How do I start at a gate or parking stand in FS2004?

In FS2004, open Create a Flight, select Change under Selected Location, choose the departure airport, then pick a gate or parking entry from the runway/starting-position list. Set the parking position after creating or loading any flight plan, because the planner can move the aircraft back to the departure runway.

Start an FS2004 flight at a gate

The reliable sequence is to build the flight plan first and choose the parking position last.

1. Create or load the flight plan. If FS2004 asks to move the aircraft to the plan's departure airport, answer Yes when necessary; you will choose the final stand afterwards.
2. Open Selected Location. From the Create a Flight screen, use the Change button beneath the displayed airport.
3. Find the departure airport. Search by airport identifier, name or location, then select it from the results.
4. Choose the starting position. Open the runway/starting-position list and select an entry labelled Gate, Parking, Ramp GA, Ramp Cargo or a similar parking type rather than a runway.
5. Load the flight. Confirm the location and start the flight. Check the aircraft in an external view before taxiing, particularly at older or add-on airports where parking dimensions may be inaccurate.

If the flight is already running, the World menu's Go to Airport command provides the same type of airport and starting-position selection. Reloading from Create a Flight is usually safer with add-on aircraft whose panels do not respond well to instant repositioning.

Why does the flight plan put me back on a runway?

The FS2004 Flight Planner can reset the aircraft's location when it moves you to the plan's departure airport.

This commonly leaves the aircraft at the airport's default runway position. Complete the flight plan first, then reopen Selected Location and choose the gate or ramp again. Also confirm that the airport selected for the gate matches the departure airport in the flight plan; otherwise IFR clearance and initial ATC routing may not behave as expected.

Which gate or parking position should I choose?

Choose a gate for an airliner, a GA ramp for a light aircraft or business jet, and a cargo or military ramp only when it matches the operation.

• Gate Small, Medium or Heavy: intended for airline parking. Match the approximate aircraft size rather than selecting Heavy automatically.
• Ramp GA: normally the best choice for light aircraft, turboprops and many business aircraft.
• Ramp Cargo: places freighters on a cargo apron where the airport data provides one.
• Numbered parking entries: may be ordinary stands without meaningful terminal or airline information.

The size label is derived from the parking radius in the active airport facility file; it does not guarantee that the wings, tail or nose will clear nearby scenery. If the aircraft intersects a terminal or another stand, select a larger or differently positioned space. Our explanation of how simulator parking types, sizes and airline codes determine assignments covers why the listed stand may not match its real-world use.

Why are there no gates in the starting-position list?

If an airport lists only runways, its active FS2004 facility data probably contains no usable parking positions.

This is common at small default airfields and with scenery packages that provide visual buildings but no matching AFCAD data. Confirm that the add-on scenery is active in the Scenery Library and that its airport facility file belongs to the installed scenery version.

Do not leave multiple competing AFCAD definitions active for the same airport. Duplicates can cause displaced stands, doubled airport features, incorrect AI parking or aircraft appearing inside buildings. For airports with sparse default parking, an FS2004 AFCAD pack adding and improving ramps and gates may help, but it should not overwrite the matching AFCAD supplied with a detailed airport add-on.

How do I start cold and dark at the gate?

Selecting a parking stand changes the location only; it does not automatically shut down the aircraft.

Place the aircraft at the required stand, set the parking brake, shut down the engines and electrical systems, then save that flight for later use. Some complex add-on aircraft require their own panel-state saving system as well. Follow our FS2004 cold-and-dark setup procedure for the full sequence and the common default-flight pitfalls.