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Using External Air/ Power



IMPORTANT:  Whenever talking to the Ground Engineers, the Captain's Audio Control Panel and  Service Interphone Switch on the Aft Overhead Panel must be setup as shown below otherwise the Engineers will not hear you!



AFT OVERHEAD PANEL - ENSURE THE SERVICE INTERPHONE SWITCH IS SET TO 'ON'.





CAPTAIN'S AUDIO CONTROL PANEL - ENSURE 'SVC' IS PRESSED IN AND THE VOLUME IS UP

Note:  YOU MUST USE THE CAPTAIN'S AUDIO CONTROL PANEL!!!!!!!  NOT THE OVERHEAD OR FO'S AUDIO CONTROL PANEL.




OTHER OPTION:  Use the FLT Interphone instead on the CAPTAIN'S PANEL AUDIO CONTROL PANEL.   This is simpler, but it's less common in the real-world.   Press in the FLT Mic Selector switch as shown below.  The Service Interphone switch does "not" need to be on.







If External Power/Air has been selected as the power source for Pre-Flight, FS2Crew will automatically connect External Power and Air after you start the Pre Flight Events sequence.

Note: You can also connect External Power and air by using the FS Video Marshaller program.

Note: If want to use the APU for engine start, you will need to manually start the APU prior to Engine start and turn on the APU Bleed before commencing the engine start sequence. You will also need to confirm on the FS2Crew Config Panel that the Ground Power/Air option has automatically updated to ‘APU’ (the APU bleed switch is the trigger for this to occur.  Time remaining to engine start must also be less than 25 minutes).  If it remains on EXT, the FS2Crew FO will think you’re still using External Power/Air and perform his actions accordingly.

Note: When using External Power/Air for engine start, you start the left engine (Engine #1) first.

Note:  Do not try to start the engines using the Air Conditioning Cart (AC).  You can only use the Air Start Cart (AS) for engine start!

Note: For departure, select your power source on the FS2Crew Config Panel "before" pressing RUN PF.

Note: When using External Power/Air for start with Pushback required, you have two options:


Option #1: Start Both Engines at the DEPARTURE GATE Prior to Pushback:

  1. Ensure parking brake is on.
  2. In the ‘PB REQ’ box select the <-- option as shown in the figure below.
  3. The <-- indicates that you will start both engines prior to pushback.
  4. Ensure the Service Interphone switch on the Aft Overhead is selected to 'On'.
  5. Ensure the SVC button on the audio control panel is selected to on as shown above. (Note, you also simply press in the FLT mic button instead).
  6. After you've completed the 'Before Start Checklist' and with the mode in: "S.CREW / ENG START",  speak: “WE ARE READY FOR AN EXTERNAL AIR ENGINE START”.
  7. Instruct the FO to start number #1.  Speak: “START ENGINE ONE”.
  8. After starting engine #1 (the left engine), manually connect the left engine generator to the bus and switch the Ground Power Switch on the overhead to ‘off’.
  9. Next, instruct the ground crew to disconnect external air and the GPU.  Speak:  “YOU CAN DISCONNECT THE EXTERNAL AIR AND GPU NOW”. 
  10. Be sure to do Step 9 ONLY AFTER you have manually connected Engine Generator 1 to the bus or you will lose power!
  11. The ground crew will clear you to Start #2 when he informs you that the external air and power have been removed.
  12. Set the parking brake if it's not already set, otherwise the aircraft may start to taxi when you advance the left throttle as per Step 9.
  13. To start Engine #2, advanced the left throttle until bleed duct pressure indicates about 30 PSI, then  speak: “START ENGINE TWO CROSS BLEED START”.
  14. Next, after both engines have started, call for pushback.  Speak:  “WE ARE READY FOR PUSHBACK”.
  15. Complete a normal pushback sequence.






Option #2: Start Left Engine at DEPARTURE GATE and Right Engine at end of Pushback:

  1. Ensure parking brake is on.
  2. In the ‘PB REQ’ box select the --> option as shown in the figure below.
  3. The --> indicates that you will start the left engine prior to pushback and the right engine at the end of the pushback.
  4. Ensure the Service Interphone switch on the Aft Overhead is selected to 'On'.
  5. Ensure the SVC button on the audio control panel is selected to on as shown above. (Note, you also simply press in the FLT mic button instead).
  6. After you've completed the 'Before Start Checklist' and with the mode in: "S.CREW / ENG START", speak: “WE ARE READY FOR AN EXTERNAL AIR ENGINE START”.
  7. Instruct the FO to start number #1.  Speak: “START ENGINE ONE”.
  8. After starting engine #1 (the left engine), manually connect the left engine generator to the bus and switch the Ground Power Switch on the overhead to ‘off’.  
  9. Next, instruct the ground crew to disconnect external air and the GPU.  Speak:  “YOU CAN DISCONNECT THE EXTERNAL AIR AND GPU NOW”. 
  10. Be sure to do Step 9 ONLY AFTER you have manually connected Engine Generator 1 to the bus or you will lose power!
  11. Wait for the ground crew to tell you that the external power and air have been removed.
  12. Next, call for pushback.  Speak:  “WE ARE READY FOR PUSHBACK”.
  13. Start Engine 2 when cleared by the ground crew.  The ground crew will clear you to start Engine 2 near the end of the pushback sequence.
  14. To start Engine #2, advanced the left throttle until bleed duct pressure indicates about 30 PSI, then  speak: “START ENGINE TWO”.






Option #3: Using the GPU for power at the DEPARTURE GATE and the APU for air:

You have the option of using the GPU to provide power and the APU to provide air conditioning.
To do that, please do the following:

  1. Configure the Captain's Audio Control Panel so you can talk to the ground crew.
  2. At some point prior to calling for the BEFORE START PROCEDURE, manually put the APU on the busses so the APU is powering the aircraft.  If you don't do that, the aircraft will lose power when the ground crew disconnects the GPU!
  3. Next, speak: “COCKPIT TO GROUND”.  The engineer will reply.
  4. Next, speak: “PLEASE DISCONNECT EXTERNAL POWER”.






Using the GPU and External Air at the ARRIVAL Gate:

Many airports do not want you use to the APU.  In those cases, you need to connect the GPU at the arrival gate.
To do that, please do the following:

  1. Prior to landing, select EXT in the PWR/AIR SRC box as shown in the figure below, and choose the air source to be used: Air Start Cart (AS) or Air Conditioning (AC).
  2. During his after landing flow, the FO will NOT turn on the APU.
  3. When you arrive at the gate, set the parking brake and shutdown only Engine #2 (the right engine).
  4. Ensure the Service Interphone switch on the Aft Overhead is selected to 'On'.
  5. Ensure the SVC button on the audio control panel is selected to on as shown above. (Note, you also simply press in the FLT mic button instead).
  6. Next speak: “COCKPIT TO GROUND”.  The engineer will reply.
  7. Next speak: “PLEASE CONNECT THE GPU AND EXTERNAL AIR NOW”.
  8. The engineer will then connect the GPU and External Air.  
  9. The FO should turn on the Ground Power switch.
  10. The engineer will then clear you to shut down Engine #1 (the left engine).
  11. Important: So you don't suddenly find yourself without power, visually confirm that the GPU is in fact connected to the aircraft and that it is powering the aircraft before shutting down engine #1!
  12. After both engines have been shutdown, the FO will commence his shutdown flow.





Using the GPU and APU at the ARRIVAL Gate:

You have the option of using the GPU to provide power and the APU to provide air conditioning.
To do that, please do the following:

  1. Prior to landing, select APU/EX in the PWR/AIR SRC box as shown in the figure below
  2. During his after landing flow, the FO will turn on the APU.
  3. When you arrive at the gate, set the parking brake and shutdown only Engine #2 (the right engine).
  4. Ensure the Service Interphone switch on the Aft Overhead is selected to 'On'.
  5. Ensure the SVC button on the audio control panel is selected to on as shown above.  (Note, you also simply press in the FLT mic button instead).
  6. Next speak: “COCKPIT TO GROUND”.  The engineer will reply.
  7. Next speak: “PLEASE CONNECT THE GPU NOW”.
  8. The engineer will then connect the GPU approximately 30 seconds later, and clear you to shutdown Engine #1 (the left engine).
  9. The FO should turn on the Ground Power switch to connect the GPU to busses.
  10. Important: So you don't suddenly find yourself without power, visually confirm that the GPU is in fact connected to the aircraft and that it is powering the aircraft before shutting down engine #1!
  11. After both engines have been shutdown, the FO will commence his shutdown flow.