SU6 Beta 1.8.5.0 – Cessna 172 Steam Gauge: Transponder, KAP140 Autopilot and Clock remain unpowered after manual Cold & Dark start when new option “Start flight without walkaround” is enabled

XFlightFC · July 7, 2026, 5:47pm

Using the template below will greatly help the team reproduce the issue and ease the process of fixing it. Before posting, search for an existing report. If you are not sure it’s a bug, please first report in User Support Hub.

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ISSUE DESCRIPTION

Description of the issue:After updating to SU6 Beta 1.8.5.0 (July 6, 2026), the default Cessna 172 Steam Gauge has an electrical initialization issue.

When starting from Cold & Dark using the normal checklist, the following instruments remain unpowered:

KAP140 Autopilot
Transponder
Digital Clock

However:

The same aircraft works correctly when starting with Ready to Fly.
Pressing CTRL+E immediately powers all affected instruments without any further action.

This suggests that the manual startup sequence is not correctly initializing one or more avionics/electrical buses.

FREQUENCY OF ISSUE

100% reproducible.

REPRODUCTION STEPS

Please list clear steps you took in order to help our test team reproduce the same issue:

Launch MSFS 2024 SU6 Beta 1.8.5.0.
Select the default Cessna 172 Steam Gauge.
Make sure the new option “Start flight without walkaround” is enabled
Start from a Cold & Dark parking position.
Perform a normal manual engine start.
Turn Battery, Alternator and Avionics Master ON.
Observe that the KAP140, Transponder and Digital Clock remain blank.
Press CTRL+E.
All affected instruments immediately power on and work normally.

YOUR SETTINGS

If the issue still occurs with no mods and add-ons, please continue to report your issue. If not, please move this post to the User Support Hub.

What peripherals are you using, if relevant:

[PC Only] Are you using Developer Mode or have you made any changes to it?

[PC, MSFS 2020 Only] Are you using DX11 or DX12?

[PC Only] What GPU (Graphics Card) do you use?

[PC Only] What other relevant PC specs can you share?

MEDIA

Please add a screenshot or video of the issue occurring.

DementedCorn327 · July 7, 2026, 5:48pm

Moved to Sim Update 6 Beta | MSFS 2024 > Aircraft & Systems since beta related.

Are you starting C&D in walkaround mode or directly C&D into the cockpit using the new functionality ?

Zadma · July 7, 2026, 5:50pm

Because I have noticed some variation in default panel states with each, can you specify whether or not your Cold & Dark start begins from Walkaround mode or from the cockpit directly (with the new option in SU6)?

EDIT: @DementedCorn327 Beat me to the punch!

TheM00ps · July 7, 2026, 5:52pm

There are 2 avionics switches. One turns on the Garmins and the other the autopilot and transponder. It sounds like you still have one of them off.

Even when powered on, you still have to turn the knob on the transponder to turn it on.

SteveX77 · July 13, 2026, 10:47am

Reproduced and confirmed on my side, both C&D scenarios (Walkaround and new Direct cockpit option). CTRL+E or back on track after a crash fixes this for the particular flight session.

Raynen · July 14, 2026, 10:21am

I can reproduce the error with this setting turned on, I cannot reproduce the error when it is turned off.

Zadma · July 14, 2026, 11:39am

Can confirm that this issue is replicable with walkaround disabled but with walkaround enabled the issue seems resolved/not present.

DementedCorn327 · July 14, 2026, 4:03pm

Can replicate too. As reported by others users above, the condition is to start with the new option “Start flight without walkaround” enabled.

@XFlightFC : if you are experiencing the same, could you update your title/description/steps specifying this condition ?.

Chewwy94 · July 15, 2026, 12:37pm

Thank you for the bug report.

We have created an internal ticket to see if our team already has this logged, and if not they will attempt to reproduce the issue and create a new bug report. This item is now marked as feedback-logged. If there is an existing bug report or one is created, we will move this thread to bug-logged.

DementedCorn327 · July 15, 2026, 12:49pm

Title & Reproduction steps updated to reflect the new option “Start flight without walkaround” must be enabled.

Chewwy94 · July 15, 2026, 12:52pm

Thanks, I’ve made sure to note that this is the likely cause in our internal report!

DementedCorn327 · August 16, 2026, 1:13pm

Moved out from Sim Update 6 Beta | MSFS 2024 > Aircraft & Systems since issue also happens in the SU6 live version.

EchoWisky3959 · August 15, 2026, 9:59am

ISSUE DESCRIPTION

After SU6 update, when starting a free flight in the analogue C172 at a parking position in a cold & dark state. When I turn on the battery switch and the avionics master switch, the Bendix instruments don’t start. Only the button lights illuminate, but the displays stay dark.