Why is the landing gear not working in Microsoft Flight Simulator?
Fix Microsoft Flight Simulator landing gear not working: check bindings, controller conflicts, aircraft systems, failures and emergency extension.
Landing gear usually fails in Microsoft Flight Simulator because the aircraft has fixed gear, the command is unbound or being overridden, or the aircraft lacks the hydraulic or electrical conditions needed to move it. Test the cockpit lever, then check speed, system power, control assignments, assistance settings and simulated failures.
How do I fix landing gear controls?
The fastest test is to separate a control-input fault from an aircraft-system fault.
- Confirm the aircraft has retractable gear. Many trainers and light aircraft have fixed undercarriages, so pressing the gear command correctly does nothing. Amphibious aircraft may also use aircraft-specific water-gear logic.
- Operate the cockpit lever with the mouse. Some airliner levers must be pulled or lifted before they move. If the mouse-operated lever works but the keyboard or controller does not, the fault is in the control assignments. If the lever moves but the wheels do not, investigate the aircraft systems.
- Put the aircraft in a valid state. A weight-on-wheels interlock normally prevents retraction while the aircraft is on the ground. When extending or retracting airborne, remain within the published landing-gear operating speed; overspeed can damage or jam the gear when failures or damage are enabled.
- Check electrical and hydraulic power. Detailed aircraft may require a powered electrical bus, running engine-driven pump or electric hydraulic pump. A cold-and-dark aircraft can let the handle move without supplying enough pressure to operate the gear. Follow its normal checklist rather than switching systems at random.
- Inspect every active control profile. On a PC keyboard, the default
Gcommand toggles the landing gear andCtrl+Gcommands gear down. Our complete MSFS keyboard-command chart lists the related assignments. Search each keyboard, gamepad, joystick and throttle profile forLanding GearorGear. - Choose the right type of binding. Use
Toggle Landing Gearfor a momentary key or button. Use separateGear UpandGear Downcommands for a two-position hardware lever. If a customised profile has lost its assignment, follow our steps for checking and restoring the default keyboard profile. - Remove competing inputs. A physical gear switch, duplicated gamepad command or AI assistance can immediately reverse a keyboard command. Disconnect controllers one at a time, clear duplicate gear bindings and temporarily disable any feature that can pilot or configure the aircraft. Also click back into the main simulator view if a search box, chat field or toolbar window has keyboard focus.
- Clear failures and isolate the aircraft. Start a fresh flight with failures disabled and test a default retractable aircraft. If that works, the affected add-on may be modelling safety pins, ground equipment, hydraulic faults, circuit breakers or a persistent maintenance state. On PC, temporarily remove aircraft-related Community add-ons before updating or reinstalling the affected package.
What does the landing-gear symptom indicate?
The behaviour usually identifies the fault faster than reinstalling Microsoft Flight Simulator.
| Symptom | Likely cause | Best next check |
|---|---|---|
G does nothing, but the cockpit lever works | Missing binding, wrong profile or keyboard focus | Restore the command and test from the main cockpit view |
| The lever moves, then snaps back | Hardware switch or assistance overriding it | Disconnect controllers and disable piloting assistance |
| The gear will not retract on the runway | Normal weight-on-wheels protection | Test only after becoming airborne with a positive climb |
| The lever moves but the gear remains in transit | Low hydraulic pressure, damage or add-on failure | Check pumps, system indications and configured failures |
| Only one add-on aircraft is affected | Aircraft-specific procedure, state or package problem | Use its checklist and test without related mods |
| The gear appears down but no green indication shows | Gear not locked or indication system unpowered | Check electrical power and the aircraft's gear status display |
Why won't the landing gear retract after take-off?
An active ground interlock, a down command held by hardware or unavailable hydraulic power is the usual cause of gear refusing to retract after take-off.
Confirm that the aircraft is airborne, the cockpit lever is selected up and no gear-down input is active on another device. Detailed add-ons may retain safety pins, chocks or maintenance settings from the previous flight, while damage from a hard landing or gear overspeed can leave doors or struts jammed.
Do not repeatedly cycle a malfunctioning system. In aircraft that model hydraulic quantities or accumulators, repeated attempts can leave less pressure available for the next extension.
Why won't the landing gear come down for landing?
Slow below the aircraft's published maximum gear-operating speed, select the gear down once and monitor the actual indication rather than relying only on the lever position.
A red or unsafe light usually means the gear is moving or has not locked. Green lights normally indicate down and locked, although not every aircraft uses the familiar three-green display. If all indication lights are dark, loss of electrical power may be hiding the gear position even when the mechanical system has moved.
For normal timing, flap use and configuration checks, use our MSFS approach and landing sequence. Aircraft-specific speeds and checklist logic always take priority.
How do I lower stuck landing gear in an emergency?
A modelled gear failure requires the aircraft's alternate or gravity-extension procedure; there is no universal emergency-extension key.
- Go around if necessary. Do not continue towards touchdown while the gear status is uncertain.
- Stabilise the aircraft. Reduce speed within the checklist limit and maintain a safe altitude while diagnosing the failure.
- Use the alternate extension checklist. Depending on the aircraft, this may release uplocks, isolate hydraulic pressure or let the gear free-fall. Follow the sequence exactly.
- Verify down-and-locked indications. Use the annunciators, ECAM, EICAS or mechanical indicators fitted to that aircraft. An exterior camera can help identify an animation problem, but it does not replace the cockpit indication.
Ctrl+G is a normal gear-down command, not an emergency bypass for a modelled hydraulic or mechanical failure. After gravity extension, many aircraft cannot retract the gear again until the system is reset on the ground.
Does the fix differ between MSFS 2020 and 2024?
The diagnostic process is the same in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and 2024, but menu labels, active presets and controller assignments can differ between versions and platforms.
Keyboard commands apply primarily to PC. On Xbox, and on PlayStation 5 with MSFS 2024, inspect the active controller preset rather than assuming a particular button combination is assigned. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 was not released on PlayStation.