’s scenery scan or configuration process again before testing the profile.
- The aircraft variant is different: freighter, passenger, stretched and updated model variants can have different doors or internal identities. Use the profile made for the exact variant.
- A service prerequisite is missing: parking-brake, engine, door or stand conditions can prevent a service even when the profile loaded correctly. That is an operating-state problem, not necessarily a bad profile.
For pushback specifically, a profile may provide preset routes at some stands but not others. If no route appears, use GSX’s available manual option or follow our stand preparation and pushback troubleshooting steps.
Can I edit or create a GSX profile?
GSX can save your own airport and aircraft adjustments through its customisation tools.
- Use the airport-position editor while parked at the relevant stand to change the stopping point, pushback behaviour and supported ground services.
- Use the aircraft editor to correct door, cargo, fuel and equipment positions for the loaded model.
- Back up the resulting
.iniorgsx.cfgbefore installing a replacement profile or updating scenery.
Prefer the visual editors over manually changing coordinates in the files. Airport updates can move stands or rename scenery resources, so recheck customised positions after a major scenery update.
Console compatibility
GSX Pro profiles cannot be installed on Xbox or PlayStation versions of Microsoft Flight Simulator. GSX depends on PC-side software, Couatl and access to Windows user folders, none of which is available to console users.