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How to Make a Downloaded Plane Use the Jetway in FSX

Microsoft̵7;s flight simulator FSX introduced active animated airport elements into the game to increase player immersion. Among the new element added was a moving jetway. The jetway is the passenger boarding bridge that extends from the side of the airport to the door of the airplane to allow for passenger boarding without exposure to the surrounding weather. In FSX, the jetways work automatically with included aircraft -- but in order to get the jetways to work with downloaded airplanes, some modification of the configuration files for the airplane is necessary.

Things You'll Need

Downloaded FSX aircraft
Text editor program

Instructions

- 1
  Open your downloaded FSX plane̵7;s .cfg file using a text editor to display the file̵7;s code.
- 2
  Navigate to the FSX installation directory on your hard drive by using Windows Explorer. Locate the default 747 directory and open the file ̶0;aircraft.cfg̶1; in a second text window.
- 3
  Highlight the information contained in the section marked ̶0;[exits]̶1; in your aircraft.cfg file. Right-click on the highlighted portion and copy it. Click onto the .cfg file for your downloaded aircraft. Paste the exits information into the file under its exits section, copying over any information that may be present.
- 4
  Modify each set of numbers for each exit to change the speed of the jetway movement and the location where it attached to the plane. Each set of ̶0;exit̶1; numbers corresponds to an exit on the plane. Exit 0 is for the main door of the plane, exit 1 for the cargo door and exit 2 for the emergency door.
- 5
  Change the first set of numbers in the five possible settings following the ̶0;=̶1; sign to control the jetway speed. The number used is the percent per second of the jetway movement, so 0.1 equals a movement rate of 10 percent per second, making the jetway complete its movement in 10 seconds. Increase the number to speed up the movement of the jetway; decrease it to slow the movement.
- 6
  Alter the number following the jetway speed and the first comma to change the longitudinal movement of the jetway to and from the airplane; change the third number to alter the lateral movement. Increase or decrease the longitudinal number to change how far the jetway extends or retracts toward the airplane door. Increase or decrease the lateral movement number to move the jetway to the left or right as it extends towards the plane.
- 7
  Change the fourth number in the sequence to change the vertical height of the jetway as it meets the plane, increasing the number for higher doors and decreasing it for lower doors. Leave the fifth and final number as is.
- 8
  Alter only one setting at a time in a small increment, then save the altered config file.
- 9
  Load FSX, then load the default airport and your downloaded airplane. At the terminal, open the door to your plane by pressing ̶0;Shift-E̶1; and then call the jetway by pressing ̶0;Crtl-J.̶1; Watch as the jetway connects. Pay particular attention to its connection as related to the setting changed. Note any further adjustments in door position needed, then exit the game.
- 10
  Load the config file into your text editor again and make any adjustment to the attribute necessary for further accuracy of the jetway placement. Work in small increments to help you to reach the correct jetway position without overdoing the change. Save the file and repeat the testing process within the game. Continue to change and repeat the testing until you have each adjustment correct for your aircraft.

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