How do I start the Cessna 172 in MSFS 2024?
Start the Cessna 172 in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 from cold and dark by setting the parking brake and fuel selector to BOTH, then switching on the master and beacon. Prime with the fuel pump, return the mixture to idle cut-off, switch the pump off, crank, and move the mixture fully rich as the engine fires.
Cessna 172 cold-and-dark start checklist
The built-in Cessna 172 Skyhawk uses the same basic fuel-injected engine-start sequence with either a glass cockpit or an analogue panel. Third-party, older or carburetted C172 variants may differ, so use their supplied checklist instead.
If you cannot identify the mixture, fuel selector, ignition switch or engine gauges, our guide to the Cessna 172 controls and instruments shows what each one does.
- Choose a cold-and-dark start. Select a parking position rather than a runway. Complete the walk-around and remove any fitted chocks, tie-downs, covers or control lock.
- Secure the aeroplane. Set the parking brake, check the circuit breakers are in and switch the avionics buses and other unnecessary electrical loads off. Open the throttle about 6 mm (¼ inch) and leave the mixture at idle cut-off.
- Set the fuel system. Confirm there is fuel aboard, put the fuel selector on BOTH and ensure the fuel shut-off control is ON, which is fully pushed in on the standard Skyhawk.
- Power the essential electrics. Turn the battery and alternator master switches on, followed by the red beacon. Leave the avionics off until the engine is running.
- Prime the engine. Turn the electric fuel pump on, move the mixture to full rich until a stable fuel-flow indication appears—normally only a few seconds—then return the mixture to idle cut-off and switch the pump off. Excessive priming can flood the engine.
- Crank the engine. Check the propeller area is clear and hold the ignition key at START. As the engine fires, advance the mixture smoothly to full rich and release the key; it should spring back to BOTH.
- Stabilise the engine. Adjust the throttle to roughly 1,000 RPM. Confirm the oil pressure begins rising promptly and that the alternator is charging. Shut down if oil pressure does not appear.
- Bring the avionics online. Switch on the avionics buses, radios and required lights. The electric fuel pump normally remains off after starting.
Holding the spring-loaded ignition key while moving the mixture can be awkward with mouse-only control. A practical simulator compromise is to complete the brief prime, set the mixture to rich and then turn the key to START. Do not repeat the prime unless the engine is genuinely cold and failed to receive fuel.
Once it is running, our full Cessna 172 tutorial covering taxi, run-up, take-off and landing explains what comes next.
How do cold, warm and flooded C172 starts differ?
The amount of priming changes with engine temperature; using the same long prime every time is a common cause of failed starts.
| Engine condition | Starting change |
|---|---|
| Cold | Use the normal brief fuel-pump prime. Colder conditions may require slightly more, following the aircraft checklist. |
| Warm | Use no prime or only a very short one. Begin with the pump off and avoid adding fuel repeatedly. |
| Flooded | Set the pump off, mixture to idle cut-off and throttle fully open, then crank. When it fires, advance the mixture and reduce the throttle immediately. |
Pause between unsuccessful attempts rather than holding the starter continuously. At high-elevation airports, full rich may also be excessive; use the aircraft checklist and lean enough for smooth running.
Can I auto-start the Cessna 172 with Ctrl+E?
On the default PC keyboard profile, Ctrl+E normally runs the automatic engine-start command. If it does nothing, search the control assignments for Auto Start Engine, because imported or customised profiles can replace the default binding.
Xbox and PlayStation users can bind the same command to a controller or use the assisted checklist controls. Auto-start is suitable when the aim is simply to get airborne; manual starting is better for learning the fuel, electrical and ignition sequence.
Why won't the Cessna 172 start in MSFS 2024?
The quickest diagnosis is to separate a starter problem from a fuel-and-ignition problem.
- Nothing happens when START is selected: check the battery master, battery charge, ignition assignment and any hardware magneto switch that may be overriding the cockpit key.
- The propeller turns but the engine does not fire: the starter is working. Check for fuel, selector on BOTH, shut-off valve on, a completed prime and mixture moving towards rich during the start.
- The engine fires and immediately stops: the mixture probably remained at idle cut-off, the throttle is fully closed or a controller axis moved the mixture back after ignition.
- Repeated priming made the problem worse: treat the engine as flooded—pump off, mixture cut off and throttle open—rather than adding more fuel.
- The engine runs but the displays remain dark: switch on both avionics buses. Dark G1000 screens do not necessarily mean the engine start failed.
- Auto-start works but manual start does not: the aircraft installation is probably sound. Recheck switch order and look for duplicate mixture, throttle, starter or magneto bindings.
For persistent cranking, shutdown or take-off failures, use our engine-start and shutdown fault checklist to isolate fuel, ignition, electrical and controller causes.