Hi can anyone help me. I have the pmdg 747 x and as much as I like it i have a major problem. I have followed all instructions on how to start the engines etc but 1 problem. How do I turn the avionics on. its no good flying the #### aircraft if I cant see all the displays. I have downloaded all sorts of how to get this running. I hope someone will help me here as I have asked in other forums but theres never a response. My pateince is now running outThanks in advance.

I have yet to do a cold and dark start in the PMDG 747, I usually start with the engines running. But I know from experience that it is very sensitive to a clean loading. You'll never get anywhere if the initial loading has been corrupted by using other birds.There is a tutorial in the Avsim library called pmdg747_advancedtutorial.zip which will take you through the entire routine, but it is fairly lengthy and will require some patience.Alternatively there is the official PMDG Support Forum which is hosted here at Avsim, and which you will find here:http://forums.avsim.net/dcboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=136You may get a more informed response if you try this forum.Mike.

iallaway1, Strange that PMDG haven't been able to help you out. I looked thru a couple of pages on the PMDG forum, but couldn't find any post by you. So go over to the PMDG forum and ask, nicely, for some help over there. And when you do you could post more info on your problem. Here are som tips that might help you to provide more info on your problem:Do you run XP or Vista?Do you run FSX RTM, SP1 or SP2?Have you installed the 747X update?Exactly what gauges doesn't work? All of them or only the glasspanels? Are they totally black?Adding a picture to your post showing your issue would help.Are you loading a presaved configuration of the PMDG with a cold and dark cockpit? Does the gauges work if you load a panel state with enginges running? You have setup the FMC prior to starting the engines?You'll find the PMDG forum here on avsim (Forums in Commercial Support conference).Ulf B

Urgent it was, but you still haven't posted at the PMDG support forum. Have you found out what caused the issue?Ulf BCore2Duo X6800 3.3GHz4GB RAM Corsair XMS2-8500C5BFG 8800GTX, Creative SB X-FiFSX Acc/SP2, Vista 32

Jet Aircraft like the 747 do not have a switch to turn on the avionics, they generally come on with power, with battery, only primary displays, when a secondary power source comes online, (APU, External Power or Engine, then the rest of the displays will activate. There are 2 reasons you may not see a display. One is if you haven't alligned the IRS. The PFD and will display only the data portion (Speedtape, Altimeter) and the ND will display a white vertical line on the map screen. If this is the case just allign the IRS. (Instructions, are in the manual) Depending on your PMDG preference settings it could take the full 10 minutes (Realistic), 15 seconds, or instantly. If those displays are completely dark however, that is indicative of an activation problem on the install (Copy Protection), you could try uninstalling and reinstalling. If that doesn't work, PMDG support would have to help you.

It is one of the worst mistakes of complex aircraft developers ... not including a mission that walks new users through the cold/dark start procedure.This is the perfect use of the FSX mission system.

I have made a short table (attached) which gets you from cold&dark to engine start. It is only a step by step procedure (with no further explanations) so you should be familiar with the used abbreviations. Don't forget to enable external power in the PMDG menu.Hope this helps.Harry

If you did follow the procedures described in the manuals there can only be 2 reasons why you don't see the avionics.1) You didn't turn the INBD & LWR CRT's (main panel) on the right positions (they remain black until you choose which gauge you wish to display).2) You are trying to launch a non-legal version of the PMDG 747-400 and thus are violating the rules of this forum.

Have u switched this to auto?See attached

Is it the artificial horizon you can't see? If so I think I can help -- it took me a while to figure it out. (And it was the PMDG forum that came up with the answer, but that post is probably buried fairly deep by now).Assuming you're following the normal procedures, the trick is this: When the FMC prompts you to Enter IRS Position, you often need to do so _twice_. This is because the FMC remembers where it was the last time you flew the plane, and if the new position is significantly different (as it will be if you start from a different airport than the last one you landed at) it requires that you confirm the new position. Presumably this is what the real FMC would do.Only once the IRS is aligned, the IRS position entered and confirmed in the FMC, and the IRS switches set back to NAV, will the artificial horizon display.Hope this helps.Colin

Ctrl+E works for me. My sim seems to be a bit unpredictable though. Sometimes the game will load with the engines running but avionics off.