Flight Factor A359 Startup Checklist

Written by Jeff Bishop EVX0138

Revised 2020-12-17

This is by no means an official checklist for the Flight Factor A359 however I have found that it helps
me avoid many of the issues people have been asking about in the Facebook groups. This list will
include setting up your flight plan, configuring your flight in ACARS for flying with EveryAir Virtual,
submitting your flight plan to VATSIM as well as the actual cold and dark startup routine for the
aircraft itself. You of course can skip the parts that do not apply to you.

What you will need:

I assume that you already have X-Plane 11 as well as the A359 installed.

An EveryAir Virtual pilot ID. You can join our VA here - http://va.everythingxplane.net/
SimToolkitPro - https://simtoolkitpro.co.uk/
Xpilot - http://xpilot-project.org/
A VATSIM account - https://www.vatsim.net/
A Simbrief account - https://www.simbrief.com/home/
A350-900 Flight Deck and System Briefing for Pilots manual -
https://www.smartcockpit.com/docs/a350-900-flight-deck-and-systems-briefing-for-pilots.pdf
Navigation Display Symbols – This is for the 320 but will help you understand what is being shown
http://www.a320dp.com/A320_DP/flight-instruments/sys-8.2.0.html

1- Setup your flight plan

If this is your first time running SimToolkitPro, you will need to add an aircraft to your fleet before you
can create a flight plan. Click on Fleet to add your aircraft

In the upper left corner, click on Add Aircraft

Under airframe enter A359 and select A350-900

In the airline box, enter your EveryAir call sign without spaces for example EVX0138

Enter your registration number. This can be whatever you would like but most use the format for their
home country.

Click on OK

Next click on flight planning

Click on Create a new plan

Enter your departure and arrival airport ICAO codes. For example, CYEG to KDTW
Under aircraft, type A359. You should see the aircraft that you just added to your fleet Once you select
it it will automatically enter your EveryAir call sign in the ATC Call Sign box.

Enter your flight number. I usually just use my EveryAir Call sign. This needs to be split into two
sections. The first section in the first box under flight number, then the numbers in the second sections

Click on generate plan. You should see a popup open asking for your Simbrief username and password
Once you have entered your information you should see the flight plan shown in SimToolkitPro.

Click on export and select Export for FMS Plan file. Select X-Plane 11 and then add a .fms suffix to the
file name. You will want to save the file in your X-Plane11/output/FMS Plans folder and click save

Click on OK in the bottom right of the box to close out exporting the flight planning

Click on Profile, then VATSIM profile. This will allow you to file your flight plan with the VATSIM
network

Make sure your information such as call sign, type of aircraft, etc are correct and at the bottom of the
page click on File Plan. You should see a message saying that your flight plan has been filed

Next, open X-Plane and go to your departure airport

In SimToolkitPro select Fly Now. This will take you to your flight summary

EveryCARS Flight Setup

Click on the flights tab on the left side

Enter the number portion of your EVX ID. For example EVX0138 you would just enter 0138 in the
numeric flight ID box

Enter your Cruise Altitude in feet

Enter your departure and arrival ICAO codes

In the dropdown, select your aircraft type.

In SimToolkitPro OFP page, copy the flight route. It will look something like this:

CYEG/02 DCT JEVON DCT IMOTA DCT YBR DCT DLH DCT GRB KDTW/04R

Copy your flight route and enter it in the route section of ACARS

Click on Create

In the next screen, click on the flight that you just created.

Click on Fly
On the Flying Offline dropdown, select VATSIM if you are flying on the network

Once you have X Plane loaded and you are at your departure airport, click on Start to begin tracking
your flight

A359 Cold and dark checklist

On the overhead panel, turn on BAT1, EMER BAT1, EMER BAT2 and BAT2

On the Pedestal, turn up the Flood light if needed

On the overhead, In the AIR section:

Airflow NORM

Air set to Auto

Turn on PACK 1 and PAC 2

Turn on ENG 1 Bleed, Hot air 1, Hot air 2 and ENG 2 bleed

Set the ckpt and cabin temperature settings to the 11 oclock position

In the OIS Options settings, select CKPT Auto Prep and Force Align IRS

On the OIS ground dropdown, click on Auto Config. Also enable Air Conditioning, Ground Power Unit
LS & RS

Under the Airplane dropdown, select Cabin and turn up the lighting

Back on the overhead panel, in the Electric section turn on EXT 1 and EXT 2

Next turn on the remaining systems on the overhead

Now we will take care of the lighting:

Under EXT LT, set strobe to Auto, turn on Beacon, NAV and set Logo to Auto

Under Signs turn on Seat Belts, No Smoking and arm EMER Exit LT

Captains EFIS Control panel setup:

Enable CSTR

Click on the W key

Cancel the master caution light

Set your initial climb altitude. If you are not flying on VATSIM enter your cruise altitude

Set the correct Altimeter setting

Set the ND View selector to ARC

Set the zoom level as required to show your flight plan in the ND

OIS configuration setup

Turn up your Console LT if needed

Select the ground service dropdown

Click on Ground Equipment

Click on Auto Configure

Select Doors & Hatches

Open 1L, 2L, FWD, AFT, Bulk doors

Select the Airplane dropdown

Click on the Fuel tab

In SimbriefToolkitPro, scroll down to the planned fuel section in the OFP

Note the Block Fuel information

Back in the Fuel tab, click on the Light button, then click on the Destination number. This is where you
will enter the block fuel data. In my case it is 25603. I enter that and press enter on my keyboard. This
will load the needed fuel as well as give me a little extra just in case it is needed.

Click on Implement and you should see Fuel Loaded under the status sections

Click on the Passengers tab

In SimbriefToolkit, note the runway lengths. Then determine if you want light, middle or heavy
passenger count. The heavier you are the longer the runway will need to be. Once selected, click on
implement.

Finally click on the PERF Calculator tab. We will come back to this shortly
Next to the Warning display, turn on the Break Fan, Anti Skid and RTO Arm

Below the MFD, click on the SURV button. On the MFD click on Default Settings. This will turn on all
of your needed systems such as WXR, Gain, TERR mode etc. Next click on the F-Plan button.

Radio setup

Open Xpilot and click on Connect

On the Radio Managament Panel 1, turn up the volume for VHF1 and click the volume knob to enable
it.

Above the knob, there is a button to select VHF1 as your transmit radio. Click on it to light it up

In the Standby VHF1 radio, click on the soft key right of the displayed frequency. You can now set the
frequency you will be using at your departure airport. When you click on the soft key the frequency
will turn blue. Enter the frequency on the number pad on the radio. For example, if you will be using
VATSIM Unicom, enter 22800. The radio will automatically enter the 1 and also the decimal for the
frequency. To make this frequency active, click on the soft key on the left side of the VHF1 radio. You
will now see that the frequency you entered is on the left side of the radio.

Turn up the CAB volume knob. This is what sets the volume if you are paged by the crew

If you wan to hear PA announcements, turn up the PA voume

ECAM control panel setup

Click on the ENG button. This will display engine information on the MFD

Set Ground Spoilers

Next, arm your ground spoilers. Click on the speed brake handle and slide that handle upward as far as
it will go.

ECAM Control Panel setup

Enable both SYS1 buttons for WXR TAWS

Enable both SYS1 buttons for XPDR TAWS

Set Flaps

Move the flaps lever to the desired setting for takeoff

Lock the cockpit door

RMP3 Flight Plan Setup

Make sure your ARAC cycle is current. If not you can update it through Navigraph

Click on the INIT key

We will be entering the information from the top left down the left hand side

Click on the load soft key

Select the correct flight plan

In the SimToolkit Pro OFP, check the Alternate airport and enter it in the proper place

Enter your flight number. Usually this would be your EVX call sign

Check the cost index in the SimToolkitPro OFP and enter it next

Enter your assigned cruise altitude. This will be in flight level and not feet (40000 feet is flight level
400)

On the right side, click on Wind, and then Wind Request to load the wind data for your flight

Click on return

Click on the PROG button. Enter your destination airport ICAO and expected runway. In my case I am
expecting runway 4 right in Detroit, so I would enter KDTW04R and click on the soft key next to the
TO box. Once entered you should see your distance to destination as well as a baring to the airport.

Now we need to contact ATC is one is available on VATSIM and request clearance to out destination.
In my case I am flying to Detroit Metro airport.
I was told to expect runway 2 for my departure. I will then fly direct to the JEVON waypoint and then
expect to be cleared to continue on course to my destination. Initial altitude will be 5000 feet, expect
clearance to flight level 400 within 5 minutes of my departure. Taxi to the runway using Alpha Charlie
and then hold short of Alpha. Start engines at pilots discretion and advise when holding short of alpha.

Now on RMP3 click on F-Plan. Then click on your departure airport. Next click on Departure.

Select the runway assigned, then click on No SID.

Click on TMPY F-PLN to take you back to the flight plan list

I see there is a discontinuity shown. Click on the CLR button, then click on the line showing the
discontinuity to clear it out.

Now click on TMPY Insert to make the flight plan active.

Click through the flight plan to make sure there aren’t any more discontinuities. If so, clear them out as
above. If there is a MANUAL line showing above the discontinuity, clear that out fires, then clear out
the discontinuity and click on TMPY F-Plan to make the changes active.

Now, click on the PERF button where we will enter our V Speeds.

Go back to the OIS display and make sure you are in the PERF Calculator page

Under RWY Slope enter 00 and entering

Under the Flap Setting enter your flaps that you selected for takeoff. Mine was 2

You should now see your V speeds that you will enter in RMP3. In my case

v1 is 157
vR is 164
v2 is 166
Flex is 52

Go back to RMP3 and enter the speeds in the correct place

for FLAPS/THS enter your flaps number and THS. I usually use 2/up2.0 for this entry

Next press the INIT button and the right arrow key to bring you to were we enter our Zero Fuel Weight,
Zero Fuel Weight Centre of Gravity and our Block Fuel.

In SimToolKit Pro click on the LOAD button next to your departure airport. For the ZFW you will
enter the first 4 digits of that number. In my case the number is 173546 kg. So I enter 173.5, then a
slash, then the GWCG shown on the perf calculator tab of the OIS. So I enter 173.5/22.2

Next enter your total block fuel number. That will be found on the Fuel tab of the OIS. In my case it is
30.1

You are now finished with programming your departure flight plan. You will come back here to finish
the arrival flight plan when given the arrival information from ATC.

On the SERV Control Panel, click on the APU button

In the OIS, select the ground service dropdown, click on doors & hatches then click on close all

On the cab announcements dropdown, select safety demonstration and click play

On the overhead, under the APU section:

Turn on APU Bleed

Turn on APU Master SW

Click on START
In the EXT LT section, turn on RWY Turnoff, Wing, and TAXI lights

Watch the System Display as the APU spins up. Once the APU is stable you can disconnect ground
power by turning off EXT 1 and EXT 2 on the overhead panel

On the OIS, click on the Ground Equipment tab and turn off everything that is enabled

On the SERV control panel, select ENG

Click on TO Config to have the aircraft check the configuration for takeoff. You can see the results of
the test in the warning display. Normally it would read TO Config Normally

If ATC said that pushback and engine start is at pilots discretion, you are now ready to push back from
the gate and start your engines. After pushback, in the engine master section on the pedestal, turn the
ENG Start switch to IGN Start and turn on engine 1 and 2. Watch them spin up in the system display.
Once they have stabalized you can turn off the APU and close the APU Bleed on the overhead.

Move the engine start switch from ignition to NORM

On the SURV Control Panel click on the CRZ button. This will allow you to see the most common
items on the System Display during flight.

Departure

Taxi to the runway according to ATC instructions

When given clearance for departure, line up on the active runway

In the MAG HDG on the glareshield, dial in the runway heading

Make sure your landing lights are on and double check your altimeter setting

Slowly apply throttle to TOGA.

At V1, rotate

On positive climb, retract the landing gear

Reduce throttle to climb

Enable auto pilot and hover your mouse over the altitude setting knob on the glareshield. Move your
mouse so it shows a hand with a finger pointing upward and click the mouse. This will tell the aircraft
to manage the climb according to the constraints in the flight plan

Retract flaps at the proper speed

Set MAG HDG to managed (has --- in the display). This will allow the aircraft to follow the flight plan
Disable ground spoilers by setting the speed brake to the first line. You can verify that they are disabled
by checking the PFD.

At the transition altitude, change to STD altimeter setting

At FL100, turn off RWY Turnoff, Wing, Landing and TAXI lights

At cruise altitude, turn off the seat belt sign

Arrival RMP 3 setup

When about 200 nm to your destination, check the arrival metar. You do this in SimToolkitPro in the
current flight tab.

Click on PERF, then next phase until you get to the APPR screen.

You will need to enter the altimeter, the temperature and the wind direction and speed into the MCDU

Near top of descent, dial in your target altitude into the ALT setting, If ATC is online they will give you
your first descent step. If they are not online, for an ILS approach select 1700 feet AGL for ILS
intercept. When you reach your TOD, point your mouse at the altitude setting knob and when you see a
hand with a finger pointing up, click. This will allow the aircraft to manage the descent according to
your flight plan.

When you are approximately 100 NM from your arrival airport, in the RMP 3 MCDU click on PERF
and enable approach phase.

While you approach your destination, ATC will give you an arrival runway. If no ATC is available, you
can see your arrival runway on your flight plan in SimToolkitPro. On the RMP 3 MCDU you will see
on the bottom left of the display a white section labeled DEST with your arrival ICAO. Click on the
soft key next to it and then click on Arrival.

Select the assigned runway and then select the STAR if one was given in your flight plan route.

Select the transition and via if one was assigned

Once everything has been selected, click on TMPY F-PLN to take you back to your flight plan list

Click on TMPY Insert

Check the flight plan for any discontinuities and clear them out using the same steps as the departure
programming

Fly as directed by ATC or your programmed flight plan if no ATC is available. ATC may direct you to a
specific waypoint, descend to a specific altitude, altitude and speed constraints, etc.
If you are flying an ILS approach, click on the LS button on the glareshield about 50 miles from your
destination. When flying an RNAV you do not need to click on this button

Set ground spoilers and auto brake

When passing through your transition altitude, change from STD altimeter to the actual altimeter
setting according to ATC or METAR if no ATC is available.

When in final approach, click on the APPR button on the glareshield and then click on AP2. Both AP1
and AP2 should be lit and the aircraft will track the glideslope to the runway.

Once the glideslope and localizer are locked, lower the landing gear

You now have a choice to either allow the aircraft to use auto land or once the runway is in sight you
can turn off AP1 and AP2 and land manually.

Once on the ground, autobrake will activate and your ground spoilers will deploy to help slow the
aircraft. Now activate thrust reversers to slow the aircraft to taxi speed

EveryCARS Flight Setup

Click on the flights tab on the left side

Enter the number portion of your EVX ID. For example EVX0138 you would just enter 0138 in the
numeric flight ID box

Enter your Cruise Altitude in feet

Enter your departure and arrival ICAO codes

In the dropdown, select your aircraft type.

In SimToolkitPro OFP page, copy the flight route. It will look something like this:

CYEG/02 DCT JEVON DCT IMOTA DCT YBR DCT DLH DCT GRB KDTW/04R

Copy your flight route and enter it in the route section of ACARS

Click on Create

In the next screen, click on the flight that you just created.

Click on Fly

On the Flying Offline dropdown, select VATSIM if you are flying on the network

Click on Start
Taxi to the runway using ATC instructions