Pause at top of descent

Stepping away during a long cruise? Tick Pause at top of descent and ACARS pauses the simulator once, where your descent should begin, so you don't fly past it while you're away.

Turning it on

In ACARS, open Settings and tick Pause the simulator once, where the descent should begin. It's off until you tick it, and it stays as you left it on this computer.

When it pauses

ACARS pauses at whichever comes first:

• the usual descent point: 3 NM for every 1,000 ft you are above the arrival airport, measured to it;
• the aircraft starting down from its cruise level, close enough to the arrival to be the descent. A step down far from the arrival doesn't count.

ACARS says "Paused at top of descent" in the flight log. Unpause the simulator when you're ready. It pauses only once a flight, even after a reconnect or a resumed flight. Time paused isn't counted as flight time.

Only offline

Pausing isn't allowed on VATSIM or IVAO, so ACARS only pauses a flight booked as Offline. Once the crew centre sees you on VATSIM or IVAO during the flight, it doesn't pause at all. Flying online? Book the flight for VATSIM or IVAO, or leave this off.

From your phone

Tick Let my phone pause the simulator (EFB › Flight) in ACARS Settings too. While ACARS records your offline flight, the EFB's Flight tab on your phone shows Pause the simulator. Press it and ACARS pauses the sim within about 10 seconds, with its next report. A press more than 2 minutes old never pauses late. The phone can only pause: you unpause at the simulator. The same offline rule applies, and the flight log says "Paused from your phone".

Works in MSFS 2020 and 2024, X-Plane, and Prepar3D or FSX through FSUIPC.