Reset or reposition an aircraft in Microsoft Flight Simulator on Xbox using Restart, Slew Mode or the World Map, plus fixes for missing controls.
On Xbox, restart the flight to return your aircraft to its original departure position, or use Slew Mode to move it without flying. In Microsoft Flight Simulator, open the pause menu and choose Restart for a full reset; for repositioning, enable Toggle Slew Mode in the controller settings, move, then exit slew.
These methods apply to Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 on Xbox Series X|S, although menu labels and default controller profiles can differ. Active Pause only freezes the simulation; it does not reset the aircraft.
Which reset method should I use?
Use Restart for a clean return to the departure point, Slew Mode for a nearby move, and the Free Flight planning map when changing airports.
| What you need | Best method | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Recover from a crash or bad aircraft state | Restart | Reloads the flight at its original starting position |
| Move to a runway, stand or nearby location | Slew Mode | Suspends normal aircraft physics while you reposition it |
| Start at another airport | Free Flight planning map | Loads a new flight at the selected runway or parking position |
How do I restart a flight on Xbox?
Restart reloads the original flight and is the quickest way to reset a crashed, damaged or badly positioned aircraft.
- Open the in-simulator pause menu. Press the controller's Menu button rather than the Xbox Guide button.
- Select Restart or Restart Flight. The wording depends on the simulator version and activity.
- Confirm the restart. The simulator reloads the departure position and the initial aircraft state for that flight.
If the aircraft has already triggered an end-of-flight screen, use the Restart option shown there. Some training lessons, challenges and career activities use their own restart or checkpoint system; if the normal option is absent, leave and reload that activity.
How do I use Slew Mode to reposition the aircraft?
Slew Mode lets you translate, rotate and raise the aircraft without taxiing or flying it to the new position.
- Open the Controls settings. Select the Xbox Wireless Controller and the profile you actually use.
- Set the filter to All. Searching only assigned controls can hide the commands you need.
- Search for
Slew. Check or assignToggle Slew Mode, along with forward, backward, left, right, up, down and yaw controls. Our reference to MSFS Slew Mode commands and keyboard equivalents lists the action names to search for. - Resume the flight and enter Slew Mode. The standard MSFS 2020 Xbox profile normally uses
Y + right trigger, but MSFS 2024 and customised profiles may use something different. - Move the aircraft slowly. Translate it clear of terrain and use the pitch, roll or yaw commands if it is not pointing in the required direction.
- Exit Slew Mode. Stop moving, place the aircraft with a small clearance above the surface, then press the toggle command again.
Why won't Slew Mode work on Xbox?
Slew Mode usually fails because the command is unassigned, hidden by the controls filter or disabled by the activity.
- Wrong device selected: make sure the Xbox controller, not a keyboard or another peripheral, is selected in Controls.
- Wrong filter: change the control filter to All and search for
Slew. - Custom profile conflict: another action may be using the same button combination. If the profile has become unusable, follow our steps for resetting or clearing MSFS controller bindings.
- Restricted activity: some lessons, missions and challenges prevent slewing. Use that activity's restart command instead.
- Camera command selected: Reset Cockpit View and similar camera controls move only the viewpoint, not the aircraft.
Why does the aircraft crash after leaving Slew Mode?
The aircraft crashes after slew when it intersects the ground or scenery, resumes without enough airspeed, or is left at an unsafe attitude.
For a ground placement, keep the landing gear down, leave a small clearance above the runway and be ready to apply the parking brake. Do not position the wheels inside the surface or place the aircraft against a building, jetway or other collision object.
For an airborne placement, level a fixed-wing aircraft and allow plenty of height. Slew Mode does not guarantee safe flying speed, so an aircraft moved from the ground into the air may stall as soon as normal physics resumes.
If crash detection repeatedly ends the flight while you practise positioning, you can temporarily disable MSFS crash detection. This prevents an abrupt reset but does not correct an invalid placement.
Starting at another airport
For a long-distance move, start a new Free Flight rather than slewing across the map. Return to the flight-planning map, select the destination airport as your departure, then choose a runway or parking stand.
A runway start normally prepares the aircraft for departure, while a parking position is intended for a ground start; the exact engine state depends on the aircraft and assistance settings. Starting a new flight reloads the scenario, so use Slew Mode instead when you need to preserve the present cockpit configuration.