Start the PMDG 737 cold and dark in MSFS with the correct battery, IRS, APU, bleed-air, engine-start and after-start sequence.
To start the PMDG 737 cold and dark in Microsoft Flight Simulator, load the Cold & Dark panel state, establish battery and ground or APU power, align the IRS, configure fuel and bleed air, start each engine at 25% N2, then complete the generator, pack, hydraulic and probe-heat checks.
The sequence is broadly the same across the PMDG 737-600, -700, -800 and -900. Airline equipment options and checklist details can differ, but the electrical, pneumatic and engine-start logic does not materially change.
How do I load the PMDG 737 cold-and-dark state?
Load the aircraft at a parking stand, set the parking brake and select Cold & Dark from the PMDG panel-state controls. These are normally found through the CDU's PMDG Setup pages, although their exact location can vary with the package and update.
Wait a few seconds for every switch and display to settle. A partially loaded state can leave a generator, fuel lever or pneumatic switch in the wrong position. Disable AI piloting and automatic checklist assistance if they keep moving switches behind you.
PMDG 737 cold-and-dark startup sequence
- Secure the aircraft. Confirm the parking brake is set, both thrust levers are idle, both engine start levers are at CUTOFF and the landing gear lever is DOWN. Use wheel chocks if they are available through PMDG's ground-service controls.
- Switch on the battery. Set BATTERY to ON and STANDBY POWER to AUTO. The standby power OFF light should extinguish once the aircraft has a valid power source.
- Connect external power. Request the ground power unit through the PMDG ground-service page. When the blue GRD POWER AVAILABLE light appears, move the ground-power switch to ON. If no GPU is available, start the APU from battery power instead.
- Start IRS alignment. Move both IRS mode selectors on the aft overhead panel to NAV. Enter the aircraft's position on the FMC POS INIT page; copying the displayed GPS position into SET IRS POS is the usual simulator method. Do not move the aircraft while the units are aligning.
- Complete the FMC pre-flight entries. Enter the route, departure, arrival, performance data and take-off reference values while the IRS aligns. Our 737 FMC programming walkthrough covers that separate process without duplicating it here.
- Configure the fuel and hydraulics. Confirm fuel is on board, set the crossfeed valve closed and switch on the main-tank fuel pumps. Use the centre-tank pumps only when that tank contains usable fuel. Set the hydraulic pumps according to the PMDG checklist before the aircraft moves.
- Start the APU. Move the APU switch to START and release it to ON. Wait for the APU EGT to rise and stabilise, then switch both APU generators on. A ground power unit supplies electricity, but the normal engine start also requires APU bleed air.
- Prepare the pneumatic system. Set both engine bleed switches ON, both air-conditioning packs OFF, the isolation valve OPEN and APU BLEED ON. Switch the red anti-collision beacon ON before starting an engine. If starting during pushback, coordinate brake release and engine timing with the tug; MSFS 2024 users can follow our PMDG pushback and ground-services procedure.
- Start engine 2. Turn the right engine start selector to GRD. Check that N2 begins increasing, then move the right start lever to IDLE at approximately 25% N2, or at maximum motoring speed if it stabilises slightly below that. Monitor EGT, N1, N2, fuel flow and oil pressure.
- Wait for a stable idle. The start selector should return to AUTO as the starter cuts out. Do not begin the other start until the first engine has stabilised and there is no abnormal EGT or oil-pressure indication.
- Start engine 1. Repeat the same process with the left start selector and left start lever. Starting engine 2 first is conventional because it suits common pushback procedures, but either engine can be started first when conditions require it.
- Complete the after-start flow. Put both engine generators on line, set the packs to AUTO, isolation valve to AUTO and APU BLEED to OFF. Shut down the APU once the engine generators are carrying the electrical load. Set probe heat ON, configure the hydraulic pumps, select the appropriate engine-start-switch position and set flaps and trim for departure.
This is the PMDG-specific sequence. For the underlying electrical and pneumatic logic, our generic 737 cold-and-dark explanation shows how the same principles apply to other 737 simulations.
Why won't the PMDG 737 engines start?
An engine that will not start is usually missing pneumatic pressure, fuel introduction or a usable control input. Check what the engine instruments do before changing switches at random.
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| No N2 rotation | No bleed-air source, packs left on or isolation valve closed | Confirm the APU is running, APU BLEED is ON, both packs are OFF and the isolation valve is OPEN. |
| N2 rises but no fuel flow or EGT | Start lever remains at CUTOFF, fuel is unavailable or an axis binding is overriding the lever | At about 25% N2, move the correct start lever to IDLE. Check tank quantity, pumps and duplicate mixture or condition-lever bindings. |
| Starter selector immediately returns to AUTO | Insufficient pneumatic pressure or a conflicting hardware assignment | Recheck the bleed configuration, then remove duplicate starter-switch bindings from controllers. |
| ALIGN light flashes | IRS position was not entered, differs excessively from the reference position or the aircraft moved | Re-enter the correct gate coordinates. If necessary, return both selectors to OFF, wait for the units to shut down, then restart alignment. |
| Ground power is unavailable | The GPU has not been connected through PMDG's ground services | Request the GPU and wait for GRD POWER AVAILABLE, or start the APU from the battery. |
A mistake we see constantly is assigning the same function to both a throttle quadrant and another controller. If a start lever, battery switch or engine starter snaps back after being clicked, search the MSFS control assignments for duplicate bindings and remove the unwanted one.
If EGT rises abnormally, oil pressure does not appear or the engine stops accelerating, return that engine's start lever to CUTOFF and terminate the start. Correct the configuration before trying again rather than repeatedly introducing fuel.
Can the PMDG 737 start without ground power?
Yes. The aircraft battery can start the APU, after which the APU generators supply electricity and APU bleed air provides pneumatic pressure for the engine starters.
External power is preferable during a long cockpit setup because it avoids unnecessary battery and APU use, but it is not required. A GPU by itself does not provide the normal pneumatic air needed to rotate the engines.
What should I check before taxi?
Before taxi, confirm both engine generators are on line, the APU is off, the packs and isolation valve are in their normal positions, and no unexpected master caution remains. Check flight controls, set take-off flaps and stabiliser trim, verify the FMC take-off data, arm the speedbrake and release the parking brake only when the route ahead is clear.
The engines running is not the end of the cold-and-dark procedure. An unaligned IRS, incomplete FMC route or unset take-off trim will become the next problem as soon as the aircraft starts moving.