Flight Simulator Vr Controls
These are the final keyboard commands for FSX. Many are new due to the new features in FSX. Print them out (5 pages). You'll find that they will enhance your flight experiences with FSX.
You can view the keyboard controls below or you can download the file to keep on your own system.
This control list is extensive and should cover everything you need from basic to advanced flying in Flight Simulator X.
“What is the best VR flight simulator?” This is a question we get asked all of the time, but unfortunately it is a very difficult question to answer, because it depends on what kind of flight simulator functionality you prefer and what platform you prefer to run it on.
PDF Option
If you choose to download this file instead of viewing it on this page, it now includes a PDF sheet with a keyboard map option for cross-compatibility and easy downloading/viewing. This has been added by popular user demand. We have also included additional Microsoft Word formats too.
Let us know
If these commands have been helpful to you or if you have any issues using them (or if any are incorrect), please let us know in the comments section below. Please note, also included in this file are all of the files from fsxkypml.zip (PDF, JPG, PNG).
Control list
NOTE: Make sure Num Lock is OFF before using Num Pad commands.
SIMULATOR COMMANDS
Pause | P or BREAK |
Full Screen Mode | ALT + ENTER |
Menus (display/hide) | ALT |
ATC Menu (display/hide) | ACCENT or SCROLL LOCK |
Kneeboard (display/hide) | SHIFT+F10 |
Sound (on/off) | Q |
Reset Current Flight | CTRL+; (SEMICOLON) |
Save Flight | ; (SEMICOLON) |
Exit Flight Simulator | CTRL+C |
Exit Flight Simulator Immediately | CTRL+BREAK |
Joystick (on/off) | CTRL+K |
Cycle Coordinates/Frame Rate | SHIFT+Z |
Select Item 1 | 1 |
Select Item 2 | 2 |
Select Item 3 | 3 |
Select Item 4 | 4 |
Select Time Compression | R |
Drop Objects | SHIFT+D |
Fuel Truck (request) | SHIFT+F |
Aircraft Labels (display/hide) | CTRL+SHIFT+L |
Flying Tips (display/hide) | CTRL+SHIFT+X |
Increase Selection | = (EQUAL SIGN) |
Increase Selection Slightly | SHIFT+= (EQUAL SIGN) |
Decrease Selection Slightly | SHIFT+- (MINUS SIGN) |
Decrease Selection | - (MINUS SIGN) |
Capture Screenshot | V |
Jetway (attach/detach) | CTRL+J |
End Flight | ESC |
CONTROL SURFACE COMMANDS
Ailerons (bank left) | Num Pad 4 |
Ailerons (bank right) | Num Pad 6 |
Aileron Trim (left) | CTRL+Num Pad 4 |
Aileron Trim (right) | CTRL+Num Pad 6 |
Rudder (yaw left) | Num Pad 0 |
Rudder (yaw right) | Num Pad ENTER |
Rudder Trim (left) | CTRL+ Num Pad 0 |
Rudder Trim (right) | CTRL+Num Pad ENTER |
Center Ailerons and Rudder | Num Pad 5 |
Pitch Down (elevator) | Num Pad 8 |
Pitch Up (elevator) | Num Pad 2 |
Elevator Trim Down | Num Pad 7 |
Elevator Trim Up | Num Pad 1 |
Flaps (retract fully) | F5 |
Flaps (retract incrementally) | F6 |
Flaps (extend incrementally) | F7 |
Flaps (extend fully) | F8 |
Extend/Retract Spoilers/Airbrakes | / (FORWARD SLASH) |
Arm Spoilers | SHIFT+/ (FORWARD SLASH) |
Water Rudder Up/Down | CTRL+W |
ENGINE COMMANDS
On multiengine aircraft, engine commands affect all engines unless you first select an engine. | |
Select Engine | E+engine number (1-4) |
Select All Engines | E+1+2+3+4 |
Engine Autostart | CTRL+E |
Throttle (cut) | F1 |
Reverse Thrust (turboprops/jets) | F2 (press and hold) |
Throttle (decrease) | F2 or Num Pad 3 |
Throttle (increase) | F3 or Num Pad 9 |
Throttle (full) | F4 |
Propeller (low RPM) | CTRL+F1 |
Propeller (decrease RPM) | CTRL+F2 |
Propeller (increase RPM) | CTRL+F3 |
Propeller (high RPM) | CTRL+F4 |
Mixture (idle cutoff) | CTRL+SHIFT+F1 |
Mixture (lean quickly) | CTRL+SHIFT+F2 |
Mixture (enrich) | CTRL+SHIFT+F3 |
Mixture (full rich) | CTRL+SHIFT+F4 |
Carb Heat/Engine Anti-ice ((on/off)) | H |
Magnetos (select) | M |
Master Battery/Alternator (select) | SHIFT+M |
Jet Starter (select) | J |
Helicopter Rotor Clutch ((on/off)) | SHIFT+. (PERIOD) |
Helicopter Rotor Governor ((on/off)) | SHIFT+, (COMMA) |
Helicopter Rotor Brake ((on/off)) | SHIFT+B |
Increase Selection | = (EQUAL SIGN) |
Increase Selection Slightly | SHIFT+= (EQUAL SIGN) |
Decrease Selection Slightly | SHIFT+- (MINUS SIGN) |
Decrease Selection | - (MINUS SIGN) |
GENERAL AIRCRAFT COMMANDS
Brake (set parking) | CTRL+. (PERIOD) |
Pushback (start/stop) | SHIFT+P (then press 1 or 2 to turn tail right/left) |
Brakes (apply/release) | . (PERIOD) |
Brakes (apply left brake) | Num Pad + (PLUS) |
Brakes (apply right brake) | Num Pad - (MINUS) |
Landing Gear (extend/retract) | G |
Tail wheel (lock/unlock) | SHIFT+G |
Landing Gear (extend manually) | CTRL+G |
Fuel Dump (on/off) | CTRL+SHIFT+D |
Subpanels (display/hide) | SHIFT + 1 through 9 |
Smoke System ((on/off)) | I |
Cowl Flaps (open incrementally) | CTRL+SHIFT+V |
Cowl Flaps (close incrementally) | CTRL+SHIFT+C |
Tow Plane (call) | CTRL+SHIFT+Y |
Tow Rope (release) | SHIFT+Y |
Doors (select) | SHIFT+E |
LIGHT COMMANDS
Lights - all (on/off) | L |
Strobe Lights (on/off) | O |
Panel Lights (on/off) | SHIFT+L |
Landing Lights (on/off) | CTRL+L |
Landing Light (tilt down) | CTRL+SHIFT+Num Pad 2 |
Landing Light (tilt left) | CTRL+SHIFT+Num Pad 4 |
Landing Light (tilt right) | CTRL+SHIFT+Num Pad 6 |
Landing Light (tilt up) Grow island game. | CTRL+SHIFT+Num Pad 8 |
Landing Light (center) | CTRL+SHIFT+Num Pad 5 |
RADIO COMMANDS
ATC Window (display/hide) | ` ACCENT or SCROLL LOCK |
VOR 1 Ident (on/off) | CTRL+1 |
VOR 2 Ident (on/off) | CTRL+2 |
MKR Ident (on/off) | CTRL+3 |
DME Ident (on/off) | CTRL+4 |
ADF Ident (on/off) | CTRL+5 |
Standby Frequency (swap) | X |
COM Radio (select) | C |
NAV Radio (select) | N |
OBS indicator (select) | SHIFT+V |
ADF (select) | CTRL+SHIFT+A |
DME (select) | F |
Transponder (select) | T |
Increase Selection | = (EQUAL SIGN) |
Increase Selection Slightly | SHIFT+= (EQUAL SIGN) |
Decrease Selection Slightly | SHIFT+- (MINUS SIGN) |
Decrease Selection | - (MINUS SIGN) |
AUTOPILOT COMMANDS
Master (on/off) | Z |
Flight Director (on/off) | CTRL+F |
Wing Leveler (on/off) | CTRL+V |
Yaw Damper (on/off) | CTRL+D |
Altitude Hold (on/off) | CTRL+ Z |
Altitude Bug (select) | CTRL+SHIFT+Z |
Heading Hold (on/off) | CTRL+H |
Heading Bug (select) | CTRL+SHIFT+H |
Airspeed Hold (on/off) | CTRL+R |
Mach Hold (on/off) | CTRL+M |
Autothrottle (arm) | SHIFT+R |
Autothrottle engage (TOGA) | CTRL+SHIFT+G |
Nav 1 Hold (on/off) | CTRL+N |
Approach Mode (on/off) | CTRL+A |
Back Course Mode (on/off) | CTRL+B |
Localizer Hold (on/off) | CTRL+O |
Attitude Hold (on/off) | CTRL+T |
Increase Selection | = (EQUAL SIGN) |
Increase Selection Slightly | SHIFT+= (EQUAL SIGN) |
Decrease Selection Slightly | SHIFT+- (MINUS SIGN) |
Decrease Selection | - (MINUS SIGN) |
INSTRUMENT COMMANDS
Heading Indicator (reset) | D |
Altimeter (reset) | B |
Pitot Heat (on/off) | SHIFT+H |
Increase Selection | = (EQUAL SIGN) |
Increase Selection Slightly | SHIFT+= (EQUAL SIGN) |
Decrease Selection Slightly | SHIFT+- (MINUS SIGN) |
Decrease Selection | - (MINUS SIGN) |
VIEW COMMANDS
2-D Cockpit (cycle panels) | W |
Snap to Panel View | SHIFT+Num Pad 0 |
View (next category) | S |
View (previous category) | SHIFT+S |
View (next view in category) | A |
View (previous view in category) | SHIFT+A |
View (previous view toggle) | CTRL+S |
View (default zoom) | BACKSPACE |
Look (snap) | Num Pad |
Look (pan) | Hat switch or thumbstick |
Look (reset to forward view) | SHIFT+Num Pad DEL |
Look Using Mouse (on) | Hold SPACEBAR |
Look Using Mouse (on/off) | SHIFT+O |
View (open new window) | [ (LEFT BRACKET) |
View (close selected window) | ] (RIGHT BRACKET) |
View (open new top-down window) | SHIFT+] (RIGHT BRACKET) |
Virtual Cockpit | F9 |
2-D Cockpit | F10 |
Locked Spot View | F11 |
Top-Down View | F12 |
2-D Panel Transparency | CTRL+SHIFT+T (+ or -) |
Window (bring selected to front) | ' (APOSTROPHE) |
Zoom In | = (EQUAL SIGN) |
Zoom Out | - (HYPHEN) |
View (next window) | CTRL+TAB |
View (previous window) | CTRL+SHIFT+TAB |
Eyepoint (move back) | CTRL+ENTER |
Eyepoint (move down) | SHIFT+BACKSPACE |
Eyepoint (move forward) | CTRL+BACKSPACE |
Eyepoint (move left) | CTRL+SHIFT+BACKSPACE |
Eyepoint (move right) | CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER |
Eyepoint (move up) | SHIFT+ENTER |
Eyepoint (reset) | CTRL+SPACE |
SLEW COMMANDS
Slew to rapidly reposition your aircraft without flying in real time. | |
Slew Mode (on/off) | Y |
Heading North/Attitude Level | CTRL+SPACEBAR |
Freeze All Movement | Num Pad 5 |
Slew Forward | Num Pad 8 |
Slew Backward | Num Pad 2 |
Slew Left | Num Pad 4 |
Slew Right | Num Pad 6 |
Slew Up Slowly | Q or F3Peggle blast level 66. |
Slew Up Quickly | F4 |
Slew Down Slowly | A |
Slew Down Quickly | F1 |
Freeze Vertical Movement | F2 |
Rotate Left | Num Pad 1 |
Rotate Right | Num Pad 3 |
Pitch Nose Up | 9 |
Pitch Nose Up Quickly | F5 |
Pitch Nose Down | F7 or 0 |
Pitch Nose Down Quickly | F8 |
Freeze Pitch | F6 |
Bank Left | Num Pad 7 |
Bank Right | Num Pad 9 |
MISSION COMMANDS
Compass/Pointer (on/off) | U |
Compass Objective (next) | K |
Compass Objective (previous) | SHIFT+K |
MULTIPLAYER COMMANDS
Chat Window (display/hide) | CTRL+SHIFT+] |
Chat Window (make active) | ENTER |
Voice (start transmit) | CAPS LOCK |
Voice (stop transmit) | ^CAPS LOCK |
Voice (start transmit to all) | SHIFT+CAPS LOCK |
Voice (stop transmit to all) | ^SHIFT+CAPS LOCK |
Transfer/Accept Control | SHIFT+T |
Follow Other Player | CTRL+SHIFT+F |
To add or customize keyboard commands, on the Options menu, point to Controls, then click Buttons/Keys.
Virtual Reality (VR) and actual reality often don’t mix: watch someone play a VR game without seeing what they see and you see a lot of pointless-looking flailing around. [Nerdaxic] may have found a balance that works in this flight sim setup that mixes VR and AR, though. He did this by combining the virtual cockpit controls of his fight simulator with real buttons, knobs, and dials. He uses an HTC Vive headset and a beefy PC to create the virtual side, which is mirrored with a real-world version. So, the virtual yoke is matched with a real one. The same is true of all of the controls, thanks to a home-made control panel that features all of the physical controls of a Cessna 172 Skyhawk.
[Nerdaxic] has released the plans for the project, including his 3D printable knobs for throttle and fuel/air mixture and the design for the wooden panel and assembly that holds all of the controls in the same place as they are in the real thing. He even put a fan in the system to produce a gentle breeze to enhance the feel of sticking your head out of the window — just don’t try that on a real aircraft.