15 hours ago, ATRguy said:

Here’s how we do it in real life at my airline, since we pushback at my base.  
 

We come to the airplane with a GPU attached to it, and it’s almost 100% of the time cold and dark.  Power it on, I go do the walk around, the FO sets up the flight deck.  After I’m done outside, we finish programming the FMS, get a clearance, all that, etc… the usual preflight routine.  
 

I would turn the prop brake on as part of my pre-start flow.  So AUX PUMP to pressurize the blue hydraulic system, and that should give you the ready light with the gust lock on.  Prop brake to ON, and it shouldn’t take more than 15 seconds for the UNLOCK light to go out.  If it does, it’s broken, so call MX. 

 

 Before we disconnect the GPU, the tow bar is hooked up and the truck is ready.  I’d start engine #2 in Hotel Mode.  Then start engine one.  Disconnect the GPU.  With the prop brake on, it’s safer to approach the GPU since the prop isn’t spinning.  Of course, never actually go near it or into the prop arc, but it’s still safer without the blades spinning.  
 

Brakes off, push back, keep one in feather and the prop brake on.  
 

After the push is complete, the ground crew would disconnect the tow bar, and I’d bring engine one out of feather once they’re clear, and push the AUX PUMP again.  The six blade props take a while to unfeather, so pushing the button brings the hydraulics up quicker.  When engine one stabilizes, that powers the AC Wild system, so the hydraulics are pressurized and the prop brake can be released.  Signal to the ground crew “starting two” because the prop will start spinning when you go prop brake off.  15 seconds later, bring that prop to AUTO and then your after start flows and checklist.  
 

At a ground station without a GPU or pushback, we usually start it in Hotel anyways just so the aircraft is powered when passengers are boarding, especially in the winter when the sun doesn’t come up.  
 

When it’s freezing out in the winter, #2 usually stays running all day long if we’re not at a base with a heat cart and GPU.  We would never shut it down when its -40 outside, just the prop brake when the aircraft is at a station. 
 

IF for whatever reason the prop brake was MEL’d, I’d start number one, then disconnect the GPU, then start number two after the ground crew is all clear.

Dear ATRguy,

Many thanks for your insights - it's very much appreciated.

Best regards,

Peter

On 6/7/2025 at 12:20 PM, Peterwk said:

Dear ATRguy,

Many thanks for your insights - it's very much appreciated.

Best regards,

Peter

Well I managed 4 flights, 2 of which ended with a WASM crash. However I enjoyed flying lower and slower than my usual flights.

Anybody having any luck using the ftsim sounds with the atr in 2024?

Today was my last time flying the ATR for a while. Had to restart the flight during setup three times because of systems/display errors. Then yet another WASM crash while on the approach. I kept trying for a long time because it's one of my favorites, but I'm not wasting any more time with it. This is in FS2020.

Don't feel bad, I absolutely want an enjoyable ATR in the sim.  So many of my favorite historical airlines flew it.  Unfortunately, I haven't touched it in months between the instability, flight modeling, and just workarounds I've had to follow.

First off, there's a BIG difference between the plane in 2020 and 2024, I've forgotten the name, but there is an experimental variable you must disable in 2020 or you get lockups, that stopped me from using it period in that sim. I have never done this in 2024, not like I've flown it a ton either, but I've not seen that lockup/hang issue at all.

In 2024 it's actually a nice-handling plane, someone asked about Fedex livery, there is a marketplace set of cargo liveries that include that, I bought it last week, it was on sale fo 1.99, lol. OH and there was also a cockpit replacement for the same price. It was totally worth it for the price, I'd grab it if it's still on sale.

I usually start without bothering about Hotel mode so I can't speak to that specifically, but the plane has been great insofar as I've used it!

 

38 minutes ago, jfv said:

First off, there's a BIG difference between the plane in 2020 and 2024, I've forgotten the name, but there is an experimental variable you must disable in 2020 or you get lockups, that stopped me from using it period in that sim. I have never done this in 2024, not like I've flown it a ton either, but I've not seen that lockup/hang issue at all.

In 2024 it's actually a nice-handling plane, someone asked about Fedex livery, there is a marketplace set of cargo liveries that include that, I bought it last week, it was on sale fo 1.99, lol. OH and there was also a cockpit replacement for the same price. It was totally worth it for the price, I'd grab it if it's still on sale.

I usually start without bothering about Hotel mode so I can't speak to that specifically, but the plane has been great insofar as I've used it!

 

I love the ATR but if flying it means I will have to do it in 2024, then I will just give it up.