How do I use checklists in FSX?

In FSX and FSX: Steam Edition, press Shift+F10 to open the kneeboard, select the Checklist tab, choose the relevant phase of flight, and work through each item in order. Treat the page as a reference: standard FSX checklists do not move switches or verify that you completed an action.

How do I open and follow an FSX checklist?

1. Stabilise the aircraft. Set the parking brake on the ground, or pause with P if opening the kneeboard would distract you while hand-flying.
2. Open the kneeboard. Press Shift+F10, which is the default FSX shortcut.
3. Select Checklist. Use the tabs across the kneeboard to open the aircraft-specific checklist page.
4. Choose the flight phase. Follow links or scroll to sections such as before start, engine start, taxi, before take-off, cruise, descent, landing and shutdown. The available sections depend on the aircraft.
5. Carry out each action in the cockpit. Read the item, operate the relevant switch or control, and visually confirm its position. Interpret instructions such as AS REQUIRED according to the aircraft's condition rather than setting them blindly.
6. Close the kneeboard. Press Shift+F10 again when the check is complete.

If the shortcut does nothing, click inside the simulator first. Laptop function keys may require an Fn modifier, while a changed key assignment can be restored or replaced through FSX's control settings.

Are FSX checklists interactive?

The standard FSX kneeboard checklist is an HTML reference page, not a system-aware copilot. It cannot confirm switch positions, detect skipped items or configure the aircraft for you; hyperlinks within the page simply move between checklist sections.

Some add-on aircraft provide a separate gauge or panel with selectable entries, automatic actions or completion markers. The checklist system described in this C-47 package with selectable checklist controls is one example. When an add-on supplies its own checklist interface, follow its documentation rather than assuming the standard kneeboard controls apply.

Why is the FSX checklist blank or missing?

A blank checklist usually means the aircraft has no kneeboard checklist assigned, or its configuration points to a file that is missing or incorrectly named.

• Test a default aircraft first. If a default aircraft's checklist works, the problem belongs to the add-on rather than the FSX kneeboard itself.
• Check the assignment. Each active [fltsim.x] section in aircraft.cfg can contain a line such as kb_checklists=MyAircraft_check. That name normally corresponds to an HTML file in the aircraft's main folder.
• Compare repaint entries. If one livery works and another does not, compare their kb_checklists lines. Repaint installers sometimes omit this entry even though the base aircraft includes a checklist.
• Confirm the file location. Use our guide to locating the correct FSX aircraft folder, then check that the referenced checklist file is present at the expected level rather than inside an extra nested folder.
• Check write permissions. Windows may prevent or redirect edits inside a protected installation folder. After saving aircraft.cfg, reopen it and verify that the change remains.

The Reference tab uses the separate kb_reference entry, so a working reference page does not prove that the checklist assignment is correct. After repairing a file or configuration entry, reload the aircraft or restart FSX.

Can I add a custom checklist to FSX?

You can add a custom checklist when it is supplied as FSX-compatible HTML and assigned correctly in the aircraft configuration.

1. Use a checklist for the exact model. Procedures can differ between engine, avionics and panel variants. For a practical example, see this A320 checklist formatted for the standard FSX kneeboard.
2. Back up the existing files. Make copies of aircraft.cfg and any checklist file that the package will replace.
3. Install the supplied HTML file. Place it where the package instructions specify, normally in the aircraft's main folder.
4. Assign the checklist. Add or update the kb_checklists value in every livery section that should use it. Preserve the exact basename supplied by the author.
5. Reload and verify it. Open the kneeboard, select Checklist and test its headings and internal links before beginning a flight.

Renaming a PDF or text document with an .htm extension does not make it a kneeboard page. Manuals supplied in other formats must remain external unless they are properly converted into compatible HTML.

Which checklist should I use for each FSX aircraft?

Use the checklist written for the exact aircraft systems and panel you are flying.

Do not substitute a visually similar aircraft's checklist when engine limits, fuel controls, flap settings or avionics differ. FSX checklists are simulation aids rather than approved documents for operating a real aircraft.