Start the iniBuilds Airbus A350 cold and dark in MSFS with the correct electrical, APU and engine sequence, plus fixes for failed starts.
To start the iniBuilds Airbus A350 from cold and dark in Microsoft Flight Simulator, switch on its batteries and available external power, set all three ADIRS selectors to NAV, start the APU and APU bleed, then select IGN/START and start each engine. Wait for AVAIL before completing the post-start clean-up.
How do you load the A350 cold and dark?
A proper cold-and-dark start begins at a gate or parking position, not on a runway. Select a parking spot on the World Map; our guide to starting at a gate or parking stand explains how to prevent MSFS from loading the aircraft ready for take-off.
Once loaded, set the parking brake and apply chocks through the EFB ground-services page if available. If the A350 is already powered, open its EFB aircraft-state or preset page and choose Cold & Dark. The exact tile names can move between aircraft updates, but the state and ground-services functions remain recognisable.
A cold aircraft should have dark main displays, stopped engines and no external power selected. If this is your first complex airliner, our notes on cold-and-dark cockpit preparation habits explain why power, fuel and pneumatic air must be established in that order.
Should you use external power or the APU?
Use external power for cockpit preparation when a GPU is connected, but use the APU to provide the pneumatic air normally required for engine starting.
| Power method | When to choose it | What it provides |
|---|---|---|
| GPU plus APU | Normal gate preparation | The GPU powers the cockpit; the APU is started before pushback for bleed air. |
| APU only | No external power is available | The batteries start the APU, which then supplies electrical power and bleed air. |
| Ready-state preset | You want to skip the manual procedure | The EFB configures most systems automatically, so this is not cold-and-dark practice. |
External electrical power alone does not provide starter air unless a separate air-start unit is modelled and connected. This distinction causes many apparently dead engine starts.
iniBuilds A350 cold-and-dark startup sequence
The reliable sequence is electrical power, navigation systems, fuel and cockpit preparation, APU bleed, and then one engine at a time.
- Secure the aircraft. Set the parking brake, fit chocks if required and confirm the thrust levers are at idle. Do not begin a manual start during active pushback unless the tug procedure calls for it.
- Switch on the batteries. Press BAT 1, BAT 2 and the APU battery control so their OFF indications extinguish. Battery power alone illuminates only part of the cockpit, which is normal.
- Connect external power if available. Use the EFB ground-services page to connect the GPU, wait for an EXT PWR source to show AVAIL, then select that source. If no GPU is available, continue to the APU without spending a long time on battery power.
- Begin ADIRS alignment. Set all three ADIRS or IR selectors to NAV. Enter or confirm the aircraft position in the FMS when prompted; alignment can continue while the rest of the aircraft is prepared, but the aircraft should not move until it is complete.
- Configure the basic safety systems. Turn on the crew oxygen supply, arm the emergency lighting and switch on the navigation lights. Set passenger signs as required for the planned operation.
- Load and configure fuel. Confirm the EFB shows the intended fuel quantity and allow any simulated fuel loading to finish. Put the fuel-pump controls for tanks containing fuel into their normal ON or AUTO state and leave crossfeed controls in the normal configuration.
- Start the APU. Select APU MASTER, press APU START and wait until the aircraft displays APU AVAIL. Select APU BLEED and allow the pneumatic system to settle; keep the GPU connected if it is already supplying the aircraft.
- Prepare for engine start. Close the doors, confirm the engine area is clear and turn on the red beacon. Leave the packs and hydraulic controls in their normal automatic configuration unless a checklist or abnormal condition directs otherwise.
- Start engine 2. Move the engine-start selector from NORM to IGN/START, then move ENG MASTER 2 to ON. Watch for rotation, fuel flow, rising temperature and oil pressure. Do not start the other engine until engine 2 reaches a stable idle and shows AVAIL.
- Start engine 1. Move ENG MASTER 1 to ON and monitor the same indications. Starting engine 2 first is the usual gate sequence, although an airport or pushback procedure may require a different order.
- Complete the clean-up. After both engines show AVAIL, return the engine-start selector to NORM. Confirm the engine generators and normal bleed system are operating, then switch off APU BLEED and the APU. Disconnect external power through the EFB only after the aircraft has transferred to its own generators.
How do you know the A350 engines have started correctly?
A successful start ends with both engines displaying AVAIL at a stable idle, normal oil pressure and no red engine or start warnings.
- The engine parameters should stabilise rather than continue climbing or oscillating.
- Electrical power should transfer to the engine generators without the main displays going dark.
- The engine-start selector should be back at NORM.
- The APU can be shut down without losing electrical power or normal air-conditioning operation.
Do not use elapsed time alone to judge the start. The indications on the engine and warning display are the deciding factors.
Why will the iniBuilds A350 not start?
Most failed A350 starts come from missing electrical power, no pneumatic pressure, unavailable fuel or a conflicting hardware assignment.
Why are the cockpit screens still dark?
Batteries provide limited power; they do not necessarily energise every display and aircraft bus. Confirm the battery OFF lights are extinguished, then select an external source showing AVAIL or start the APU and establish APU electrical power.
If EXT PWR never shows AVAIL, the GPU has probably not been connected through the EFB. Merely pressing the overhead external-power button cannot summon ground equipment.
Why does the engine not crank?
An engine that does not rotate usually lacks starter air or has not received the start command. Wait for APU AVAIL, switch on APU BLEED, select IGN/START and then move the relevant engine master to ON.
Leave the APU running until both engines are stable. Shutting it down after the first engine may remove the pneumatic source needed to start the second.
Why does the engine crank but not ignite?
Cranking without ignition usually points to fuel rather than electrical power. Check that fuel is actually loaded, EFB fuel loading has finished, the required pumps are in their normal state and the engine master remains ON.
If pneumatic pressure appears marginal, confirm the packs are in AUTO. Temporarily switching the packs off can help diagnose an air-demand problem, but it should not normally be required because the A350 manages much of the start configuration automatically.
Why does the engine start and immediately shut down?
An unwanted shutdown is often caused by a controller binding that repeatedly sends a cutoff command. Check for mixture, fuel-valve, starter or engine-master assignments on throttles, switches and button boxes, and remove duplicate bindings that do not suit an Airbus.
AI piloting, assisted checklists and Ctrl+E can also fight the manually selected controls. Use either the EFB preset or the manual procedure, rather than combining several automatic-start methods.
Can you start the A350 without programming the flight plan?
Yes, the engines can start without a route because the start sequence depends on electrical power, bleed air and fuel rather than an active flight plan.
Before taxi, however, complete the ADIRS position confirmation, route, performance data, weights and take-off speeds. Our guide to programming an MSFS airliner flight-management system covers the preparation that follows the cold-and-dark startup.