PMDG 747-400MSFS 2024 Startup Checklist · 137 steps
PMDG 747-400
MSFS 2024 - 0/137 STEPS
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AIRCRAFT BRIEF
The Boeing 747-400 is the best-selling variant of the iconic 747 'Queen of the Skies.' Entering service with Northwest Orient Airlines in February 1989, the -400 introduced a two-crew glass cockpit (eliminating the flight engineer), winglets that extend range by 3.5%, and increased fuel capacity in a new horizontal stabilizer tank. With a range of 7,260 nmi and capacity for 416 passengers in typical three-class configuration, the 747-400 dominated ultra-long-haul routes for two decades. PMDG Simulations' 747-400 for MSFS 2024 is a study-level recreation featuring authentic Boeing FMC, ACARS, and CFM56 engine procedures.
RANGE VISUALIZER
SPECIFICATIONS
manufacturerBoeing (PMDG Simulations)
first Flight1988
roleWide-body long-range airliner
crew2 pilots + cabin crew
engines4x CFM56-7B26 (56,750 lbf each) or GE CF6-80C2B1F
max Speed988 km/h (Mach 0.855)
range13,450 km (7,260 nmi)
ceiling45,100 ft
weight412,770 kg (MTOW)
PHS 1 — Pre-Flight Planning9 steps
| 01 | Weather Briefing (METAR / TAF / SIGMET)NOTE: Check departure, destination, alternates, and enroute weather. 747 long-range routes require multiple alternates. | REVIEWED | |
| 02 | NOTAMsNOTE: Check approach procedure changes, runway closures, nav-aid outages. | REVIEWED | |
| 03 | Fuel PlanNOTE: Typical burn 10,000-12,000 kg/hr at cruise. Use SimBrief or PMDG fuel calculator. 747-400 fuel capacity ~216,000 kg. | CALCULATED | |
| 04 | Weight & BalanceCAUTION: MTOW 412,770 kg. Max Landing Weight 295,742 kg. Max Zero Fuel Weight 242,670 kg. CG critical at max payload. | WITHIN LIMITS | |
| 05 | Takeoff Performance (TOPAS / SimBrief)NOTE: Calculate V1, Vr, V2, flex temperature, and FLEX setting. Verify assumed temperature reduction possible. | CALCULATED | |
| 06 | OFP / RoutingNOTE: Verify each waypoint, crossing altitudes, and step climb plan in FMC ROUTE page. | REVIEWED & LOADED IN FMC | |
| 07 | ATIS / D-ATIS | OBTAINED | |
| 08 | GSX - Fuel TruckNOTE: GSX menu: Refuel Aircraft. 747 refuel from multiple points - verify total matches plan. | REFUEL COMPLETE | |
| 09 | GSX - BoardingNOTE: GSX menu: Board Passengers. Wait for boarding complete before requesting pushback. | BOARDING COMPLETE |
PHS 2 — Cockpit Preparation (P1 - Captain)12 steps
| 01 | Battery Switch | ON | |
| 02 | External Power (GPU 1/2) | ON | |
| 03 | Ground Power Buses | POWERED | |
| 04 | Overhead Panel | INITIAL CHECK - NO AMBER LIGHTS | |
| 05 | IRS / ADIRSNOTE: Set all three IRS units to NAV. Allow 8-10 min for alignment. Enter present position on FMC INIT page. | NAV - ALIGNING | |
| 06 | FMC - IDENT Page | NAV DATABASE CURRENT | |
| 07 | FMC - ROUTE Page | ORIGIN / DEST / ROUTING ENTERED | |
| 08 | FMC - PERF INIT Page | ZFW / RESERVE FUEL / CRZ ALT ENTERED | |
| 09 | FMC - TAKEOFF REF PageNOTE: Enter computed V-speeds. Typical at 350,000 kg: V1 145, Vr 160, V2 167 (weight/conditions dependent). | V1 / Vr / V2 / FLAPS ENTERED | |
| 10 | Altimeters (Both) | SET QNH - CROSS-CHECKED | |
| 11 | Standby Instruments | SET AND VERIFIED | |
| 12 | Fuel Quantity | VERIFIED - MATCHES PLAN |
PHS 3 — Cockpit Preparation (P2 - First Officer)7 steps
| 01 | RadiosNOTE: Pre-set ATIS, clearance delivery, ground, and tower frequencies. | SET | |
| 02 | Transponder | CODE SET / STBY | |
| 03 | HydraulicsNOTE: 747-400 has four independent hydraulic systems. Verify all four show pressure. | CHECKED | |
| 04 | Pressurisation ControllerNOTE: Set landing field elevation and differential pressure limit. | SET | |
| 05 | Oxygen System | CHECKED - PRESSURE OK | |
| 06 | Cabin Pressure System | AUTO / NORMAL | |
| 07 | Fire Detection System | TESTED - OK |
PHS 4 — APU Start6 steps
| 01 | APU Fuel Valve | OPEN | |
| 02 | APU Master | ON | |
| 03 | APU StartNOTE: APU should reach AVAIL in ~60 seconds. | INITIATE | |
| 04 | APU AVAIL Light | ILLUMINATED | |
| 05 | APU Bleed | ON | |
| 06 | GPU | DISCONNECT (IF APU POWERING AIRCRAFT) |
PHS 5 — Before Start7 steps
| 01 | Parking Brake | SET | |
| 02 | DoorsWARNING: All passenger and cargo doors must be confirmed closed and armed before start. | CLOSED & ARMED | |
| 03 | Fuel Control Switches (All 4) | CUTOFF | |
| 04 | Air Conditioning / Packs | CONFIGURED | |
| 05 | Seat Belts / No Smoking | ON | |
| 06 | Engine Start ClearanceNOTE: Request start clearance from ATC. Confirm area clear. | OBTAINED | |
| 07 | Pushback Clearance | OBTAINED (IF REQUIRED) |
PHS 6 — Engine Start13 steps
| 01 | Engine 4 - Start ValveNOTE: 747 standard engine start order: 4, 1, 2, 3. Start outboard engines first. | OPEN / SELECT START | |
| 02 | N2 Rising | CONFIRM ROTATION | |
| 03 | N2 > 20% - Fuel Control 4WARNING: Monitor EGT throughout start. Max start EGT 725 deg C. Abort if EGT spike or no light-off. | RUN | |
| 04 | Engine 4 - IDLE | STABLE | |
| 05 | Engine 1 - Start | START SEQUENCE | |
| 06 | Engine 1 - IDLE | STABLE | |
| 07 | APU Bleed | OFF (AFTER ENG 1 STABLE) | |
| 08 | Engine 2 - Start | START SEQUENCE | |
| 09 | Engine 2 - IDLE | STABLE | |
| 10 | Engine 3 - Start | START SEQUENCE | |
| 11 | Engine 3 - IDLE | STABLE | |
| 12 | All 4 Generators | ON | |
| 13 | APU | OFF |
PHS 7 — After Start / Pre-Taxi7 steps
| 01 | Flight ControlsNOTE: Full deflection check on all primary controls. | FREE & CORRECT | |
| 02 | FlapsNOTE: Typical takeoff flap: 10 or 20. Verify slat position agrees. | SET FOR TAKEOFF | |
| 03 | SpeedbrakeNOTE: Set speedbrake to armed for auto-deployment on landing. | DOWN / ARMED | |
| 04 | Trim | SET FOR TAKEOFF | |
| 05 | Hydraulics | ALL FOUR SYSTEMS NORMAL | |
| 06 | Lights | TAXI LIGHTS ON | |
| 07 | Taxi Clearance | OBTAINED |
PHS 8 — Taxi5 steps
| 01 | Parking Brake | RELEASE | |
| 02 | BrakesNOTE: At 747's weight, brake check requires firm pressure. Allow 3-5 seconds. | CHECKED | |
| 03 | Taxi SpeedCAUTION: 747 wing span 64 m. Check wingtip clearance on all taxiway turns. Use nose wheel steering carefully. | MAX 20 KTS - SLOW IN TURNS | |
| 04 | Transponder | TA/RA | |
| 05 | Engine Anti-Ice | AS REQUIRED |
PHS 9 — Before Takeoff9 steps
| 01 | Flaps | CONFIRMED TAKEOFF POSITION | |
| 02 | Trim | CONFIRMED TAKEOFF SETTING | |
| 03 | Speedbrake | DOWN - ARMED | |
| 04 | Auto-BrakeNOTE: Select RTO (Rejected Takeoff) mode for automatic maximum braking if takeoff aborted. | SET (RTO) | |
| 05 | V-SpeedsNOTE: Typical at max weight: V1 145-165 kts, Vr 160-175 kts, V2 165-180 kts (weight/conditions dependent). | CONFIRMED (PF AND PM) | |
| 06 | Packs / Bleeds | AS REQUIRED FOR TAKEOFF | |
| 07 | Cabin Crew | READY | |
| 08 | Lights | LANDING + STROBE ON | |
| 09 | Takeoff Clearance | RECEIVED |
PHS 10 — Takeoff6 steps
| 01 | Thrust LeversNOTE: Advance smoothly in pairs. Select TOGA or FLEX reduction per plan. | ADVANCE TO TOGA / FLEX | |
| 02 | Engine ParametersWARNING: Monitor all four engines. Any asymmetric thrust indication requires immediate abort if before V1. | ALL FOUR - CONFIRM N1 TARGET | |
| 03 | At V1 | COMMIT - HAND OFF THROTTLES | |
| 04 | At VrNOTE: 747 rotation is slow and majestic. Hold steady back pressure - do not over-rotate. | ROTATE - 3 DEG/SEC TO 15 DEG PITCH | |
| 05 | V2 | AIRBORNE - POSITIVE RATE | |
| 06 | Landing Gear | UP |
PHS 11 — Climb7 steps
| 01 | Flap Retract ScheduleNOTE: Retract flaps progressively: Flaps 10 > 5 > 1 > UP as speed increases per QRH. | RETRACT ON SPEED SCHEDULE | |
| 02 | Thrust Reduction Altitude | CLB THRUST (1,500 FT AGL TYPICAL) | |
| 03 | Autopilot | ENGAGED | |
| 04 | Climb Speed | 250 KIAS BELOW FL100 / 300-320 KIAS ABOVE | |
| 05 | Landing Lights | OFF ABOVE 10,000 FT | |
| 06 | Transition Altitude | ALTIMETERS SET STD 1013 hPa | |
| 07 | Anti-Ice | AS REQUIRED |
PHS 12 — Cruise5 steps
| 01 | Cruise LevelNOTE: Typical initial cruise FL310-FL330. Step climbs as fuel burns off. Max FL450. | ESTABLISHED | |
| 02 | Cruise Speed | MACH 0.84-0.86 (TYPICAL) | |
| 03 | Fuel BalanceNOTE: Monitor transfer from center tank. Crossfeed as required for balance. | CHECKED - 4 MAIN + CENTER + STABILIZER TANKS | |
| 04 | Pressurisation | CHECKED | |
| 05 | FMC ProgressNOTE: Check PROGRESS page for fuel predictions, ETA, and step climb opportunities. | MONITORED |
PHS 13 — Descent6 steps
| 01 | Destination ATIS | OBTAINED | |
| 02 | Approach Briefing | COMPLETE | |
| 03 | Altimeters | SET QNH (AT TRANSITION LEVEL) | |
| 04 | FMC Approach | SELECTED & VERIFIED | |
| 05 | Landing WeightCAUTION: Max landing weight 295,742 kg. If overweight, either burn fuel or request overweight landing. | CONFIRMED WITHIN MLW | |
| 06 | Landing Performance | COMPUTED - VREF SET |
PHS 14 — Approach10 steps
| 01 | Seat Belt Sign | ON | |
| 02 | Anti-Ice | AS REQUIRED | |
| 03 | Flaps | EXTEND ON SCHEDULE (FLAPS 1, 5, 10, 20, 25, 30) | |
| 04 | Landing GearNOTE: Four main gear plus nose gear. Verify all greens. | DOWN (BELOW 270 KIAS) | |
| 05 | Flaps | FLAPS 25 OR 30 (LANDING SETTING) | |
| 06 | Speedbrake | ARMED | |
| 07 | Auto-Brake | SET | |
| 08 | VrefNOTE: Typical Vref at landing weight ~145-160 kts. Stabilize on Vref + wind additive. | CONFIRMED ON BUGS | |
| 09 | Landing Lights | ON | |
| 10 | Approach Checklist | COMPLETE |
PHS 15 — Landing7 steps
| 01 | FinalNOTE: Stabilized by 1,000 ft in IMC. 747 has significant inertia - small early corrections. | STABLE - VREF / GLIDESLOPE | |
| 02 | FlareNOTE: 747 flare initiated at 50 ft, reduce thrust at 30 ft. Aim for gentle touchdown. | GRADUAL - REDUCE THRUST AT 20-30 FT | |
| 03 | Thrust Levers | IDLE AT TOUCHDOWN | |
| 04 | Speedbrakes | AUTO DEPLOY | |
| 05 | Reverse ThrustNOTE: Apply reverse thrust promptly. All four reverses provide significant stopping force. | SELECT - ALL 4 ENGINES | |
| 06 | Auto-Brake | ACTIVE - VERIFY DECELERATION | |
| 07 | At 80 KTSNOTE: Reduce reverse thrust to idle at 80 kts to prevent FOD ingestion. | CANCEL REVERSE THRUST |
PHS 16 — After Landing6 steps
| 01 | Speedbrake | DOWN / VERIFY RETRACTED | |
| 02 | Flaps | RETRACT (5 OR UP) | |
| 03 | Landing Lights | OFF | |
| 04 | Strobe | OFF | |
| 05 | Transponder | STBY | |
| 06 | Taxi Clearance | OBTAINED |
PHS 17 — Shutdown15 steps
| 01 | Parking Brake | SET | |
| 02 | GPUNOTE: Connect ground power before APU shutdown. | CONNECT | |
| 03 | APU | START (FOR GROUND POWER) | |
| 04 | Engine 1 - Fuel Control | CUTOFF | |
| 05 | Engine 2 - Fuel Control | CUTOFF | |
| 06 | Engine 3 - Fuel Control | CUTOFF | |
| 07 | Engine 4 - Fuel Control | CUTOFF | |
| 08 | All Engines | OFF - N2 TO ZERO | |
| 09 | Seat Belt Sign | OFF | |
| 10 | Fuel Pumps | OFF | |
| 11 | Anti-Ice | OFF | |
| 12 | IRS | OFF | |
| 13 | Avionics / Displays | OFF | |
| 14 | APU | OFF (AFTER GROUND POWER CONFIRMED) | |
| 15 | Battery | OFF |