Engine Controls — ENG START Selector, MASTER, N1 MODE, MAN START, FADEC GND PWR
This article gathers every pilot engine control — the ENG START selector, ENG MASTER lever, ENG N1 MODE pb, ENG MAN START pb, FADEC GND PWR pb and ENG FIRE pb — scattered through earlier articles, into one panel view: what the crew actually touches, where, and how they work together. It closes the panel tier and is the operational basis for the start.
1. Control layout
Per the overhead panel, ENG MAN START 1/2 (one ON pb-sw per engine) and ENG N1 MODE 1/2 (one pb-sw per engine) — one MAN START and one N1 MODE per engine.
| Control | Location | Function | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| ENG MASTER lever (ON/OFF) | pedestal | open/cut LP+HP fuel (start/shutdown) | 04 (DSC-70-40-30) |
| ENG START selector (NORM/IGN-START/CRANK) | pedestal | start mode | DSC-70-90-20 (§3) |
| Thrust levers (IDLE↔TOGA) | pedestal | TLA thrust request | 03 (DSC-70-35-30) |
| ENG MAN START pb (1/engine, ON) | overhead | manual start / crank | 07 |
| ENG N1 MODE pb (1/engine) | overhead | OFF can return to EPR mode | 03 (DSC-70-35-20) |
| FADEC GND PWR pb | maintenance panel | ground FADEC power, 5 min | 11 (DSC-70-90-30) |
| ENG FIRE pb | overhead | 8 actions (fire cut) | 12 (DSC-26-20-20) |
2. ENG START selector — three positions
ENG START SELECTOR — NORM : Normal mode of operation. IGN/START : ‐ Initiate the automatic or manual start sequences... when the ENG MASTER lever is set to OFF, or ‐ Initiate the ignitors in flight as required. CRANK : ‐ Initiate the dry crank process... when the ENG MASTER lever is set to OFF and the ENG MAN START pb-sw is set to ON. ‐ Initiate the wet crank process for maintenance purposes...
Per DSC-70-90-20: NORM normal operation; IGN/START initiates the automatic/manual start (ENG MASTER OFF) or in-flight ignition; CRANK initiates dry crank (ENG MASTER OFF + ENG MAN START ON) or wet crank for maintenance.
3. The other controls
- ENG MASTER: ON opens LP+HP fuel for start / OFF cuts + dump valve purge (04).
- ENG N1 MODE pb: in N1 mode, on ground, with the failure cleared, OFF returns to EPR mode (03).
- FADEC GND PWR pb: ground power for 5 min (ENG FIRE not pressed + alternator not supplying, 11).
- ENG FIRE pb: the eight actions that cut the engine's energy (12).
4. Starting an engine — the control sequence
1. ENG START selector → IGN/START (ENG SD appears, pack valves close)
2. ENG MASTER lever → ON (LP opens → start valve opens → ignition N3 25-30% → HP opens → N3≥50% start valve closes)
3. monitor N3 / EGT / N2 / N1 spin-up, AVAIL
4. ENG START selector → NORM (start complete)
if it fails → ENG MAN START pb ON for a manual start; or CRANK + MAN START ON for a dry crank
[!warning]- MAN START and N1 MODE are one per engine, overhead — a normal start uses the pedestal A normal start uses only the pedestal ENG START selector + ENG MASTER (DSC-70-90-20 / 04); the overhead MAN START (1/engine) is only for manual start/crank, and N1 MODE (1/engine) only for EPR-loss return. Do not use the overhead controls for a routine start.
Self-test
[!note]- Q1. The two control areas? Pedestal (ENG MASTER lever / ENG START selector / thrust levers) + overhead (ENG MAN START / N1 MODE / FADEC GND PWR / ENG FIRE).
[!note]- Q2. The ENG START selector's three positions? NORM (normal) / IGN/START (start + in-flight ignition) / CRANK (dry crank / wet crank maintenance).
[!note]- Q3. How many MAN START / N1 MODE per engine? One each per engine, overhead.
[!note]- Q4. Which controls for a normal start? Pedestal ENG START → IGN/START + ENG MASTER → ON → start complete → NORM; the overhead MAN START only if it fails.
Key takeaways
| Point | Detail |
|---|---|
| Pedestal | MASTER lever / START selector / thrust levers |
| Overhead | MAN START / N1 MODE / FADEC GND PWR / ENG FIRE |
| ENG START | NORM / IGN-START / CRANK (dry crank MASTER OFF + MAN START ON) |
| Per engine | MAN START and N1 MODE, one each |
| Normal start | pedestal only (START selector + MASTER) |
References
- FCOM DSC-70-90-20 — ENG START selector three positions (NORM / IGN-START / CRANK dry/wet).
- Function of the other controls: DSC-70-40-30 (04), DSC-70-35-30 / 35-20 (03), DSC-70-90-30 (11), DSC-26-20-20 (12).
- ENG overhead panel diagram (FCOM) — ENG MAN START 1/2 + ENG N1 MODE 1/2 (one each per engine).
Independent study material, not an Airbus publication and not endorsed by the manufacturer. Always defer to the current operator FCOM, FCTM, and QRH for operational use.