Start the Quest Kodiak cold and dark with the correct PT6 sequence, lever positions, Ng and ITT checks, failed-start fixes and simulator differences.
To start the Quest Kodiak from cold and dark, set the brake, place the power lever at idle, propeller lever fully forward and condition lever at cut-off. Select fuel, switch on the battery and beacon, engage the starter, then introduce fuel at the add-on’s specified Ng while monitoring ITT and oil pressure.
This is the simulator-general procedure for Microsoft Flight Simulator, X-Plane, FSX and Prepar3D. The aircraft is now branded the Daher Kodiak 100, although many simulator products still use the Quest name. Exact Ng thresholds, ITT limits, starter timings and switch logic come from the checklist supplied with your particular add-on.
How should the Quest Kodiak controls be set before start?
Before starting, the power lever should be at idle, the propeller lever fully forward, the condition lever at cut-off and the emergency power lever in its normal position.
- Parking brake: Set, with wheel chocks fitted if the add-on supports them.
- Power lever: Idle. A partly open power lever can produce an abnormal start or unexpected movement after light-off.
- Propeller lever: Fully forward.
- Condition lever: Fuel cut-off until the gas generator has reached the minimum starting speed.
- Emergency power lever: Normal or stowed. It is not used for a routine start.
- Fuel controls: Put the modelled tank selectors, shut-off valves or firewall fuel control in the normal operating position.
- Avionics: Off during starter operation, while leaving the engine instruments available.
A mistake we see repeatedly is trusting the visible cockpit lever while a throttle quadrant is sending a conflicting command. A mixture or condition-lever axis can pull the lever back to cut-off immediately after light-off. Check every connected controller for duplicate assignments, jitter and reversed axes.
If unfamiliar labels are slowing you down, our guide to interpreting OFF, ON, ARM, START and fuel-pump markings explains the terminology used around a cold-and-dark cockpit.
Quest Kodiak cold-and-dark start procedure
- Secure the aircraft. Set the parking brake or chocks, confirm adequate fuel and make sure the area around the propeller is clear.
- Set the engine controls. Put the power lever at idle, propeller lever fully forward and condition lever at fuel cut-off. Leave the emergency power lever in its normal position.
- Open the fuel supply. Move the model’s fuel selectors, tank valves or shut-off control to the normal operating position. Do not assume that loading fuel through the simulator menu automatically opens every modelled valve.
- Establish electrical power. Switch on the battery and anti-collision beacon. Keep the avionics and generator unloaded or off unless the add-on’s checklist specifically automates them.
- Configure pump and ignition controls. Select the boost or auxiliary pump and ignition mode required by the aircraft. Some add-ons command ignition automatically with the starter; others require a separate switch.
- Engage the starter. Watch
Ng, the gas-generator speed, rather than relying on propeller movement. Ng must rise smoothly before fuel is introduced. - Introduce fuel. At the minimum Ng specified by the add-on, move the condition lever decisively from cut-off to low idle. Do not substitute a generic PT6 figure for the aircraft’s own checklist value.
- Monitor light-off. Look for an ITT rise, continued Ng acceleration and positive oil pressure. Keep the power lever at idle and be ready to return the condition lever to cut-off.
- Disengage the starter. Some Kodiak simulations release it automatically; others require the start switch to be moved off at the specified Ng. Confirm that the starter indication extinguishes.
- Stabilise and complete the setup. Let the engine settle at low idle, bring the generator or alternator systems online, verify voltage and load, then switch on the avionics.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and 2024 users can follow our MSFS-specific Kodiak starting sequence for the control arrangement and checks used by that simulator’s aircraft.
Normal PT6 start indications
A successful start follows a clear order: Ng rises under starter power, fuel produces an ITT increase, oil pressure appears, and the engine accelerates to a stable idle.
- Ng before fuel: This confirms that the starter is turning the gas generator fast enough for fuel introduction.
- ITT after fuel: A prompt, controlled rise confirms light-off. A rapid approach to the displayed limit is a hot start.
- Continued acceleration: Ng should keep increasing rather than stagnating below idle.
- Oil pressure: Pressure must appear within the period allowed by the aircraft checklist.
- Stable idle: Ng and ITT should settle within their normal ranges with the starter disengaged.
The PT6 is a free-turbine engine, so the propeller may not move immediately during the starter-only part of the sequence. Lack of early propeller rotation is not, by itself, proof that the starter has failed; the Ng indication is the better diagnostic.
Why will the Quest Kodiak crank but not start?
A Kodiak that cranks but does not run usually lacks fuel or ignition, has insufficient starter speed, or is receiving a conflicting condition-lever command.
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| No electrical indications and no Ng | No starter power | Battery or external power, starter control, simulated failures and duplicate bindings |
| Ng rises but ITT does not | No light-off | Condition lever, fuel valves, fuel quantity, boost pump and ignition selection |
| ITT rises, then the engine stops | Fuel is being cut off again | Condition-lever position, mixture-axis mapping, reversed controls and noisy hardware |
| Ng stops increasing below idle | Hung start | Battery condition, starter operation, fuel flow and add-on maintenance state |
| ITT rises rapidly towards the red limit | Hot start | Cut off fuel and apply the model’s abort procedure |
| Engine runs only while the starter is held | Engine has not become self-sustaining | Fuel supply, low-idle selection, premature starter release and hardware interference |
| Engine runs but displays stay dark | Post-start electrical setup is incomplete | Generator, alternator, avionics master, bus switches and modelled circuit breakers |
If an automatic-start command succeeds but the manual start does not, the engine installation can run. That points first to a missed fuel, ignition or electrical step, or to a controller overriding the cockpit controls.
How should I abort a hot, hung or no-light-off start?
Return the condition lever to fuel cut-off immediately when ITT exceeds its limit, Ng stops accelerating, or light-off fails to occur within the checklist’s allowed time.
Continue dry motoring only when the add-on’s checklist calls for it, as this provides airflow to clear fuel and reduce temperature. Do not keep adding fuel, cycle the condition lever repeatedly or attempt another start before identifying the cause and observing the modelled starter cool-down period.
Does the start procedure change between MSFS, X-Plane, FSX and Prepar3D?
The PT6 sequence stays the same, but the level of automation, hardware mapping and failure simulation differs between Kodiak add-ons.
- Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and 2024: Assistance features and automated checklists can move switches or start the engine for you. Disable assisted engine starting when learning the manual procedure, and inspect each controller profile for mixture or condition-lever assignments.
- X-Plane with REP: REP can account for battery condition, engine temperature, maintenance state and damage from poor starts. Use the REP-specific Kodiak procedure for X-Plane 12 rather than assuming the base-aircraft logic applies.
- FSX and Prepar3D: Older packages may translate the condition lever through the simulator’s mixture controls or simplify ignition and starter behaviour. The checklist included with the aircraft takes priority over a newer Kodiak procedure.
Avionics and post-start electrical setup
The Kodiak’s avionics should normally remain off while the starter places a heavy load on the battery, but the engine instruments required to monitor Ng, ITT and oil pressure must be powered.
After the engine is stable and the starter has disengaged, bring the generator and any standby generating system online as directed. Check bus voltage and generator load before selecting the avionics master, then verify that the displays initialise without electrical warnings. Set fuel pumps, lights, inertial separator and environmental controls for the operating conditions before releasing the brakes.