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

FSX and FSX: Steam Edition have no universal “start with engines off” checkbox. Park the aircraft, close its mixture or fuel controls, wait for every engine to stop, and save the flight. Reload that saved flight next time, or tick “Make this the default flight” so FSX uses the shut-down state automatically.

How to save an FSX flight with the engines off

The reliable method is to shut down the aircraft at a parking position and save that exact flight state.

1. Start at a gate or parking stand. Choose parking rather than an active runway, because a newly created runway departure normally loads in a ready-to-fly state.
2. Secure the aircraft. Apply the parking brake and bring the throttle or thrust levers fully back.
3. Shut down each engine.
   • In a piston aircraft, move the mixture to idle cut-off. After the propeller stops, turn the magnetos or ignition off.
   • In a turboprop, use the condition or fuel levers specified by the aircraft’s checklist. Moving only the propeller lever is not necessarily a fuel cut-off.
   • In a jet, leave the thrust levers at idle and move the fuel control or start levers to cut-off. Thrust levers alone do not stop a turbine engine.

   With the standard FSX keyboard assignments, Ctrl+Shift+F1 normally commands mixture or fuel cut-off. Complex add-ons may ignore it, and altered engine-selection settings can prevent it from affecting every engine, so check the RPM, N1 or propeller indications.

4. Choose the electrical state. For engines off but a live cockpit, leave the battery or external power on. For cold and dark, switch off the avionics, generators, fuel pumps, ignition, auxiliary power and battery as applicable to that aircraft.
5. Wait for the engines to stop completely. Saving while a turbine is still spooling down or a propeller is still turning can produce an inconsistent state when reloaded.
6. Save the flight. Open the FSX menu bar, using Alt if it is hidden, then select Flights and Save. Use a recognisable name such as “Cessna Parking Engines Off” or “737 Gate Cold and Dark”.
7. Reload the saved flight directly. Use FSX’s Load Flight control rather than building a new Free Flight with the same aircraft and airport. The saved aircraft, position, weather, time and system state are loaded together.

For switch-by-switch examples, our cold-and-dark shutdown and start-up procedures for FSX aircraft explain the differences between piston aircraft and passenger jets.

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

Tick Make this the default flight in the Save Flight window after shutting down the aircraft.

FSX will then use that saved aircraft, location and system state as its starting template. Settings changed later on the Free Flight screen can replace parts of the template, particularly if you select another aircraft or move from parking to a runway.

A separate saved flight for each aircraft is safer than using one universal default when you regularly switch between piston, turboprop and jet aircraft. Complex add-ons should usually use their own panel-state system as well. Our guide to loading and replacing the FSX default flight explains how the opening-screen selection affects what is restored.

I did it all, but why does FSX still start the engines?

Something is overriding the saved fuel, mixture or panel state when the flight loads. Check these causes in order:

1. Confirm that you loaded the saved flight. Selecting the same aircraft and airport in a fresh Free Flight is not the same operation. A new runway departure will commonly start ready for take-off.
2. Check the hardware controls. A mixture, condition or fuel axis left in the run position can overwrite the saved cockpit lever as soon as the controller sends an input. Duplicate assignments and noisy axes can cause the same problem.
3. Verify every engine stopped before saving. On a multi-engine aircraft, inspect each RPM, N1 or propeller indication. A keyboard command may affect only the engines selected at that moment.
4. Do not change aircraft after loading. FSX does not reliably transfer magnetos, fuel valves and turbine controls between unlike aircraft.
5. Look for an add-on panel-state menu. A complex aircraft may initialise itself after FSX loads, replacing the simulator’s saved state with its own ready-to-fly, turnaround or cold-and-dark preset.
6. Check for an autostart command. A duplicated controller button or accidental Ctrl+E input can start standard FSX aircraft immediately after loading.

Complex add-ons need their own saved state

A complex add-on’s panel-state preset normally takes priority over the basic FSX flight state. Save or select cold and dark inside the aircraft’s own menu, then save the FSX flight at the required stand.

PMDG aircraft are a common example: their electrical, pneumatic and fuel systems cannot be treated like the default jet. The PMDG 737 cold-and-dark start sequence covers the aircraft-specific steps needed after loading that state.

For standard aircraft that you want to open unpowered without preparing every flight manually, the reusable FSX cold-and-dark cockpit modification is another option. Follow its included instructions, keep backups and avoid using it to override an add-on that already manages panel states.

Are “engines off” and “cold and dark” the same?

No. Engines off describes the engine state only, while cold and dark means the aircraft is shut down and has no active onboard electrical power.

How do I start the aircraft again?

Ctrl+E performs an automatic start for most standard FSX aircraft, but it may not work with complex add-ons or aircraft left without the electrical and fuel configuration required for starting.

For a realistic restart, restore electrical power, open the required fuel controls and follow the aircraft checklist. Do not move the mixture or fuel lever to run before the starter or ignition sequence calls for it, especially with turbine aircraft.

How do I turn off the engine in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024?

In Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, park with the throttle at idle and use the aircraft’s mixture, condition or fuel control to stop the engine. The default PC keyboard profile also provides an Engine Auto Stop command, normally assigned to Ctrl+Shift+E.

1. Apply the parking brake and set idle thrust.
2. Use the cockpit controls. Set mixture to idle cut-off in a piston aircraft, or move the turbine’s condition, fuel or start lever to cut-off.
3. Use Engine Auto Stop if required. If the shortcut has been changed or does nothing, open the controls options and search for Engine Auto Stop. On Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5, bind that action to a suitable controller input or use the cockpit controls.
4. Confirm the engine has stopped. Check RPM or N1 rather than relying only on the sound.

Ctrl+E is the autostart command, not the shutdown command. For a single engine on a multi-engine aircraft, use that engine’s individual fuel lever or an engine-specific binding; the general auto-stop action may shut down all engines. Highly detailed aircraft may also require their own checklist instead of the generic command.