Burning question here and it may have been addressed some time ago, but here it goes.

 

I will start up a flight in FSX:SE, choose PMDG and choose an aircraft.  Everything else falls into place and I hit the fly now button.  Screen is black, while the progress bar shows up, loading, loading, loading.  Then, at 100%, I see the cockpit and my plane is at 100% engines and am moving forward very rapidly.  I hit the brakes, set the parking brake, and I see the engines spool down, then immediately spool up.  My only recourse is to cut the fuel to the engines but that seems to mess up the rest of the aircraft setup.  Alarms are beeping, lights flashing, all of this feeling like I came in at the middle of the film but the aircraft is on the ground instead of in the air.

 

Now, I typically incorporate the trick in FSX by loading a default aircraft, the ultralight and then once I am in the cockpit, I shut everything down, including the battery and then save the flight as a default flight.  This does not appear to have any effect on the PMDG.

 

So this begs the question of how to start a brand new flight and have the PMDG not necessarily cold and dark but at least not in the middle of an event, say just started up but sitting and not moving.

 

Sorry if my description is a little wonky, but I think someone out there will know what I am describing.

 

Thanks,

 

-Jim

 

 

Sorry if my description is a little wonky, but I think someone out there will know what I am describing.

 

Where are your hardware throttles during all of this?

No hardware throttles being used.  Even so, I hit the F1 key and watch the thrust decrease back to idle but then they spool back up.  A quick look at the MCP shows Autothrottle engaged as well.  It all just seems like the "default" load of the NGX is for it to be active, moving and ready to take off (or as if it is in the middle of a flight.

 

-Jim

 

 

No hardware throttles being used.  Even so, I hit the F1 key and watch the thrust decrease back to idle but then they spool back up.  A quick look at the MCP shows Autothrottle engaged as well.  It all just seems like the "default" load of the NGX is for it to be active, moving and ready to take off (or as if it is in the middle of a flight.

 

That's not the way we shipped it, so the default state must have been overwritten, or something else is interfering with your installation. Using any other add ons?

No other aircraft add-ons but I do have scenery and weather add-ons running...ORBX scenery and ActiveSkyNext, respectively.

 

Ok, so noob question now:  is there a way to reinstate the default state or does that entail deleting my fsx.cfg file because if it does, screw it, I'll deal with it.  I put way too much into my fsx.cfg already.

 

-Jim

If you read my entire post, I DID override the default of the default aircraft.  let me explain:

 

When you first use FSX for the first time and you just pick the plain old ultralight, you are placed on an active runway at Friday Harbor, and the engines are running, waiting for you to take off.  Now, a while ago many folks complained about their 3rd party aircraft loading up with that default state, which caused the aircraft to lunge forward, so it was suggested to start a new flight with a default aircraft and then shut everything down, save the flight as default and everything would be cool and groovy for the future.  Now, I suspect that perhaps that fix doesn't play well with PMDG, am I correct?

 

-Jim

 

 

Ok, so noob question now:  is there a way to reinstate the default state or does that entail deleting my fsx.cfg file because if it does, screw it, I'll deal with it.  I put way too much into my fsx.cfg already.

 

In order to remove any default state that our aircraft uses, check the CDU MENU key > PMDG SETUP > DEFAULT STARTUP STATE.

Press the DEL key on the CDU and then select whatever state is in that default startup state line.

I was hoping not to have to touch the PMDG side of things.  Maybe it is possible that the new default state I created is corrupt?  What I may try is loading FSX, starting up a default aircraft and then shut everything down again and save that as a new default state and see if the problem is gone.

 

So what you are telling me that right out of the gate, the PMDG 737 should be on and functioning but no throttle is applied and nothing programmed into the FMC, correct?  I am sure if I were to start tutorial #2 at EHAM, the aircraft would be fine because the tutorial is in a cold & dark state.

 

-Jim

 

 

I was hoping not to have to touch the PMDG side of things.

 

Why?

 

 

 

Maybe it is possible that the new default state I created is corrupt?

 

Most likely.

 

 

 

So what you are telling me that right out of the gate, the PMDG 737 should be on and functioning but no throttle is applied and nothing programmed into the FMC, correct?

 

Correct. The state it's in when you first install it is engines running, at idle, no AP or AT, and nothing in the FMC.

Why?

 

 

 

 

Most likely.

 

 

 

 

Correct. The state it's in when you first install it is engines running, at idle, no AP or AT, and nothing in the FMC.

I figure that the states that ship with PMDG are created for a reason, and deleting any of them would screw things up.  I don't want to risk adding insult to injury.

 

I'll try creating a new state for the default aircraft and see if that helps.  If not, I'll just have FSX create me a new cfg file and start over.  I have a fondness for PMDG aircraft now and am in the process of really learning the aircraft...default aircraft are indeed junk, but that's just my opinion.

 

Thanks for the advice Kyle.

 

-Jim

 

 

I figure that the states that ship with PMDG are created for a reason, and deleting any of them would screw things up.  I don't want to risk adding insult to injury.

 

Deleting the default startup state simply tells the plane to load itself as it came "from the factory" without referencing any external files. Deleting the panel state in the [sim Root] > PMDG folder would be what you have to worry about.

 

 

 

'll try creating a new state for the default aircraft and see if that helps.

 

Unsure of what you're referring to here. Did you create a default flight for your sim to load into, or is it still the default trike at somethingsuch Harbor?

 

 

 

If not, I'll just have FSX create me a new cfg file and start over.

 

Not sure this would cause what you're seeing (or eliminate it, rather).

 

 

 

Thanks for the advice Kyle.

 

Welcome.

Deleting the default startup state simply tells the plane to load itself as it came "from the factory" without referencing any external files. Deleting the panel state in the [sim Root] > PMDG folder would be what you have to worry about.

 

 

 

 

Unsure of what you're referring to here. Did you create a default flight for your sim to load into, or is it still the default trike at somethingsuch Harbor?

 

 

 

 

Not sure this would cause what you're seeing (or eliminate it, rather).

 

 

 

 

Welcome.

Ok, now I am starting to think I did something wrong to begin with.  When I created the default "state", it was by loading up a scenario with the default FSX trike, as you call it and yes, I started it at Friday Harbor.  While sitting on the active runway, with the engines running, I cut the engine, shut it down, shut off the battery, so nothing was running on the trike.  I then saved the flight and ticked the box "save as default flight" (paraphrasing).  I thought by doing this, then whatever aircraft I loaded in FSX and ultimately started in the cockpit, everything would be off.  Now I question whether that holds true or not.

 

-Jim

Funny enough, I googled my issue and I DID find the right thread, which was here at AVSIM:

 

http://forum.avsim.net/topic/327290-aircrafts-moving-at-idle/?p=1929956

 

So now I wonder if an entry in my fsx.cfg file is conflicting with my intent.  More specifically, the entry related to disablepreload=1.

 

-Jim

I thought by doing this, then whatever aircraft I loaded in FSX and ultimately started in the cockpit, everything would be off.

 

Not  pmdg  aircraft,   they will start as  you have  set up  in the panel  state as kyle has explained  a few times.   You need to set up  you panel state   whether being   cold/dark  or  what ever   you like,  than save  it  and every time you start the ngx  it  will start  the same  every time.  Its explained  in the introduction manual  on why you need  to use  the  trike  as  the default  aircraft and  on how  to set up your panel state. 

Not  pmdg  aircraft,   they will start as  you have  set up  in the panel  state as kyle has explained  a few times.   You need to set up  you panel state   whether being   cold/dark  or  what ever   you like,  than save  it  and every time you start the ngx  it  will start  the same  every time.  Its explained  in the introduction manual  on why you need  to use  the  trike  as  the default  aircraft and  on how  to set up your panel state. 

 

Exactly. From page 36 in the "PMDG 737NGX Introduction" pdf:

 

"There is a common misconception that when loading a complex simulation like the PMDG 737NGX that you should first load the default Cessna into the simulator, then load the PMDG 737NGX on top of it. This is not a factual conception and in fact we do not recommend the practice at all."

 

Overall, I would reset the default flight to the original trike with no panel changes. Then load up the NGX, select from the FMC a panel state to load, and then make it the default panel state to load, or from a PMDG panel state create your own panel state and save that, all using the FMC. As a general rule, any "trick" that has been developed over the years for FSX will not play nicely with the PMDG. It is a complex aircraft designed to work with an "un-tricked" as you would call it FSX, including the default flight.

 

Don't forget to have fun!

 

Edit: I have another question. I want another aircraft with the Southwest livery with a different tial number. What do I need to do?

 

 

What do I need to do?

 

Either have a repainter do it for you, or consult the paintkit (because it also goes into the settings files also required).

 

Do NOT change the tail number in the sim, as this will cause issues with the aircraft.

Either have a repainter do it for you, or consult the paintkit (because it also goes into the settings files also required).

 

Do NOT change the tail number in the sim, as this will cause issues with the aircraft.

Wilco. Thanks for your help.