NO PAPI Lights!!!

[valero]

I've had MSFS for 6 months and I have searched everywhere to no avail on how to activate the PAPI lights. No runway big or small has ever shown the lights. I've completely removed and re-installed MSFS and no dice! I cannot see the lights anywhere. Any ideas?

[roypaglia]

I posted a similar question a couple of days ago. I think you will find the lights are there but hardly visible. That was my question, how can I get to see them better. Just to prove if they are there, do a night time landing , maybe with a small slow plane, you will probably see them. For my question, no one has posted a reply. Surely it cannot be only you and me that's considering this a problem.

Roy

[cianpars]

Yeah, I think they would benefit from being a little brighter, but they are there.

[davidc2]

I have seen them at various airports, not always, but at the bigger airports. Not sure what I did to get them to display though :)

[n697dt]

From my experience, I don't notice them until I'm about four or five miles out on final. The other thing that is frustrating is that there are no, or very few, rotating beacons flashing to help locate airports. Hopefully, these are on the Asobo wishlist.

[valero]

Thanks for the prompt replies, at least I'm not alone in this...

[lnuss]

I don't notice them until I'm about four or five miles out on final.

 

I wouldn't expect to see them much past that in real life, often less- they're not an ILS, and are only intended for use in the last couple of miles, or so.

[RI_Red]

I've always seen them where ever I land

[rockinrobin]

PAPI lights are not pilot controlled...there is nothing I'm aware of to "activate" them. They should be on all the time.

[n697dt]

I wouldn't expect to see them much past that in real life, often less- they're not an ILS, and are only intended for use in the last couple of miles, or so.

 

You're correct. Here is a good article and explanation of PAPI and VASI in real life:

 

https://www.boldmethod.com/learn-to-fly/systems/how-papi-lights-work-airport-vgsi-vasi/#:~:text=These%20lights%20are%20visible%20from%20about%205%20miles%20during%20the,NM%20from%20the%20runway%20threshold.

[CrashCargo]

I've noticed that some airports in MSFS2020 the PAPI is on the wrong side of the runway as opposed to real life. They seemed correct in FSX.