Aerosoft Airbus X: From Cold and Dark to Ready for Taxiing

Do not use this for real world flying! This is for Microsoft Flight Simulator X only!

This tutorial will teach you how to start up the Airbus X from a cold and dark state and make it

ready for taxiing. It is suited for „beginners‟ with the Airbus X. This will not teach you how to start

up a real Airbus as this is only meant to be used for the Airbus X, however, this tutorial is based on

real A320 procedures and a real A320 checklist in cooperation with real Airbus A320 pilots.

This tutorial requires basic knowledge about the systems of the Airbus X, therefore I highly

recommend reading the Vol1-7 guides, which are provided with the Airbus X and can be found in

your Airbus X folder, before you read this tutorial.

Anyway, this little tutorial will show you how to start up the Airbus X from a state, where you enter

the aircraft and all the systems are off. You‟ll have to do a security check before the actual startup

of particular systems – as in real world. Even though this is in not essential or even necessary in

Microsoft Flight Simulator X, it is a real procedure. Also make sure that you have the latest version

of Airbus X installed on your Computer. (v1.22)

You will be starting up the Airbus X as close to real procedures as its system depth allows it. The

MCDU will be more or less left out as it is not simulated properly in the Airbus X.

Ok, let‟s enter the cockpit. You will see that the aircraft is currently in a state which is called “cold

and dark”, you can select and activate this state in the MCDU.

Let‟s take a seat and begin with some pre-flight security checks.

Now, in order to select the power on, we have to do a few checks. So, we check that the thrust

levers are at idle (1), that the engine masters are off (2), the engine mode selector is normal (2),

that the parking brake is set (3), that we have the gear selector down (4) and the windshield

wipers are off. (5) & (5’)

As we have completed the necessary checks, we can now power on the aircraft. First of all we

select both batteries on. (1) Then we have to do the APU fire test (2) - as this particular system is

not simulated in the Airbus X, simply treat the test as successful and completed. Now we can start

the APU itself, we select the master switch on and then the start. (3) After some seconds the APU

should be running, which will be indicated by a green light on the start switch.

Ok, the APU start has been successful, we can now set up all the displays and lighting of the

cockpit. First of all we set up the lights – the flow lights, integrity lights, overhead integrity lights (1)

and of course some bright dome (2) – not simulated. And we‟ll now select the displays to show us

some information. (3)

Now, as we have all the displays working and all the lights as well, we can start the overhead

scan. The principle is from left to right and from down up. The main purpose of this overhead scan

is to test a few features, to enable a few and to extinguish all the white lights. We start with the

crew supply light. (1) Now we should test the flight data recorder but since it‟s not simulated, we

just leave it out again. (2) Now we check the GPWS and all the flight controls and make sure that

there are no white lights illuminating. (3) Now we set up the ADIRS, the inertial reference system,

which tells the aircraft where it is currently located. (4) We start by rotating the knobs one at a time

to the NAV position but since this system is not simulated, they will be in the NAV position by

default. Now we can continue with the overhead scan from the center, we select the seatbelts on,

the non smoking switch to auto, the emergency exit lights to armed (5) and we check that the

landing elevation is on auto. (6) Then we check the air conditioning panel and we select the APU

bleed (7) to supply us the air from the auxiliary power unit to cool or heat the cabin. In addition you

should turn on the PACKS. (8) & (8’) Continuing with the electric panel, we have two fault lights on

GEN 1 and 2, but that is perfectly normal because we have no engines running and nothing runs

the generators as well. Now we test the batteries to see if they‟re charging correctly, we shut down

the batteries and then reselect them (9) – check the values on the lower ECAM for that. Since we

have finished with the electrics, we can extinguish the lights on the fuel panel (10), to do that we

will just select all the pumps to automatic. The fuel panel is set, but you will see a fault on the

mode selector and an off on the electrical pump, but this is completely normal in the Airbus X. Now

we have to do an engine fire test (11), but since this is as well not simulated, we simply treat it as

successful and complete as with the APU above. We continue with the right side and check that

there are no white lights illuminated and that the wipers and rain appellant are off. (12) & (13)

Then we continue with the radios (14) – since this part of the overhead panel is not simulated in

the Airbus X, we simply leave it out.

Finally we go up, checking the maintenance panel for any white lights (15), but we should see

none. Then we check the circuit breakers (16) and we check that the audio switching switch (17) is

on norm. Now the overhead scan is complete.

Now we‟ll be heading down to the center panel, we will check the standby instruments like the ADI

(1) and we check that the anti-skid and nose wheel steering switch is in an on position. (2)

Let‟s now go down to the pedestal, we check the radio panel and turn it on (1). It should be set on

VHF1 (2) and transmitting on interphone, receiving as well. The weather radar should be off. (3)

After that we go a bit forward to look at the lower ECAM. We check that all the switches are in their

normal position (1) & (1’) and we can check a few statuses on the lower ECAM display. First we

check the ENG page (2), to see if everything is normal, then we check the hydraulics (3) and look

for any abnormalities. As last we should actually check the overall status page (4) but this page is

not simulated, so we have to leave it out.

We will continue with the trust levers once again, we will check that they are in their idle position

(1), we‟ll check that the engine masters are both off and the engine mode selector is on normal

(2), that the ground spoilers are retracted and disarmed (3), that the flaps are selected up (4),

rudder trim is showing zero (5), parking brake is set to on (6) and the gravity gear extension lever

is in its correct position as well. (7)

Then we‟ll move forward again checking the right hand radio as above. The last thing we will

check on the pedestal is the TCAS, the Traffic Collision and Avoidance System. We must check

that the selector is on its standby position (1). Now the overall cockpit scan is completed.

What we have to do now, is to set up the MCDU. We select the flight management and guidance

computer, we check that there are the correct engines and that the database is valid (1) (not

relevant for FSX) – please disregard the data shown in the picture as the MCDU is not well

“simulated” in the Airbus X.

Now we continue to the initialization page. At this point you should type in your flight data and your

route but since this is a tutorial and the MCDU is not really simulated in the Airbus X, we‟ll leave it

out. There are other tutorials or manuals about the MCDU, so you‟ll better read them first. Simply

plan your route, put in your V speeds and check you weights, choose the departure and you‟re

done.

The last thing we have to do is to set up the FCU, the Flight Control Unit. On the flight control unit,

we check that the flight director is on (1), that we have a comfortable position for our navigation

display (2) that the constraints are on (3), that we have the correct barometric pressure (5)

depending on our location. The next thing we‟ll do is select an initial climb altitude (6), which in this

case is 4000 ft. Then we should do the same on the right – first officers‟ side, but only the

captains‟ side of the cockpit is simulated in the Airbus X, so we have to leave that out again. The

rest of the FCU is computed automatically.

Now we can already start the engines. At this point we should grab our before startup checklist

and check everything. When everything is ok, we have to ask the ATC for clearance. As soon as

the ATC has cleared us to start the engines, we‟ll do that. First we switch the beacon light on (1),

and then we select the engine mode selector to ignition (2) and by flicking the master switch

number two on (3), we‟ll start the auto start sequence.

Now we take a look at the lower ECAM again and watch the pressure and temperature rising, as

soon as engine number two is running stable, we can start engine number one with the same

sequence. After the engines are running stable, we switch the engine mode selector back to

normal. Now we can actually pushback, taxi and takeoff, we ask for a pushback, perform all the

necessary checklists, test the flight controls and finally taxi to the runway.

As we reach the runway, we apply TO/GA thrust and try to hold the centerline until we reach our

rotation speed (Vr) and get airborne.

At this point the tutorial is finished and the autopilot takes over. I hope you enjoyed reading it and I

hope it was easy to understand. I tried to make it as simple as possible for „beginners‟. If I get

good feedback I‟ll write a cruise, approach and landing tutorial and I‟ll update this tutorial with a

MCDU part as soon as Aerosoft release their Airbus X “Extended”. The Airbus X might be easy to

fly and to learn, but I hope I could help all the FSX beginners out there who want to fly an Airbus.

If you have any questions regarding systems, procedures, failures or if you just want to give me

some feedback, feel free to contact me via my e-mail: astondbrs9@googlemail.com

You are not allowed to edit or upload this tutorial anywhere without my permission!

All copyrights go to Bogdan Misko.

Special thanks to Pranas Dulis and Ralf Hint.