MSFS2020 Aircraft Spawning In Air Troubleshooting And Solutions

Are you experiencing the frustrating issue of spawning in the air instead of on the runway when selecting a landing spot in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 (MSFS2020)? This is a common problem that can disrupt your flight experience, but thankfully, there are several troubleshooting steps and solutions you can try. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the potential causes of this issue and provide detailed instructions on how to resolve them, ensuring you can enjoy seamless landings in MSFS2020.

Understanding the Problem: Spawning in the Air in MSFS2020

When you select a landing spot in MSFS2020, the expectation is that your aircraft will be placed on the runway, ready for takeoff or landing. However, some users encounter a situation where the aircraft spawns mid-air, often several miles from the airport. This can be disorienting and make it difficult to properly align for a smooth approach. The spawning in the air issue can stem from various factors, including incorrect flight planning, glitches in the simulator, or conflicts with add-ons. Addressing this problem is crucial for a realistic and enjoyable flight simulation experience. By understanding the potential causes, you can effectively troubleshoot and implement the necessary solutions to ensure your aircraft spawns correctly on the runway.

Common Causes of Spawning in the Air

Several factors can lead to the issue of spawning in the air when selecting a landing spot in MSFS2020. Identifying these causes is the first step in resolving the problem. One frequent culprit is incorrect flight planning. If your flight plan is not properly set up, the simulator may misinterpret your desired landing location. For instance, if the departure and arrival procedures are not correctly configured, the aircraft might spawn at an arbitrary point in the air near the destination airport. Another potential cause is glitches within the simulator itself. Like any complex software, MSFS2020 can experience bugs or temporary errors that affect its functionality. These glitches might cause the game to load the aircraft in the wrong location. Conflicts with add-ons are also a common source of problems. Add-ons, such as custom scenery, aircraft, or flight planning tools, can sometimes interfere with the simulator's core functions, leading to unexpected behavior like spawning in the air. Furthermore, issues with the game's cache or configuration files can contribute to this problem. Corrupted or outdated cache files may prevent the simulator from loading the correct data, resulting in the aircraft spawning at an incorrect location. Understanding these potential causes is essential for systematically troubleshooting and resolving the issue.

Why It's Important to Fix This Issue

Fixing the issue of spawning in the air in MSFS2020 is crucial for several reasons, primarily related to the realism and enjoyment of the simulation experience. The most obvious reason is realism. One of the core goals of flight simulation is to replicate the experience of real-world flying as closely as possible. Spawning in the air disrupts this sense of realism, as it completely bypasses the normal procedures of takeoff and approach. This can be particularly frustrating for users who are trying to learn or practice specific flight maneuvers. Beyond realism, this issue can significantly impact the overall enjoyment of the game. Starting a flight mid-air often leads to a rushed and disorienting experience, making it difficult to properly set up for a landing. This can be especially problematic for longer flights, where the user has invested time in planning and flying, only to have the final approach compromised. Moreover, repeatedly spawning in the air can lead to frustration and discouragement, potentially diminishing the user's interest in the simulator. Addressing this issue ensures that users can start their flights in the correct state, whether on the runway or at a gate, allowing them to fully immerse themselves in the simulation. By resolving this problem, you can restore the intended functionality of the simulator and ensure a more satisfying and authentic flight experience.

Troubleshooting Steps for MSFS2020 Spawning in the Air

When faced with the issue of spawning in the air in MSFS2020, a systematic approach to troubleshooting can help identify and resolve the problem efficiently. These steps range from basic checks to more advanced solutions, ensuring a comprehensive approach to fixing the issue. By following these troubleshooting steps, users can effectively diagnose the cause of the problem and implement the appropriate solution, enhancing their flight simulation experience.

1. Verify Your Flight Plan

One of the first and most crucial steps in troubleshooting the spawning in the air issue in MSFS2020 is to verify your flight plan. An improperly configured flight plan is a common cause of this problem, as the simulator relies on this information to determine your starting location. Start by ensuring that your departure and arrival airports are correctly selected. Double-check the ICAO codes to avoid any potential errors. Next, examine the selected departure procedure (SID) and arrival procedure (STAR). These procedures guide your aircraft's path to and from the airport and must be correctly aligned with the chosen runway. If these procedures are not properly configured, the simulator might place your aircraft at an incorrect location in the air. It's also important to check the selected approach type, such as ILS, RNAV, or VOR. An incorrect approach type can lead to the aircraft spawning at a point that is not aligned with the runway. Furthermore, review the waypoints in your flight plan to ensure they are logical and consistent with your intended route. Missing or misplaced waypoints can disrupt the simulator's calculation of your flight path, resulting in a spawn point that is far from the runway. Using a reliable flight planning tool, either in-game or a third-party application, can help you create and verify your flight plan. By carefully verifying each aspect of your flight plan, you can eliminate this as a potential cause of spawning in the air and move on to other troubleshooting steps if necessary.

2. Check for Add-on Conflicts

Checking for add-on conflicts is a critical step in resolving the issue of spawning in the air in MSFS2020. Add-ons, such as custom scenery, aircraft, and utilities, can greatly enhance the simulation experience, but they can also introduce conflicts that lead to unexpected behavior. These conflicts often arise because add-ons modify the simulator's core files or introduce new scripts that may not be fully compatible with each other. To check for add-on conflicts, start by temporarily disabling all add-ons. This can usually be done by moving the contents of your Community folder to a temporary location outside the MSFS2020 directory. After disabling the add-ons, restart the simulator and attempt to reproduce the spawning issue. If the problem is resolved, it indicates that one or more add-ons are causing the conflict. Next, systematically re-enable the add-ons one by one or in small groups, testing the simulator each time to identify the problematic add-on. Pay close attention to add-ons that modify airport scenery or flight planning procedures, as these are more likely to cause spawning issues. Once you have identified the conflicting add-on, you can try updating it to the latest version, as updates often include bug fixes and compatibility improvements. If an update is not available, consider removing the add-on or contacting the developer for support. Additionally, ensure that your add-ons are installed in the correct order, as some add-ons may have specific installation requirements. By methodically checking for add-on conflicts, you can pinpoint the source of the spawning issue and take the necessary steps to resolve it.

3. Clear the Rolling Cache

Clearing the rolling cache in MSFS2020 can often resolve issues related to the simulator loading incorrect or outdated data, including problems with spawning locations. The rolling cache stores scenery and terrain data to improve loading times and performance, but it can sometimes become corrupted or contain outdated information that leads to errors. To clear the rolling cache, navigate to the simulator's settings menu and find the **