What are the steps using FSX Free Flight to achieve a Cold & Dark PMDG 737NGX where to controls actually work. My goal is to practice start up. I have no problem getting a running A/C.

Set cold and dark state in the CDU. You can even set it to be your default start up state so your aircraft will always load cold and dark, regardless of how you launch/load the flight.

Thanks Kevin, but........... how do I set cold and Dark in the CDU ?  is the CDU the same as FMC ?

Pardon the basic questions, Getting older and forgetting things.

Start by doing some reading of the manuals.

Open the FMC ( CDU ) click on PMDG Setup then click on Panel State load and choose cold and dark.

5 hours ago, Gwhaarmann said:

Thanks Kevin, but........... how do I set cold and Dark in the CDU ?  is the CDU the same as FMC ?

Pardon the basic questions, Getting older and forgetting things.

Have a read of the introduction manual, it explains all this and more.

17 hours ago, Gwhaarmann said:

Thanks Kevin, but........... how do I set cold and Dark in the CDU ?  is the CDU the same as FMC ?

Pardon the basic questions, Getting older and forgetting things.

Yes and no. The CDU is the control and display unit for the FMC. The FMC itself is not in the cockpit. However people often refer to it as if it was the FMC.

To set cold and dark, press the MENU key on the CDU then select PMDG SETUP then PANEL STATE LOAD. Cold and dark is one of the options listed.

Seem like I am getting answers  on Panel State setups.  My original ( I think) question is how to select a 737NGX PMDG aircraft to appear as Cold & Dark?  I want to beable to get in a powered down ( cold & Dark) A/C and start up everything from scratch.  Thanks

I am using Free Flight option changing A/C to PMDG 737NGX, selecting an airport

3 minutes ago, Gwhaarmann said:

Seem like I am getting answers  on Panel State setups.  My original ( I think) question is how to select a 737NGX PMDG aircraft to appear as Cold & Dark?  I want to beable to get in a powered down ( cold & Dark) A/C and start up everything from scratch.  Thanks

See Kevin's answer, above.

...or, alternatively, the Intro Manual goes into great detail and includes pictures to explain all of it.

Thanks for your patience.  I think I  have solved t he problem, When I  first posted and tried Klamal suggestion the Panel state load only indicated one Cld & Dark option, That, when executed only cleared only  the CDU, it did not shut the aircraft down.

 I tried setting up several flts and saving them but did not go back to the PMDG Setup to initiate them. I didn't even know they were automatically loaded. Now I can open a loaded saved scenario and actually get what I want.  TRhanks again for your kind patience.

44 minutes ago, Gwhaarmann said:

 I tried setting up several flts and saving them but did not go back to the PMDG Setup to initiate them. I didn't even know they were automatically loaded. Now I can open a loaded saved scenario and actually get what I want.  TRhanks again for your kind patience.

Hi George,

When you save a situation, the save will include the panel state for your current situation.  Suppose you are in midflight.  You save your flight.  The next day you come back and open that saved flight.  It will reload with the panel state from the saved flight, so that you will have the flight plan, next waypoint, engines on, autopilot in the proper cruise mode, etc.  But it won't load the default startup panel state.  This is a good thing, as otherwise you would start up in midflight at 30,000 feet with engines off, no power, no flight plan, etc.

When you set cold and dark as your default startup state, as Kevin Hall explained, the next time you load a new situation with the NGX aircraft  -- for example parked at an airport gate (not a saved flight) it will load up cold and dark.  Setting Cold and Dark (or any other panel state) as your default startup state will not have an immediate effect.  The NGX will only start up Cold and Dark the next time you start a new flight.  You CAN have an immediate effect by choosing Load Panel State from the same menu Kevin described. 

Mike

Thanks, appreciate ALL the help

George

Hi George,

I noticed that you posted about both the 777 and the NGX.  Based on my own experience, I suggest that you focus on one or the other.  There are many similarities between them, but there are also many important differences.  The 777 is a larger, heavier aircraft that needs more planning ahead while in flight -- descending and slowing down for example.  But its systems are more automated and so it is a bit easier to learn.  So perhaps start by focusing on the 777.

Mike