P-3C Start up procedure

[brettkp]

Hi all,

I'm nearing the end of my Orion build (linky) and want to make sure I've got the startup procedure/order correct (it has working lights and engines).

This is what I have:

1 - Cockpit lights on

2 - Top and bottom beacons on

3 - Nav lights and strobe on

4 - Engine 1 on (outer port)

5 - Engine 2 on (inner port)

6 - Engine 3 on (inner starboard)

7 - Engine 4 on (outer starboard)

Is this correct? If not, can someone enlighten me as to what real order of things is. I haven't found any videos of the startup to know what really happens.

Oh, on the flip side, what's the shutdown procedure/order? I've just got the reverse of the startup.

Thanks!

Brett

[DonSS3]

Bottom strobes should be off. There's a weight-on-wheels microswitch on the Main LG that shuts the lower strobe off when the aircraft is on the ground (there is a bypass switch up in the cockpit (IIRC) so you can test the strobe on the ground, but it's spring-loaded to the "off" position). You should have strobes OR rotating beacons on the fuselage, not both. The stobes replaced the beacons. You'd only have the red strobes flashing on the deck, not the white. The clear stribes are just TOO bright.

Engine start sequence is 2-1-3-4. Engine 1 doesn't have a generator on it, so we'd start up number two to get a generator online, then we could shut down the APU. So, theoretically, the APU doors could be open, too.

AFAIK there was no specific engine shutdown order. A lot of times we'd shut down the outer engines and taxi in on the two inboards. Then the APU would be started prior to engine shutdown, so that we'd have power and AC once the engines were shut down.

I hope this makes sense…

[David Walker]

Wow, great answer. I'm glad we have so many people here with such a wide variety of experience. I would have not guessed the "start number two, then number one" sequence as I didn't realize number one didn't have a generator associated with it.

[Chris Kethan]

Don hit the nail on the head.

We didn't have a specific shutdown sequence in the NATOPS, but 99% of the time, we would shutdown the outboard engines on the taxi back to the ramp. The only time we left the outboards turning on the taxi in was if we needed them to help us maintain directional control - i.e. taxiing on an ice-covered taxiway.

Also, at night we started the engines with the cockpit lights off. The NAV lights were on anytime the aircraft had had power applied.....APU, or external power.

Hope this helps.

Chris

[brettkp]

Excellent guys, thanks for the responses.

A few minor tweaks in my firmware and it'll be good as gold.

I am however still a little confused with the beacons/strobe. Would it be right to have the two beacons going while on the ground, then switch to the white strobe when in flight (and back to the beacons upon landing)? Would the top beacon stay on during flight?

I've modelled mine with both red and white on the underside, similar to this pic:

Thanks again,

Brett

[Spongebob]

That has both a red & white strobes and it's an either or thing. Not sure what the P-3 SOP is but others with the same lights:

E-2's: red only, except in 113 and 117 where we did white day/red night; except on deck as the white's are locked out by a squat switch on the left mainmount...so, on the ground, upper red only, and we'd go "both white" with the final 4 on the takeoff checklist.

SH-60B's: always white day and red night - upper only on deck at night.

HTH

Spongebob

Edited April 25, 2007 by Spongebob

[DonSS3]

As said above both red and white lights are strobes. The photo you use for your illustration is the same for top and bottom installations. Other comments as above apply.

Forgot about the cockpit lights being off at night.

[Lenny]

Brings back good memories.

"Chief select and start number one!"