Set or release the FS2004 parking brake with Ctrl + full stop. Fix stuck brakes, controller conflicts, toe-brake input, chocks and failed pushback.
In Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004 (FS2004/FS9), press Ctrl + . (full stop/period) once to set the parking brake and press it again to release it. The . key alone applies normal wheel brakes only while held. You may also use the cockpit lever or assign the parking-brake toggle to a controller button.
How do I set the parking brake with the keyboard?
Stop the aircraft, keep the normal brakes applied, then tap Ctrl + . once.
- Close the throttle and hold the
.key, or press both toe brakes, until the aircraft is stationary. - Set the parking brake by holding
Ctrland tapping the main keyboard full stop key once. - Release the normal brakes. The aircraft should remain stationary, and any available lever or brake indication should show the parking brake set.
- Release it before taxiing by pressing
Ctrl + .again.
Tap the combination rather than holding it because this is a toggle command. Do not confuse it with . alone, which applies the normal wheel brakes only while the key is held. Our printable FS2004 keyboard command table covers the other default controls that are easily confused.
The correct aviation term is parking brake; “parking break” is simply a common spelling mistake.
Where is the parking brake in the cockpit?
The parking brake is usually a handle on the lower instrument panel, floor console or centre pedestal, but its position and clickability depend on the aircraft.
Light aircraft commonly use a pull handle low on the panel. Airliners generally place the lever on the centre pedestal. Some FS2004 2D panels do not include a clickable parking-brake control at all, even though the keyboard command still works.
For a joystick or yoke, assign a momentary button to the parking-brake toggle. A label such as PARK BRAKE or PARKBRAKE in controller software normally refers to the park-brake command; do not assign the left-brake or right-brake axis instead. Avoid repeating macros and maintained switches that can send the toggle twice.
If the binding is missing or another controller has taken it over, use our guide to reassign or diagnose FS2004 keyboard and joystick controls.
Why won’t the FS2004 parking brake release?
If the lever or indication stays set, the toggle command is not reaching FS2004; if it shows released but the aircraft remains stationary, another brake input or ground restraint is active.
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| The lever does not move | Wrong key, lost keyboard focus or missing assignment | Select the simulator window, close open text fields and try the main keyboard full stop key rather than the numeric keypad decimal key. |
| The brake releases, but the aircraft will not roll | Toe-brake input, wheel chocks or add-on ground equipment | Press and release both pedals, inspect the brake axes and remove chocks through the aircraft’s ground-service controls. |
| The brake changes state twice or appears to flicker | Repeating macro or duplicate controller binding | Use one momentary button and remove duplicate parking-brake assignments. |
| Braking remains with both pedals released | Reversed, noisy or poorly calibrated axes | Recalibrate the pedals, verify axis direction and add a small null zone if the inputs do not return cleanly to zero. |
| Only one add-on aircraft is affected | Custom brake logic or its own chocks | Use that aircraft’s cockpit lever and ground-service panel rather than assuming the default FS2004 event controls everything. |
Disconnecting the pedals or other controllers temporarily is a useful test: if the aircraft then rolls, a hardware assignment or brake axis is holding it. Do not try to overcome a suspected stuck brake with high thrust; the aircraft can lurch forward when the input clears.
Does the parking brake prevent pushback?
An engaged parking brake, active toe-brake axis or set of wheel chocks can prevent both the built-in FS2004 pushback and add-on tugs from moving the aircraft.
Release the brake with Ctrl + ., remove any add-on chocks and let both toe-brake axes return to zero before starting pushback. If the tug still does nothing, work through the remaining FS2004 pushback checks.
Does this FS2004 shortcut apply to FSX, PMDG aircraft or FlightGear?
The Ctrl + . answer on this page is specifically for FS2004, although some related simulators use a similar default command.
FSX also commonly uses Ctrl + ., but its control assignments and add-ons should be checked separately; see our FSX-specific parking-brake shortcut and troubleshooting.
Why is my PMDG 737 or PMDG 777 parking brake stuck?
A PMDG 737 or 777 parking brake that will not release is usually waiting for toe-brake input, receiving an incorrect brake-axis signal or being held by wheel chocks.
Many PMDG Boeing implementations model the aircraft procedure more closely than a default simulator aircraft: apply both toe brakes fully before setting the lever, and apply them again when releasing it. If the model never sees full pedal travel, recalibrate the axes and verify their direction. With no pedals, use the normal-brake input recognised by that package while operating the cockpit lever.
Also remove chocks through the PMDG ground-service system and check for duplicate brake assignments. PMDG packages exist for several host simulators and do not all handle the default keyboard event identically, so a working FS2004 shortcut should not be assumed to control every PMDG 737 or 777.
What is the parking-brake command in FlightGear?
FlightGear commonly uses uppercase B—normally Shift + B—to toggle the parking brake, while lowercase b applies the normal brakes.
Aircraft configurations can alter controls, so check the installed aircraft’s help and keyboard assignments if that command does not work. The FS2004 Ctrl + . shortcut should not be expected to work in FlightGear.
Does this help if The Long Dark is stuck in terrain?
No. Being stuck in terrain in The Long Dark is an unrelated character-position or collision problem, and no flight-simulator parking-brake command can correct it. Return to the game menu and reload the last usable save before another save occurs; if it reloads into the same trapped position, it requires game-specific recovery rather than a brake setting.