How do I start an FSX flight with the engines off?

FSX and FSX: Steam Edition have no universal “engines off” checkbox in Free Flight. Load the aircraft at a parking position, shut it down, save that flight, and load the saved flight next time. Mark it as the default flight if you want FSX to reuse that state automatically.

How to save an FSX flight with the engines off

1. Load the aircraft at a gate or parking stand. Choose a parking position rather than an active runway, then start the flight normally.
2. Apply the parking brake. Let the aircraft settle and move the throttle or thrust levers fully back.
3. Shut down the engines. In a piston aircraft, move the mixture to idle cut-off and switch the magnetos off after the propeller stops. In a jet or turboprop, move the fuel or condition levers to cut-off using that aircraft’s normal procedure. With the default FSX controls, Ctrl+Shift+F1 usually cuts the fuel or mixture for all engines, although complex add-ons may ignore it.
4. Choose the electrical state you want. Leave the battery and avionics on if you only want the engines stopped. Switch the avionics, generators, fuel pumps and battery off if you want a genuinely cold-and-dark cockpit.
5. Wait until the engines have completely stopped. Saving while an engine is still spooling down can produce an inconsistent state when the flight is reloaded.
6. Save the flight. Open the FSX menu bar, select Flights and then Save. Give the flight a recognisable name such as “737 Gate Cold and Dark”.
7. Load that saved flight next time. Use FSX’s Load Flight control rather than creating a fresh Free Flight session. The aircraft, location, weather and system state should return together.

For aircraft-specific switch sequences, our FSX engine shutdown and cold-start procedures cover the differences between piston, turboprop and jet aircraft.

How do I make engines-off the default FSX state?

Select Make this the default flight when saving the shut-down flight. FSX will then use it as the baseline flight, including its aircraft, airport, parking position and engine state.

A mistake we see often is saving the flight but not selecting that default option, then pressing Fly Now on a newly configured Free Flight. That creates a different session and may start the engines again. Our explanation of loading and replacing the FSX default flight covers how the opening-screen settings affect this behaviour.

Why does the aircraft still load with its engines running?

The usual cause is that FSX or the aircraft has replaced the state stored in the saved flight. Check these points in order:

• Load the saved flight directly. Do not merely choose the same aircraft and airport in a new Free Flight.
• Do not change aircraft after loading. FSX does not always transfer fuel valves, magnetos and other engine controls cleanly between unlike aircraft.
• Check the add-on’s panel-state system. Complex aircraft often initialise themselves after FSX loads and may provide their own cold-and-dark, turnaround or ready-to-fly preset. That aircraft’s preset takes priority over the basic FSX state.
• Confirm every engine has stopped. On multi-engine aircraft, cutting one engine’s fuel control does not necessarily stop the others.
• Check controller assignments. A hardware mixture, condition or fuel lever left in the run position can overwrite the saved cockpit position as soon as the controller sends an input.

If you want ordinary Free Flight sessions to begin shut down without preparing each aircraft manually, the FSX cold-and-dark cockpit modification is another option. Follow its included installation instructions and retain backups, because aircraft add-ons with custom state management may behave differently.

Is engines-off the same as cold and dark?

No. Engines off means only that combustion has stopped; the battery, avionics, lights and fuel pumps may remain powered. Cold and dark normally means the engines and auxiliary power are off, electrical sources are disconnected, fuel controls are closed and the cockpit is prepared for a full start procedure.

Choose engines-off when you want a quick restart or systems practice. Choose cold and dark when you want to perform the complete aircraft start-up checklist from an unpowered state.