• After some exercise, here we go! We are parked at PARKING 1 at Bremerton airport  (KPWT).  We have a “cold and dark” situation, so all switches are OFF  in the cockpit of a Cessna Skyhawk 172SP Paint1, as well as on all the Saitek panels you have.
• The next explanation is written for you Captain, with the Saitek Pro Flight Yoke, Saitek Pro Flight Rudder Pedals, Radio panel, the Multi panel, the Switch panel and the Saitek Pro Flight TPM System (USB).
• The assumption is that you have a “registered” version of the latest FSUIPC , installed SPAD (for now, version v0.4.1)  and you are running FSX+SP1+SP2.
• Prepare in FSX: Options >> Settings >> Controls >> Unchecked Enable Controller(s) >>OK. We will configure all necessary axis and buttons you have…be patient.
• Take into consideration that SPAD is developed for a single prop engine. Simply first, we do the tricks later.

PART I: BEFORE STARTING  ENGINE CHECKLIST

1. Select in FSX, the Cockpit View and check if all switches are in the “off” position.
2. Open the Knee board and select the Flight Checklist; next we will configure the Before Starting paragraph.
3. Parking Brake Set: in FSX open in the menu bar Add-ons and select FSUIPC
   1. Select tab Buttons + Switches
   2. Check Profile specific? >> Look in the menu bar from the FSUIPC Options and Settings to see the aircraft’s name Cessna Skyhawk 172 SP Paint1.
   3. Now switch up/down the G9 switch on the TPM  panel; in the middle of the FSUIPC pop up you will see the number of the Joy# and the number of the Btn# (in my case Joy#0 Btn#8)
   4. Check the box Select for FS Control
   5. In both Control sent when button pressed and in Control sent when button released set the command from the drop down menu to Parking Brakes.
   6. Give OK….done!
   7. Check in the Cockpit view if the switch is activating the parking brakes.
4. Electrical Equipment, Autopilot: OFF; check if the red switches on the Switch panel and the Avionics Master switch  move the switches in the cockpit.
   First the BAT., then the ALT. and then check the Avionics Master switch. During start up the Avionics Master Switch must be OFF, otherwise you blow your instruments…
5. Fuel Selector Valve: the FUEL PUMP switch on the Switch Panel only move FUEL PUMP Switch; this has nothing to do with the FUEL SELECTOR; Just check the mid position of the FUEL SELECTOR in the cockpit.

This completes the Before Starting Engine Checklist and configuration.

Part II: ENGINE START

1. In FSUIPC, move the Throttle axis forwards and backwards until you see a movement in the figures (from -16384 to +16384);
2. Then select in the Type of action required drop down menu  the command Axis Throttle Set. Check the box.
3. Press Ignore Axis and try the Prop. Axis  and set Type of action required to Axis Propeller Set.
4. At last, move the Mixture Axis  until movement is observed and set the Type of action required to Axis Mixture Set
5. End of primarily configuration; Need more? Extended information is HERE
6. Open Throttle 1/4 inch.,
7. Press the Mixture stick fully in,
8. Press the Prop. Axis fully in look out the window if nobody is in the neighborhood of the propeller…
9. Set BAT. on and set ALT. on (=Master  Switch)
10. Set Auxiliary pump switch on
11. Ignition Switch: set to START
12. Set Throttle to 1000 rpm
13. Check Oil pressure
14. Set Auxiliary pump switch off
15. Beacon lights and NAV. lights on
16. Avionics Master Switch ON
17. Flaps retracted push FLAPS UP on the Multi panel (or press F5)

This completes the ENGINE START CHECKLIST

PART III: BEFORE TAKEOFF CHECKLIST

1. Parking Brake: set (with G9 switch on the TPM or CTRL+PERIOD). Remember that just before we linked the G9 button to the Parking Brake function. Since the C172 does not have any gear up or down, we now gonna change the settings of SPAD and will fix the parking brakes to the landing gear up and gear down. Read more how to do this in this article and then come back here.
2. Flight Controls: Free and correct…oops.. now we have to configure the ailerons, elevators, rudder and so on; read further in this article and then come back here.
3. Flight Instruments: check and set
4. Fuel Quantity: check
5. Mixture: RICH= push the mixture axis fully forward
6. Fuel Selector Valve: recheck both
7. Elevator Trim: SET for take off . Move the PITCH TRIM wheel in the Multi-play panel to up so that the arrow in the cockpit indicates TO
8. Throttle: set to 1800 RPM (DID YOU SET THE PARKING BRAKE ?)
9. Magnetos: check (turn the STARTER switch from BOTH/ALL to L and R and observe a <150 RPM drop on each and less than 50 RPM in between; reset to BOTH/ALL)
10. Suction Gauge: check (in green area =5)
11. Engine Instruments and Ammeter: check
12. Annunciator Panel: check ((just below the compass) no lights? OK
13. Throttle: set to 1000 RPM or less
14. Strobe lights: on (see Switch Panel)
15. Radio and Avionics: SET ( No radio frequencies? No flight plan? Make a flight plan here).
16. Autopilot: OFF
17. Wing flaps: SET for take off one notch FLAPS DN on the Multi panel
18. Brakes: release

So far, so good…this completes the BEFORE TAKEOFF CHECKLIST.

to be continued…when you are ready to make a flight plan. Read in the Category Flight planning  and see the movie of Skyvector.

Your assignment for to day  is to make a flight plan from Bremerton (KPWT) to Olympia (KOLM), make a right turn and land at Bowerman airport (KHQM). When you’r done, get back here and we will take the next step.

PART IV TAKEOFF

Before we can takeoff, we must select a runway, announce our intentions to the tower and get to the holding of the runway. Switch ATC on (with TPM-G3- see FSUIPC configuration here))

1. Select Runway for takeoff: 19
2. Announce Taxi and go to the holding of Rwy 19 and
3. At the holding announce taking off Rwy 19, south departure.
4. On the runway we announce our taking of departure to the south.
5. Wing flaps: set to one notch 10 degrees
6. Pitch Trim: up until indicator in the cockpit indicates TO
7. Release breaks
8. Throttle: full open
9. Mixture: rich (above 3000 feet, lean to obtain maximum RPM)
10. Elevator control: Pull gently on the yoke when reaching 70 kts, retract flaps and climb to 2500 feet. (Do you want to use the autopliot? On the Multipanel set switch to HDG and tune to 190 degrees; set switch to ALT and set altitude to 2500. DO NOT TOUCH THE AP BUTTON YET
11. Climb Speed: 70-80 kts
12. At 2500 feet reduce power to 200o0 RPM  and trim for level flight. That’s all. Using the Autopilot: press ALT, HDG and then AP
13. Did you set the radio? Look at your flight plan.
14. We climb to 2500 feet; our first navigation point is CARNEY NDB (274,00 CAN) so our ADF radio is tuned to 0274,0.
15. Look at your ADF yellow needle and fly this heading; passing CAN, tune to ADF 348 MNC  and fly HDG210 for 14 nm. If you use AP turn heading  to 210. Just before you cross MC you see a lake on your left and the PAPI lights of the airport KSHN in front of you.
16. At MNC turn left HDG137 and fly 18 nm to OLM (VORTAC 113,40 OLM). Set NAV1 to 113,40 and DME on position 1. Using AP? release HDG and press NAV on the Multi panel; set HDG to 252 degrees. As time flies…you will see the distance to KOLM reduce mile by mile.
17. When you reach KOLM,  press HDG (this releases NAV), set your NAV1 radio to 117,70; observe the DME
18. Since the map indicates to cross a mountain at 2972 feet we must climb to 3500 feet (Increase the ALT to 3500 feet)
19. At Malone DME 38 KHQM (see map) we descent to 2500 feet. You will pass 2 cooling towers on your left hand. Prepare NAV1 standby =108,70
20. About 6 nm before to land on KHQM switch NAV1 Standby to Active 108.7 and press APR on the Multi panel. Descent to 2300 feet
21. Sit back because we do an ILS approach here; press KHQM in Skyvector and pick up your ILS approach chart