Learn how to start at a gate in FSX and Steam Edition, choose the right parking stand, and fix missing gates, bad placement or running engines.
In FSX or FSX: Steam Edition, open Free Flight, select your departure airport, then use the Runway/Starting Position list to choose a gate, parking stand or ramp rather than an active runway. Confirm the location and start the flight; your aircraft should load stationary at that parking spot.
How to start at a gate in FSX
The key is to select the airport before choosing its parking position, because changing airports resets the starting-position list.
- Open Free Flight. Choose your aircraft and other flight settings as usual.
- Change the current location. In the Current Location panel, select
Changeand search for the departure airport by its identifier, name or location. - Select the airport. Highlight the correct airport, then open the Runway/Starting Position list. Do not leave it set to the active runway.
- Choose a parking spot. Select an entry labelled as a gate, parking position, cargo stand or GA ramp. The available names come from that airport's scenery data.
- Load the flight. Confirm the airport selection and select
Fly Now. Check the parking brake as soon as the cockpit appears, particularly if the engines are running.
If a flight is already loaded, press Alt if necessary to reveal the menu bar, then use World > Go to Airport. Select the airport and a gate from the same starting-position list.
Which FSX parking position should I select?
Choose a position whose purpose and size suit the aircraft; FSX will let you select an unsuitable stand, even if the wings or nose then intersect the terminal.
| Position type | Best used for | Common limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Gate | Airliners at a terminal | A jetway works only where the scenery includes a compatible animated model |
| Parking or remote stand | Airliners parked away from the terminal | Usually has no jetway |
| Ramp GA | Light aircraft and business aircraft | Often too small for an airliner |
| Cargo | Freighters and cargo terminals | Not defined at every airport |
Where small, medium and heavy gate sizes are offered, select one large enough for the aircraft. A smaller aircraft can use a large stand, but placing a wide-body at a small gate commonly causes clipping.
Why is the gate missing or in the wrong place?
FSX can only offer parking spots encoded in the active airport-layout scenery, often called an AFCAD; painted stands visible on the ground are not automatically selectable starting positions.
- No gates are listed: look for parking or ramp positions instead. Small aerodromes may not contain any terminal gates.
- Visible gates are absent from the menu: the scenery designer probably omitted parking start points from the airport layout.
- The aircraft appears inside a building: try another stand of the correct size. If every aircraft is misplaced, suspect inaccurate or conflicting airport scenery.
- The problem began after installing scenery: check the FSX Scenery Library for two add-ons altering the same airport. Disable one layout rather than deleting unknown BGL files.
- Only one aircraft loads incorrectly: its model reference point or contact-point configuration may be responsible rather than the airport.
If an airport has no suitable position, our tutorial for creating an aircraft-specific parking stand explains one way to add a custom location.
Why does the aircraft start with its engines running?
Starting location and aircraft system state are separate in FSX, so choosing a gate does not automatically produce a cold-and-dark cockpit.
FSX normally inherits the state of the selected or saved flight. Configure the aircraft at the gate and save that flight if you want to return to the same position and condition. Complex add-on aircraft may instead restore their state through an aircraft-specific panel; our cold-and-dark starting instructions for FSX cover the usual methods and pitfalls.
What should I do after loading at the gate?
Set the parking brake, configure the aircraft and complete boarding or loading before disconnecting from the stand.
At a compatible terminal, follow our instructions for operating FSX jetways. When ready to leave, use the appropriate FSX pushback controls and troubleshooting steps before requesting taxi clearance.
The selected gate controls only where the aircraft begins. It does not reserve a departure runway, alter the flight plan or replace the normal ATC ground and taxi sequence.