How to taxi to a gate or parking stand: request Ground clearance, follow taxiways, use safe taxi speeds and stop correctly with a marshaller.
To taxi to a gate or parking stand, vacate the runway completely, contact Ground and request parking, then follow the cleared taxiways using signs, markings, an airport diagram or the simulator’s taxi aid. Slow to walking pace on the stand lead-in line, stop at the marshaller or stop mark, and set the parking brake.
This general procedure applies to Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 and 2020, X-Plane 12, FSX and Prepar3D. ATC menus, ground steering and visual guidance differ, but the underlying rules do not.
What is a gate, taxi stand or parking stand?
A parking stand is a designated place where an aircraft parks, while a gate is normally a terminal stand used for passenger boarding. A gate may have a jetway; a remote stand, cargo stand or general aviation parking position usually does not.
“Taxi stand” is sometimes used informally, but airport diagrams generally call it an aircraft stand or parking stand. A taxiway is the marked route between runways, aprons, gates and other parts of the airport—it is not the parking position itself.
How do I taxi to a gate after landing?
Taxi to the gate by clearing the runway, obtaining a route from Ground and following that route until you reach the assigned stand.
- Vacate the runway fully. Cross the runway holding-position markings with the entire aircraft, including the tail. Do not stop while any part of the aircraft remains inside the protected runway area.
- Complete the after-landing actions. Configure flaps, spoilers, lights and other systems according to the aircraft checklist. If looking inside would distract you from steering, wait until you are stopped in a safe place that does not block the runway exit.
- Contact Ground. Remain with Tower until instructed to change frequency, then request taxi to a gate, stand or general aviation parking.
- Copy and acknowledge the route. Note every taxiway, runway crossing and hold-short instruction. A clearance might be
Taxi to stand 24 via Alpha and Bravo, hold short runway 27. - Taxi on the centreline. Check each junction against the clearance rather than following the aircraft ahead. Stop before any runway or taxiway you are not cleared to enter.
How do I request taxi clearance?
At a controlled airport, call Ground with your callsign, location and request: Ground, Speedbird 123, clear of runway 27 at Alpha, request taxi to parking. Most simulators represent this through an ATC menu rather than requiring spoken radio calls.
Read back the assigned stand, route and all hold-short instructions. A taxi clearance does not authorise a runway crossing unless the crossing is included explicitly. MSFS users can follow our platform-specific steps for requesting taxi-to-gate clearance.
At an uncontrolled airport, or when simulator ATC is disabled, there is no Ground clearance to obtain. Select a safe route, monitor other traffic and check carefully before entering or crossing any runway.
How do I taxi in MSFS 2024?
In Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, use the communications interface to accept Tower’s hand-off to Ground and select the available request for taxi to parking or a gate.
The process is the same on PC, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 and PS5 Pro, although the controls used to open and operate the communications panel differ. The precise menu wording can also vary with the airport, aircraft state and ATC sequence.
- If no taxi request appears, confirm that the aircraft has completely vacated the runway and that Ground is selected or tuned.
- If ATC assigns generic parking rather than an airline gate, the airport data may not contain a more suitable assignment.
- If the assigned stand is occupied in multiplayer or by simulator traffic, stop clear and request another position where the ATC menu permits it.
MSFS 2024 can display visual taxi guidance when the relevant assistance option is enabled. Our instructions for enabling the taxi ribbon after landing cover that aid. Treat the ribbon as guidance, not clearance: scenery and airport data can disagree, and it must never lead you through a red runway sign or an ATC hold-short instruction.
How do I follow taxiways to the gate?
Follow the cleared taxiway centreline while confirming your position with signs, surface markings and an airport diagram or simulator map.
| Sign or marking | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Black sign with yellow characters | Your present taxiway or location |
| Yellow sign with black characters and arrows | Direction to another taxiway, runway or destination |
| Red sign with white characters | Mandatory holding point, runway entrance or prohibited movement |
| Continuous yellow line | Taxiway centreline to follow |
| Two solid and two broken yellow lines | Runway holding position; approaching from the solid-line side requires clearance to cross |
| Yellow stand lead-in line | Path from the apron into a parking position |
Keep the nosewheel close to the centreline and identify each turn before reaching it. If the layout is unfamiliar, our guide to finding taxiways and gates with diagrams, signs and simulator maps explains the available references.
Do not use the GPS magenta line as a taxi route; it is intended for airborne navigation. If signs, a chart and visual guidance conflict, stop before the junction and resolve the route. Airport scenery may contain old labels or mismatched navigation data.
How fast do planes taxi, and is there an airport speed limit?
There is no single worldwide airport taxi speed limit, but 15–20 knots on a straight taxiway, 5–10 knots through turns and walking pace on the final stand line are sensible simulator targets.
| Area | Practical groundspeed |
|---|---|
| Open, straight taxiway | About 15–20 knots |
| Tight bend or taxiway junction | About 5–10 knots |
| Congested apron | About 5–10 knots or slower |
| Stand lead-in and stopping area | About 2–5 knots |
These figures are guidance, not universal legal limits. Published airport restrictions, aircraft manuals and operator procedures take priority. Heavy aircraft require more braking distance, while light aircraft can accelerate rapidly even at low power.
Use groundspeed where the aircraft displays it. Slow down before turning, use idle or modest thrust and apply smooth braking rather than holding power against the brakes. An instruction to expedite never requires an unsafe speed.
How do I choose a gate or parking stand?
Choose an empty stand that fits the aircraft’s wingspan, parking type and required ground services when ATC does not assign one.
- Terminal gate: appropriate for an airliner using terminal boarding and, where supported, a jetway.
- Remote stand: suitable for an airliner parked away from the terminal, often using stairs or bus boarding.
- General aviation parking: use a ramp position, tie-down or small-aircraft stand rather than an airline gate.
- Cargo or military stand: choose the relevant apron when the airport scenery provides one.
Stand numbers painted in the scenery do not always match the simulator’s airport database. If an assigned gate is occupied, visibly too small or blocked by objects, do not force the aircraft into it. Request another stand or select the nearest safe and suitable empty position when ATC cannot provide one.
How do I park with a marshaller in X-Plane 12 or another simulator?
Use the stand lead-in line for alignment, reduce to walking pace and stop immediately when the marshaller, docking display or painted stop mark tells you to stop.
- Join the lead-in line slowly. Make the final turn wide enough for the nosewheel and main undercarriage to follow the line without cutting across adjacent stands.
- Watch the guidance. Follow turn and slow-down indications from the marshaller or visual docking guidance system. Stop when the display shows
STOPor the marshaller gives the stop signal. - Use the correct stop mark. Some stands have different marks for different aircraft types. If no guidance is active, use the appropriate painted mark and an external view if cockpit visibility is inadequate.
- Secure the aircraft. Set the parking brake, complete the parking or shutdown checklist and request ground services only after the aircraft is stationary.
In X-Plane 12, an active marshaller is not guaranteed at every airport or stand. Availability depends on the airport scenery and any ground-service system in use. If no marshaller appears, park using the lead-in line and stop markings rather than waiting on the apron.
Many airliner pilots sit ahead of the nosewheel, so the line can look offset from the cockpit even when the undercarriage is correctly aligned. For the final stopping and servicing sequence, see our guide to parking accurately and connecting a jetway.
Why will the aircraft not taxi or steer correctly?
Persistent brake input, conflicting controller bindings and the wrong steering axis cause most ground-handling problems.
| Problem | Likely cause and fix |
|---|---|
| Aircraft will not move | Release the parking brake, remove chocks, disconnect any tug and check whether a toe-brake axis is inverted or constantly active. |
| Nosewheel barely turns | Bind the appropriate rudder, nosewheel-steering or tiller axis. Some airliners provide limited steering through the rudder pedals and require a tiller for tight turns. |
| Aircraft veers while taxiing | Check for an uncentred rudder, differential brake input, duplicate assignments or poor axis calibration. Wind can also turn a light aircraft on the ground. |
| Aircraft accelerates too quickly | Return the thrust to idle sooner and brake in short, smooth applications. Do not ride the brakes continuously against engine power. |
| Taxi ribbon disagrees with signs | Stop before the junction. Mandatory signs, runway clearance and the confirmed taxi route take priority over visual assistance. |
| Marshaller does not appear | The stand may lack that feature, or the aircraft may be outside its activation area. Use the painted lead-in and stopping marks. |
| Aircraft overshoots the stand | Stop and reposition or use an appropriate tug. Do not use reverse thrust to back an airliner unless that aircraft specifically supports powerback. |
A yaw axis on a joystick or pedals gives much finer control than repeated keyboard inputs. Whatever the hardware, stop the aircraft before changing bindings or diagnosing a route problem.
Why does DCS show an empty VR hangar?
The empty VR hangar in DCS is normally a menu environment, not an airport parking stand, so there is no taxi route, Ground clearance or marshaller to use there.
Load a mission, training scenario or instant-action flight before attempting to taxi. If the menu interface is missing and only the hangar is visible, recenter the assigned VR view and ensure the DCS window has focus; a displaced VR viewpoint can put the menu outside the forward view. Treat a persistently missing interface as a VR or menu-display problem rather than an aircraft parking problem.