I just bought the 737NG and I'm having trouble starting the engines on it! I haven't gotten very far with it at all!When I start, I hit ctrl + shirt + f1 to stop the engine, and when i come to start the engines, I hit ctrl+e.Anyway, the engines do eventually start, but they take along time, and they sound as though they are trying to start, and eventually they do. Perhaps there is something extra I have to do?Can anyone help as I really like this aircraft.Gary

Hi Gary,Go to avsim file library and do a search for AUTHOR "Fred Clausen" there you will find an excellent and easy to use tutorial, this should answer most of your questions.Good luck,Garry.P.S. The file you are after is called pmdg_flight_tutorial_v2.zip

Hi Gary,Let me also add my two cents on this subject. First, the PMDG737NG is just not another panel. It is very close to a 737 system simulation. What I mean with all that, using keyboard shift key combo's really defeats the realism of the PMDG model. Using a good 737 checklist the engines start perfect the way real 737 pilots do it. Here is the method I follow:During Pre-flight I make sure that fuel is loaded to the correct tanks, then start the APU. Make sure that you have APU bleed air on and that the APU is supplying electrical power. All electrical busses should be on auto.After push back, turn the air conditioning packs to "OFF", make sure that fuel pumps are now on with tanks that have fuel. Turn the left starter on the overhead panel to ground. When the engine spins up to 20% N2, go to the thottle panel and move the fuel cutoff switch from "OFF" to "IDLE" this will cause the engine to now start completely up. Repeat this cycle for the right engine.Likewise when you park at the gate, the only thing you have to do, is go back to the throttle move the fuel cutoff switch down to "OFF", this will kill the fuel flow to the engine and it will stop.My suggestion is that you follow Tim M's checklist tutorial and you will really enjoy all the "real world" simulation that the PMDG team has put into this wonderful plane.Enjoy and go FlyBob Johnson

Bob / GaryThank you to both of you, that is much appreciated.I have been using Flight Sim now for years, god knows what version I first bought - I know it was in DOS! Anyway, I think this is one of the first times I have bought an aircraft, since freeware aircraft from the likes of Project Open Sky are brilliant, and even better than that, considering the price!I have realised now how different this aircraft is from the others, in that it really has been developed to be much more accurate and real (as you say, Bob), rather than, shall we say, "fun". Don't get me wrong, I'm pleased I have this fantastic aircraft (if I can get it to work), but my interest is in flying aircraft, and not really following checklists, etc. I know in the real world you can't have one without the other, but so far I have gotten away with it. Perhaps PMDG could have created some sort of "mode" or panel for people like myself? Anyway, it's just another learning curve.Thanks for the help, I will give it a try!Gary

>I have realised now how different this aircraft is from the>others, in that it really has been developed to be much more>accurate and real (as you say, Bob), rather than, shall we>say, "fun". Don't get me wrong, I'm pleased I have this>fantastic aircraft (if I can get it to work), but my interest>is in flying aircraft, and not really following checklists,>etc. I know in the real world you can't have one without the>other, but so far I have gotten away with it. Perhaps PMDG>could have created some sort of "mode" or panel for people>like myself? Anyway, it's just another learning curve.If you want an airplane that looks good but flies simply, there are tons of good models on AvSim or other boards that will use the default 737 systems.PMDG offers so much more, but that capability comes with a learning curve.