How do I start an aircraft from cold and dark in MSFS 2020?
To start an aircraft from cold and dark in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020, spawn at a parking stand, secure the parking brake, apply battery or external power, establish the required fuel and ignition configuration, start each engine with the aircraft's checklist, then bring the generators, avionics and remaining systems online.
The exact switch sequence depends on the aircraft and engine type. Open the simulator's Checklist panel and work through its before-start, engine-start and after-start sections; where supported, the view control will locate the relevant switch. For individual switch sequences, use our model-by-model cold-and-dark procedures for the default MSFS 2020 fleet.
How do I make MSFS 2020 start cold and dark?
Selecting a gate, ramp or parking position as your departure normally loads the aircraft cold and dark; selecting a runway starts it with the engine running.
- Choose the airport on the World Map and zoom in until its individual starting positions appear.
- Select a parking position, gate or ramp as the departure point rather than the runway itself.
- Check aircraft-specific state options if it still loads powered. Some add-ons use an EFB, tablet or saved-state setting that can override the simulator's normal parking state.
What is the correct cold-and-dark start order?
The reliable order is to secure the aircraft, verify fuel, establish electrical power, provide the correct starting source, start and stabilise the engine, then connect the remaining systems.
- Secure the aircraft: Set the parking brake or chocks, leave the throttle at idle and verify that the propeller or engine area is clear.
- Check fuel: Confirm there is fuel aboard and select the correct tank or feed configuration. Leave jet fuel control levers at cutoff until the starter has produced the required core rotation.
- Establish electrical power: Switch on the battery or connect and select external power. Check that voltage is available rather than assuming the battery switch alone has powered every bus.
- Set the warning lights: Turn on the beacon before operating the starter. Other exterior lights depend on the aircraft and local procedure.
- Provide starting power: Piston aircraft normally use the battery and starter directly. Turboprops require the starter to turn the gas generator before fuel is introduced. Jets usually need APU bleed air or an external pneumatic source as well as electricity.
- Start one engine at a time: Follow the checklist's fuel, ignition and starter sequence while watching rotational speed, oil pressure and temperature. Release the starter or confirm automatic starter cut-out once the engine is self-sustaining.
- Connect the engine-driven systems: Bring the alternator or generator online, then configure bleed air, hydraulic pumps and fuel pumps as specified.
- Complete the after-start checks: Power the avionics, set radios and navigation equipment, confirm flight controls, and configure trim and flaps before taxi.
Battery power is not the same as being ready to start. A jet may have illuminated displays but no pneumatic pressure for its starter, while a piston aircraft may crank normally yet have no fuel or ignition.
How do piston, turboprop and jet starts differ?
Piston engines need the correct mixture and priming, turboprops require rotation before fuel is introduced, and jets need a pneumatic starting source plus a carefully timed fuel-on command.
| Aircraft type | Typical starting sequence | Common mistake |
|---|---|---|
| Piston | Select the appropriate tank or BOTH, set mixture and throttle for the start, prime or use the pump only as directed, then select ignition and operate the starter. | Excessive priming can flood the engine. Hot-start and fuel-injected procedures may require different mixture positions. |
| Turboprop | Engage the starter, monitor gas-generator speed such as Ng or N1, introduce fuel with the condition lever at the specified point, and watch temperature during acceleration. | Introducing fuel too early can produce a hot start; turning the generator on before the engine stabilises can also disrupt the sequence. |
| Jet | Start the APU or connect ground air, open the required bleed-air path, engage the engine starter, confirm core rotation, then move the fuel control or engine master to run. | External electrical power alone does not provide starter air on most airliners. Closed bleed valves or excessive pneumatic demand can prevent rotation. |
Do not copy the sequence from a different model simply because it has the same engine category. Add-ons vary in systems depth, and some enforce starter duty limits, temperature limits and realistic APU behaviour that simpler default aircraft may not model fully.
Can I use Ctrl+E to start the engines?
On the standard PC bindings, Ctrl+E runs the Auto Start Engine command and is suitable when you only want to get the engines running quickly.
Auto-start does not necessarily programme the FMS, align inertial systems, tune radios or complete every before-taxi item. Complex add-ons may ignore it or stop part-way through their custom start logic. If the shortcut does nothing, check whether the Auto Start Engine command has been remapped; controller users can assign the same command.
Why won't the aircraft start from cold and dark?
Most failed starts are caused by missing electrical or pneumatic power, a closed fuel path, incorrect mixture or condition-lever position, or ignition that was never enabled.
- Nothing has power: Check the battery master, external-power connection and bus or standby-battery switches. External power must usually be both available and selected.
- The starter does not turn: A jet probably lacks APU or ground-air pressure, has the bleed path closed, or has not had its start selector engaged. In a piston aircraft, check the battery, magneto or ignition switch and starter control.
- The engine cranks but does not fire: Verify fuel quantity, tank selector, mixture, condition lever, fuel control, pumps and ignition. Do not assume unlimited fuel assistance fixes a closed selector.
- The engine starts and then dies: Check that the fuel control remains in run, the selected tank contains fuel and the idle setting can sustain the engine. A turboprop condition lever left at cutoff will stop the engine immediately.
- Temperature rises without normal acceleration: Cut off the fuel and follow the aircraft's aborted-start procedure. Continuing to add fuel during a hot or hung start makes the situation worse.
- The engine runs but the displays stay dark: Check the avionics master, generators, bus ties and display brightness. A powered display with missing position data may instead be waiting for navigation-system alignment.
If it still will not light or shuts down during take-off, work through our engine-start and unexpected shutdown checks. When the engine is running but the panel remains unpowered, use the separate diagnosis for blank avionics screens.
What should I do after the engine starts?
After start, verify that the engine is stable and convert the aircraft from engine-running to taxi-ready rather than releasing the parking brake immediately.
- Confirm oil pressure, temperature, generator output and warning lights are normal.
- Disconnect external power, remove chocks and close any doors or service panels represented by the aircraft.
- Configure radios, transponder, navigation equipment, trim, flaps and taxi lights.
- Check the brakes and flight controls before moving.
- Obtain clearance where appropriate; our guide to using MSFS ATC from a parking stand covers radio power, clearance and taxi requests.