Is there a way to not have the engine running ?

[Rudyjo]

Is there something in the MSFS 2020 files that you can set so the engine is not running every time you set up a flight?

I have the Logitech switch panel that has just about everything needed to start a single engine small plane and would like to have the engine off when I set up a flight.

Thanks for any ideas.

[jmfabio]

Hi, when I want to start cold and dark, I always start at a parking spot. I have never changed anything in a cfg file. Try it see if you like it that way. i do. That also gives me practice taxiing to the active runway.

Regards,

Joe

[Rudyjo]

Hi, when I want to start cold and dark, I always start at a parking spot. I have never changed anything in a cfg file. Try it see if you like it that way. i do. That also gives me practice taxiing to the active runway.

Regards,

Joe

It is probably simple to do, but I have only been using MSFS 2020 for about a week. The only choices I seem to have are runways and which end of the runway you want to start from.
How do you start some place other than what is offered? I should have mentioned that I only fly out of small airstrips using bushplanes.
Thanks

[heywooood]

It is probably simple to do, but I have only been using MSFS 2020 for about a week. The only choices I seem to have are runways and which end of the runway you want to start from.
How do you start some place other than what is offered? I should have mentioned that I only fly out of small airstrips using bushplanes.
Thanks

some of the smaller airstrips do not have ramp parking spaces and will only allow you to select one end of the runway or the other - you have to select a larger strip with at least one parking space. You'll need to select an airstrip or airport and then zoom in to see if it has parking and then select one of those 'dots' as your 'departure' point

[K5083]

Yes, there is. You need to edit a file called runway.flt which is in the main folder of the airplane. This defines the systems state of the plane when you spawn on the runway.

One way you could edit it easily (make a backup of runway.flt first) is to copy the file apron.flt as your runway.flt. This will make the state of the airplane the same as if you spawned it at a parking spot, which is what apron.flt defines.

Or, you can edit the runway.flt in a text editor and look at the individual entries. Most of them are pretty explanatory. Use the apron.flt values for guidance, and set everything in the [Engine Parameters.#.0], [Systems.0], and [Switches.0] to the state you would like them to be when you spawn.

If an update comes out for your plane, it will likely overwrite your edited runway.flt, so keep a backup to restore it after updates.

August

[K5083]

To answer your other question, I don't know if/how you can spawn on the ground someplace other than a runway or a parking spot. It would be handy to do this for bush flying, floatplane flying, or for spawning on parts of the airport where you won't be on top of somebody in multiplayer. You can spawn anywhere in the air just by clicking anywhere on the world map, but not on the ground.

August

[Rudyjo]

To all those who offered suggestions

I spent some time looking at various air strips around Alaska and did find them with starting positions other than runways and the engine was shut down.

Looks like this will be the easiest way to do this.

With all the hundreds of things that could be done in the various files within MSFS, you would think there would be an ON or OFF choice of whether you wanted to start a flight with the engine off.

[Rudyjo]

some of the smaller airstrips do not have ramp parking spaces and will only allow you to select one end of the runway or the other - you have to select a larger strip with at least one parking space. You'll need to select an airstrip or airport and then zoom in to see if it has parking and then select one of those 'dots' as your 'departure' point

After my last reply I did pick a small airport that only offered a runway. I zoomed in and all those little dots turned out to be parking spots as you said. I clicked one and then ended up in a parking spot with the engine off.

Thanks for suggesting this, it was what I was looking for.

[Tom Clayton]

The *.flt files control startup configuration for all the different starting points. So try this... In the aircraft folder of your choice, rename the runway.flt file to runway.flt.bak, then make a copy of the apron.flt and rename it to replace the original runway.flt.

[Cazzie]

After my last reply I did pick a small airport that only offered a runway. I zoomed in and all those little dots turned out to be parking spots as you said. I clicked one and then ended up in a parking spot with the engine off.

Thanks for suggesting this, it was what I was looking for.

Good on you. I was about to send this screenshot up to show you what the parking spots look like. This is my hometown airport, Danville (VA) Regional Airport. In MSFS it came with all the runways and taxiways and parking spots, but not one structure. I built the entire structural scenery. Anyhow, here's the screenshot showing all the parking spots at KDAN.

Cazzie

[Rudyjo]

The *.flt files control startup configuration for all the different starting points. So try this... In the aircraft folder of your choice, rename the runway.flt file to runway.flt.bak, then make a copy of the apron.flt and rename it to replace the original runway.flt.

Thank you Tom
I'm sure that what you suggest will work, but renaming files and moving them somewhere else and making copies of it is way beyond what I feel comfortable doing.
A few years ago, I had Assetto Corsa working just fine and tried to install a weather program called SOL that had about 10 separate steps that had to be manually done.
I had Assetto Corsa so screwed up that it would not run and had to uninstall the whole thing and re-install it.

Now knowing that you can zoom in on an airport and find other places than runways to start is something simple enough for me.

I go back to FS 2004, when you bought it, it came in a tin container that had about a 100 page book with it besides the disks. Nowadays, you are lucky to get a few pictures to show how something goes together and how it works. If you can't understand it, you have to get on the internet and hope what the maker of that product has something that makes half sense.
Thank goodness there are places like this and other FS forums where people who have been where you are will help get things working correctly.

[heywooood]

After my last reply I did pick a small airport that only offered a runway. I zoomed in and all those little dots turned out to be parking spots as you said. I clicked one and then ended up in a parking spot with the engine off.

Thanks for suggesting this, it was what I was looking for.

glad I could help - I have found answers here many times before so it's good to be able to help another community member.
Altering files isn't something most new users want to take on and in your original post you indicated you are new to MSFS2020
The other suggestions will undoubtedly help other community members though so that's a good thing too.