Hi,

 

Are there any real world pilots that can tell me what the panle and switch settings are for a cold and dark cockpit?  How realistic is the PMDG 737NGX C&D state?

 

Thanks

 

Rob

Depends on the airline. Most mimic the default state exactly, some have slight changes.

The whole point of a C&D start procedure is that you can not trust the state of any panel or switch, you must explicitly set everything exactly the way you want it. 

 

For example, the aircraft may have just come back from service with some components replaced and others in diagnostic mode. Another example could be that the previous pilots may have been ferry pilots not from your airline and so would have different shutdown sequences.

 

There was talk of an random panel state generator so that when you arrived in a C&D cockpit, you would not know what to expect. How about gear lever up, alternate gear lever deployed, Or EFIS source switchs set all over the place?

 

 

How realistic is the PMDG 737NGX C&D state?

 

Not at all...

They released a study-level sim with completely unrealistic panel states.

(*sarcasm*)

 

Come on now.  Think through your question a little...

 

 

Are there any real world pilots that can tell me what the panle and switch settings are for a cold and dark cockpit? How realistic is the PMDG 737NGX C&D state?

Normally in state of the following:

 

The best way to describe it is if you take the starting state as normal landing configuration then apply the following Amplified Procedures from FCOM1:

After Landing Procedure

Shutdown Procedure

Secure Procedure

 

Then the FCOM1 Supplementary Procedure for Electrical Power Down.

 

That then is the normal cold and dark state. You can find all those procedures in the included Flight Crew Operations Manual Volume 1 (FCOM1) that PMDG included with the package.

 

However, in real life, unless we were stuck somewhere overnight, the engineer completes the Supplementary Procedure for Electrical Power up before we get to the aircraft so as crew, we seldom do a C&D start up.

so i see you've already met Kyle

now seriously it really depends on the airline, from my experience the crew has recieved the plane with ground power on. so it's not only depend on the airline but on the circumstances to (1st flight, 2nd flight etc etc...)

In our airline we are left to do the job our self, and that's also how we receive the airplanes so we have to the power ups and power downs.

 

 

This is how we leave the airplanes,

 

IRS mode sel switches in OFF

 

The black guarded FLT cont and Spoiler switches we never touch in normal ops so they should be guarded same for the red guarded ALT Flap.

 

Nav transfer and display switches all in Normal and Auto,

Fuel pumps - OFF and crossfeed closed.

 

Battery Switch - OFF

 

CAB Util and IFE - OFF

 

Standby power - Guaraded and Auto,

 

Drive Disc - Guarded

 

Equipment cooling - Normal

 

Emer Exit lights - OFF

 

Passanger Signs - OFF

 

Window Heat - OFF

 

Probe Heat - OFF/Auto depending on age of aircraft

 

Anti Ice - OFF

 

ENG HYD - ON

 

ELEC HYD - OFF

 

Trim Air switch - OFF

 

Packs - OFF

 

Isolation Valve - OPEN

 

ENG BLEED - ON

 

APU BLEED - OFF

 

Pressurixation model selector - AUTO

 

Lights only leave STEADY ON.

 

That should cover the overhead panel i think

Is the Ground Power and Air Conditioning normally connected and on as well?

 

Thanks

 

Rob

Ground power is usually connected yes,  but not air conditioning 

Is the Ground Power and Air Conditioning normally connected and on as well?

 

Thanks

 

Rob

 

At our airline planes spending the night here get ground air conditioning hooked up as well as GPU. 

Is the Ground Power and Air Conditioning normally connected and on as well?

 

Thanks

 

Rob

 

At our airport, depends on weather... if rain is expected, GPU is towed away. If the nearest cloud is over the sea (we are pretty much as far from any saltwater body as you can get in Europe)... then it might stay by the aircraft overnight (turned off, apparently.

 

Regarding acceptance state, we are an outstation, so overnight aircraft are cold&dark when crew arrives. Handover aircraft when crews switch on rotation are usually closest to what is "Short Turn" in the NGX, but this may vary by airline.

 

 

if rain is expected, GPU is towed away.

 

I'm guessing this is one of the many examples of airline notional security.  Is it that they're worried about a short/shock, or that they don't want the GPU to get wet?

They are routinely used in the rain, so I suppose they should not be suspectible to shorts/shocks. Probably just dont want them to be rained on if not neccessary.

 

 

They are routinely used in the rain, so I suppose they should not be suspectible to shorts/shocks.

 

Yeah, that was my reason for the comment.  As long as they're properly seated, there shouldn't be any issues.

 

 

 

Probably just dont want them to be rained on if not neccessary.

 

Makes sense.  A bunch of ours were wall-mounted units, and there wasn't much shelter on the ramp (or at least the part of it where I worked) to keep the portable units covered, so we just left them where they were.