Set a default starting airport in FS2004 by saving a flight as the default, including the correct runway, gate, parking spot and aircraft state.
In Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004 (FS9), choose the airport and runway or parking position, start the flight, then select Flights > Save Flight. Give the flight a name, tick Make this the default flight, and save it. FS2004 will use that saved situation as its normal starting setup.
Set the FS2004 default starting airport
- Open Create a Flight. Under the selected location, choose the option to change the airport.
- Find the airport. Search by its ICAO identifier, airport name or nearby city, then select it from the results.
- Choose a starting position. Select a runway, gate, ramp or parking position from the runway and starting-position list. The available choices come from the airport's scenery data.
- Start the flight. Once the aircraft has loaded, confirm that it is at the intended location and has not been placed inside a building or another aircraft.
- Prepare the complete default situation. Set the aircraft, weather, time, fuel, radios and cockpit state you want. Remove any unwanted flight plan, because a saved default flight contains much more than the airport alone.
- Save it as the default. Open Flights > Save Flight, enter a recognisable title, tick Make this the default flight, and save.
- Test the result. Restart FS2004 or return to its opening screen and load the normal starting situation. If the opening screen is enabled, FS2004 may show the saved airport and aircraft as the initial selections rather than loading them immediately.
The saved flight is normally kept with the other FS2004 flight files under My Documents\Flight Simulator Files. Do not rename or delete its associated files while it remains your default.
Should the default flight start on a runway or at a gate?
A parking position is usually the best default for normal operations, while a runway start is more convenient for quick flying.
| Starting position | Best used for | Common drawback |
|---|---|---|
| Runway | Immediate take-off or aircraft testing | The selected runway may not suit the wind, and AI traffic can occupy it |
| Gate | Airliner departures | Large aircraft can overlap terminals if the gate radius or scenery is inaccurate |
| Ramp or parking | General aviation and cold-and-dark starts | Some default or add-on airports provide few labelled positions |
If a gate or ramp is missing from the list, the airport's AFCAD data does not define that start position. Saving the flight cannot create new parking; the airport layout must first contain a suitable spot. Our broader explanation of setting both an airport and a precise parking start covers that distinction across flight simulators.
Why does FS2004 ignore my default airport?
FS2004 normally ignores the chosen airport because the flight was saved without the default-flight box selected, or because the saved flight files are no longer available.
- The box was not ticked: merely selecting an airport or saving an ordinary flight does not make it the default. Save it again and select Make this the default flight.
- The saved flight was moved or deleted: restore it to the FS2004 flight-files folder or create a new default flight.
- The Documents folder is not writable: on a modern Windows installation, permissions, folder protection or redirected Documents storage can prevent FS2004 from saving correctly. Confirm that the new flight actually appears in the saved-flight list.
- The airport scenery changed: replacing an AFCAD or uninstalling add-on scenery can leave the saved aircraft at obsolete coordinates. Re-select the airport and parking position, then save a fresh default.
- A different saved flight is being loaded: loading another situation manually does not replace the default unless that flight is explicitly saved as the new default.
Can the default airport also start cold and dark?
Yes. Position the aircraft at the required gate or ramp, shut down its engines and systems, then save that situation as the default flight.
Not every add-on aircraft restores every switch from an FS2004 saved flight; complex gauges may initialise themselves when the aircraft loads. For the correct shutdown order and the limitations involved, use our detailed procedure for saving an FS2004 aircraft cold and dark.