Greetings,I am using the PIC for quite some time already and every once in a while I encounter a strange and rather annoying problem.Even though I go according to the checklists and routines (well, I am at least pretty sure I do), after starting the APU and switching on APU/Engine Bleed as well as Left/Right/Center Isolation, I still only get a Duct Pressure of around 10 - which is obviously not even enough to run the ACO Packs, not even to speak of starting the engines.Also, if I connect to External Air, this doesn't help a bit.Does anyone have an idea what causes this problem? Am I doing something wrong, is it some sort of bug and, most importantly, how can I get rid of it?Failures are all disabled so the problem can't lie in that area.If that helps, I am running FS2002 under WinXP Home Edition.Regards,Robert

You need to turn the packs OFF before starting the engines - you can turn them back on again after the engines are running. You should also get a slightly higher duct pressure with the engines active.J

Hello Jase, thanks for the reply.Yes, I know I need to switch them off, my problem is that even WITH packs OFF, I only get a Duct Pressure of around 10. :)With that, not even the Packs will run - if I try to switch them on, pressure just goes to 0 and the Packs stay off.Regards,Robert

Odd. My Duct Pressure runs at ~10-12 PSI with the packs on and about 40 PSI with the packs off. The only time I've seen anything like you describe is if you have a duct leak or using a third party .AIR file. I assume you're using the PIC .AIR file and not one from a 3rd party?If L/R/C ISLN values are open and the APU valve is open you should have ample pressure to start the engines. Could you possibly be loading a panel situation from an old (pre-patch) situation file?Assuming you can follow a checklist ;-) I would blow away my PIC installation, reinstall, and apply the FS2002 patch - maybe you got a bunk gauge running around.J

Hi there,I had the same problem as you before. What you need to do is go to the PIC Realism menu and uncheck the "duct leak" (or something similar, I can't remember and I'm in work!) box and you should be fine. Let me know if it works.Eoin.

Hi Robert,Try using the PIC menu item for repair failures in case you have a duct leak or other problem. If that doesn't cure it try switching each enigine switch briefly to GND and then back to off. Just long enough for the Valve light to illuminate and extinguish. It seems sometimes the panel gets confused with the engine start valvles. I observed this behaviour on my system when using Radar Contact after starting from a Cold & Dark cockpit.Hope this is of some help.

Do you have anti-ice on?

Ooo...good thought. Hadn't thought of that. That might kill your duct pressure too.JPS. Why the name change, btw? No longer an A340 fan?

Hello, thank you for the replies everybody. :)Well I am using the original PIC air file, also it doesn't seem to be a duct leak - as failures are all off.When I uncheck the option in the Realism Menu (it is Pneumatic Pressure Loads), it works, but simply because the things which usually need pressure (packs, engine start) don't need it anymore then. :)So it is a work-around but at the cost of realism - thanks for pointing it out though, I will use that if I start to dislike the other option.The other option indeed being to switch on the engine starters, but it doesn't help if I do that for short but only if I start the engines completely - when I switch them off again afterwards, everything works fine.Anti-Ice was off btw. Thanks for all the help so far, really appreciate it, perhaps anyone has even more ideas? :)Regards,Robert

Don't know what else to tell ya. You're a lone sheep on this one. Maybe it would be worthwhile to post a screen shot of your overhead panel?Barring anything wrong in your setup, I would scrub my PIC installation and reinstall (make sure you apply the FS2002 patch, of course).J

Robert,Just to let you know that you are not alone and I'm a long time PIC pilot.>I am using the PIC for quite some time already and every >once in a while I encounter a strange and rather annoying >problem. I ran into this problem last night after getting everything ready to fly from Montreal to Toronto with everything up...FSMeteo, Squawkbox, etc. Pushed back from the gate, went through my usual engine start routine and bingo, very little duct pressure. The engines just would not start. This was a first. >Even though I go according to the checklists and routines >(well, I am at least pretty sure I do), after starting the >APU and switching on APU/Engine Bleed as well as >Left/Right/Center Isolation, I still only get a Duct >Pressure of around 10 - which is obviously not even enough >to run the ACO Packs, not even to speak of starting the >engines. Also, if I connect to External Air, this doesn't help a >bit. I basically went through the same proceedure as you outlined above to no avail. Duct pressure around 10. In addition, I also started from a previously saved flight that was totally error free so I knew that all my settings were correct.>Does anyone have an idea what causes this problem? Am I >doing something wrong, is it some sort of bug and, most >importantly, how can I get rid of it? >Failures are all disabled so the problem can't lie in that >area. I don't know the cause but I will say it is not pilot error. My immediate remedy to get the engines started last night, was to disable the right isolation valve which brought the pressure up on the left duct and hence, I was able to start the left engine. I then enabled the right isolation valve, disabled the left valve which brought the pressure up on the right side and enabled the right engine to start. I then enabled the left valve and went through the rest of the normal routine and the flight went without a hitch...weird.Ironically, I stumbled upon your post this morning, I then went back to the flight I had saved, just to go through the starting proceedure to see if I could repeat the above proceedure but guess what.....all was normal. I had all the duct pressure in the world so go figure that out. The only thing that I had done different this morning was a cold boot of my computer instead of a just a restart (which is what I normally do before starting FS) but who knows.In the meantime, if it happens to you again, don't change your settings, just try what I did as described above and see if it helps you. Good luck!LawrieLawrie MannVatsim Callsign: TELCO1

I've had this happen to me as well. I notice it first when I start from a cold and dark cockpit, start the APU, open APU bleed, but only have enough bleed to run one of the packs. Starting engines, as you might guess, is not an option.I think it happens when I've been using some other third party aircraft. The valve position must get out of whack or something. :)Jon (KSEA)

Well liked this name more, PIC has stolen my heart ;-) (Well not totally) and my e-mail changed.

hey all,could it be all you guys that encountered that problem use some sort of third party add-on? i use everything original (original PIC plane) and no add-ons (wx. or anything like that) and have not even once experienced this issue. and i

Check your center hydraulic demand pump.There is a mystery keystroke, which I haven't yet identified that's moves that switch from AUTO to ON. This will use up just enough air to prevent an engine start.It drove me nuts for a time after the FS2k2 patch came out.Good luck,Eddie D KORD