Start flight at any position on the ground, cold and dark or ready to go

Official Microsoft Flight Simulator Wishlist
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It would be nice to start flights at places that aren’t in the database, but are part of the ground textures. Currently, you can start a flight at a specific latitude/longitude, but you start in the air. I’d like to be able to start on the ground facing a specific heading, with options for either cold and dark or ready to go.

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…and in the water, too.

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Install the SDK and put it in the game :slight_smile: I know that’s a serious undertaking but if it’s something you’re interested in doing here’s a tutorial that was posted elsewhere on the forums.

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For the bush planes and the Icon, it would be nice to be able to literally (try to) take off from anywhere. To be honest, also potentially fun with a 747!

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I just landed at an airport at Rivers Inlet, British Columbia (YRN) that is clearly visible in the program but is not in the program’s airport database. There is also a nearby abandoned airport at Machmell Conservancy that is also visible but not in the database. Could we have the option of inputting the coordinates and elevation of a place we want to take off from, so that we can start from such places. The airport doesn’t need to be created – it’s already visible.

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@BondedSleet4004, should be able to do this. I just Googled Rivers Inlet, and copied the LAT/LONG from Google Maps. Then you can paste that into the World Map search box and choose set as departure.

Only question is about setting the starting elevation so it is on the ground. That may be the issue. But if it starts you in the air you could just hit Y to enter Slew mode, and then F1 several times until you are on the ground. Then Y again to exit slew mode. May have to repeat slew mode again to make sure you are stationary.

lat long
lat long2547×1302 424 KB

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Thanks for the tip. A related suggestion… being able to save our current coordinates into the Garmin so that we can start from it at a later time. I understand that can be done in a real Garmin.

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Yes, the real Garmin you can create a “Pilot-Defined Waypoint” using coordinates or a bearing/distance from a known waypoint. Not aware of a method to do that in the sim. Maybe someone familiar with the SDK knows how to add a waypoint behind the scenes.

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Thanks again for the information. I tried inputting coordinates in the World Map search box, and the plane started flying at 1659 feet, which was at least 1650 feet above where I wanted to be. I was hoping to start on the pad for a cold and dark startup. Anyway, I am completely impressed with the program. Wonderful job. About the only thing that will pull me back to X-plane right now is its VR support.

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Please implement a way to start a flight with exact lat/lon coordinates in the main menu. Sometimes I want to visit a landmark without flying great distances to get there. This would make it a lot easier. Thanks!

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good idea :+1:t2:

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…this, plus height & direction please!

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Not OP but…
Is there a procedure? I have tried it a few times to no success?

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I don’t think it’s possible to select your altitude, but I guess you could instantly pause, then slew up/down to where you want to be, then un-pause.

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Already possible to set your location, but what really would make this function more useful is to be able to specify heading and altitude.

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you can set altitude in the nav log and for the starting heading, once you have selected your departure point, simply select another waypoint, custom if necessary, as your destination at the heading you want to start.

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Very nice idea! I totaly agree with you! :grin:

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Having bought the Bell 47 I love it. I worked on Helicopters many years ago and often had the chance to take control.
With this sim if you do not set an airfield for takeoff you end up at 1500 which is great in a fix wing but my experience with the Bell a nono. It dumps you in the air but as you have to wait for the engine to spin up etc it is too late and you are dead.
To have an option to start on the ground would be great.
Also the London heliport does not exist, been there on the Thames for years. The old Battersea heliport Code OACI EGLW

David

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I wonder if using active pause would allow the engine to spool up in the background. I did this once with an aircraft and when I took it out of active pause it shot down the runway much faster than normal. I think I had moved the throttle forward and left it in pause for a few minutes while I completed another task, when released the engine was at full power.