FlyByWire A32NX EFB (flyPad): how do I use it in MSFS?
Use the FlyByWire A32NX EFB (flyPad) for SimBrief, fuel, payload, ground services and take-off data, plus fix missing tabs and black screens.
To use the FlyByWire A32NX flyPad EFB in Microsoft Flight Simulator, switch on the cockpit tablet, import or enter the flight, load passengers, cargo and block fuel, request ground services, then calculate take-off performance. It manages dispatch and preparation; it does not replace MCDU programming, aircraft electrical power or overhead-panel actions.
Where is the FlyByWire EFB, and how do I turn on the flyPad?
The FlyByWire EFB and flyPad are the same cockpit tablet, mounted beside the pilots’ side windows in the A32NX. Move the cockpit view towards the side window and use the power symbol on the tablet bezel. If the display starts but looks dark, raise its brightness.
This tablet belongs specifically to the FlyByWire A32NX. It is not the tablet in an included A320, and it is separate from the native MSFS 2024 EFB. The A32NX is a PC add-on, so its flyPad will not appear on Xbox or PlayStation 5.
If it is missing on PC, confirm that the aircraft selector shows the FlyByWire model and not another A320. MSFS 2024 users should also check the package choice and installation location using our PC installation checks for the A32NX in MSFS 2024.
Open the flyPad settings before the first flight. Set kilograms or pounds, loading and refuelling speeds, brightness, aircraft options and any account integrations. Page names and button positions can differ between A32NX release channels, but the operating sequence remains broadly the same.
How do I use the flyPad from gate setup to pushback?
The most reliable method is to use the flyPad as the dispatch and ground-preparation centre while operating the aircraft itself through the overhead panel, MCDU and flight controls.
- Select the starting aircraft state. Choose an appropriate preset before beginning the setup. Cold and Dark suits a first flight from an unpowered aircraft; Turnaround leaves more systems ready for the next sector. Our guide to how Cold and Dark and Turnaround presets differ explains what each state is intended to represent.
- Import or enter the flight. For SimBrief, save the username or Pilot ID requested by your installed build, generate an operational flight plan, then use the flyPad import control. Generate the plan again and re-import it after changing the route, runway, payload or fuel.
- Set passengers and cargo. Open the payload or loading page, enter the required figures and start boarding. Entering a target does not necessarily begin the process. Wait for boarding to finish before treating the displayed zero-fuel weight and centre of gravity as final.
- Load block fuel. Import the planned fuel or enter it manually, select the desired refuelling rate and start refuelling. Use block fuel, not trip fuel: block fuel includes the fuel needed before departure and the planned reserves.
- Prepare ground services. Use the Ground page for chocks, doors, external power and the services offered in your build. Connecting the GPU only makes external power available; select
EXT PWRon the overhead panel when its availability indication appears. - Program the MCDU. Use
INIT REQUESTwhere available or enter the route manually. Inspect every leg, clear genuine discontinuities and verify the zero-fuel weight, centre of gravity and block fuel rather than assuming the flyPad has completed the MCDU setup. - Calculate take-off performance last. Confirm the actual runway or intersection, wind, temperature, pressure, runway condition, aircraft weight, flap configuration and anti-ice selection. Transfer the result if your build offers that control; otherwise enter the V-speeds, FLEX temperature and trim data manually. Recalculate after any meaningful runway, weather or weight change.
- Complete the checklist and pushback setup. Close the required doors, remove incompatible ground equipment and request the tug if a pushback control is provided. Release the parking brake only when prompted, then stop and disconnect the tug before taxiing.
A mistake we see constantly is importing one route from SimBrief while leaving a different route from the MSFS World Map or native EFB. Choose one plan as the master, make the other match it, and check the MCDU for duplicate waypoints or unresolved discontinuities.
How do I load fuel in the FlyByWire EFB?
Enter or import the planned block fuel, start the refuelling process and monitor the actual quantity until it reaches the target. Depending on the A32NX build, the relevant controls may appear on a dedicated fuel page or within the payload and loading area.
- Check the units. Make sure the flyPad and operational flight plan both use the expected kilograms or pounds.
- Set block fuel. Do not enter only the trip-fuel figure, which excludes taxi fuel and reserves.
- Start refuelling. A displayed target is not proof that fuel is being loaded. Select the start control and watch the actual quantity change.
- Verify the result. Compare the final flyPad quantity with the ECAM fuel indication and the figure entered in the MCDU.
Once flyPad loading has begun, avoid changing fuel or payload through the MSFS weight-and-balance panel. Competing inputs can leave the EFB, simulator model, ECAM and MCDU showing different figures. If using an external ground-handling add-on such as GSX, let one system control boarding and fuelling rather than starting both processes independently.
Does the flyPad program the MCDU automatically?
No. Importing an operational flight plan into the flyPad does not guarantee that the route is loaded, complete and active in the MCDU.
| Task | What the flyPad handles | What remains in the cockpit |
|---|---|---|
| Flight planning | Displays imported dispatch and route information | Request or enter the route and inspect every leg |
| Fuel and payload | Sets loading targets and changes aircraft weight | Verify fuel, zero-fuel weight and centre of gravity |
| Ground services | Requests doors, equipment and available services | Operate electrical, pneumatic, brake and engine controls |
| Take-off performance | Calculates data from the supplied conditions | Check and insert or confirm the required MCDU figures |
| Checklists | Displays and tracks checklist items | Perform the actual switch and system actions |
Do I need SimBrief or Navigraph to use the FlyByWire EFB?
No. Both integrations are optional; payload, fuel, ground services, checklists and performance inputs can be used manually.
SimBrief supplies the operational flight plan and planned loading figures. Navigraph provides integrated chart access when authorised, while navdata or AIRAC handling is a separate concern. Signing in to one does not automatically connect the other. Our separate Navigraph authorisation and chart setup covers that connection.
What if that button or tab is not there?
A missing button usually means the tutorial shows another A32NX build, the wrong aircraft is loaded, or the control is unavailable in the aircraft’s present state.
- Check the aircraft name. The included A320 and the native MSFS 2024 EFB do not contain FlyByWire flyPad pages.
- Look through the full menu. Some releases move fuel, payload, presets or account controls between pages. Labels can also differ with the selected EFB language.
- Check the aircraft state. Ground-service and loading controls may require the aircraft to be on the ground and stationary, with engines off or the parking brake set.
- Compare like-for-like builds. Stable and other release channels do not always receive interface changes at the same time. An older video or screenshot may show a button that has moved or been replaced.
- Check external integrations. Controls associated with charts, online flight plans or third-party handling may remain hidden or unavailable until their respective connection is configured.
Why is the flyPad black or nothing works?
A black or unresponsive flyPad is usually caused by its power or brightness setting, the wrong A320 being loaded, a duplicate A32NX package or an incomplete update.
- Try the tablet controls. Use the bezel power control and increase brightness. If every cockpit display is dark, establish aircraft battery or external power as required for the normal cockpit setup.
- Restart the tablet and flight. A tablet reboot may recover the interface. If it does not, return to the main menu and reload the aircraft.
- Close Microsoft Flight Simulator fully. Package repairs should not be performed while the simulator is running.
- Remove duplicate installations. Do not keep an old manually installed A32NX beside an installer-managed copy, and never merge a new build over old package files.
- Repair or reinstall the selected build. Use the installer to restore a clean package, then test before returning other aircraft-related modifications.
If only SimBrief or charts fail while the rest of the flyPad works, concentrate on the saved account identifier and internet connection rather than reinstalling the aircraft. Basic EFB pages should not depend on an online flight-planning service.
Is the flyPad the same as an A32NX MCDU on a tablet?
No. The flyPad is the EFB fitted inside the virtual cockpit; a remote MCDU mirrors the aircraft’s control and display unit in a browser on another device. Readers wanting the latter should follow our instructions for setting up the A32NX remote MCDU on a tablet.