After energizing the EICAS, wait 30 seconds before starting the APU to ensure full system readiness in SkyWest ERJ cockpits

Starter sequence: EICAS first, then the APU

Let me explain a small but crucial cockpit rhythm. When the power is coming up on an ERJ, you don’t just flip switches and pray for a smooth start. You let the systems wake up, you verify they’re talking to each other, and you respect a tiny but important pause. In the SkyWest ERJ cockpit, after energizing the Engine Indication and Crew Alerting System, there’s a deliberate 30-second wait before you touch the APU start switches. Yes, thirty seconds. It’s a simple interval, but it keeps the whole aircraft in sync and safer to operate.

What EICAS actually does for you

EICAS is the heartbeat of the airplane’s electronic visibility. It’s the dashboard, the alarm bell, and the status reporter all rolled into one. It displays engine parameters, fuel status, hydraulic pressures, and system alerts. In a modern cockpit, you depend on it to tell you if something is off, and you rely on its self-checks to confirm that the airplane will behave the way you expect.

That 30-second pause isn’t just a countdown. It’s time for the EICAS to finish its initialization routines, run internal checks, and precondition the displays and annunciations. Think of it like booting a computer. If you rush the startup, the screen might flash a few indicators that haven’t fully settled, or worse, you could miss a lurking fault flag that’s still doing its checks in the background.

Why not start the APU right away?

Starting the APU too early can create a mismatch between what the EICAS is reporting and what’s actually ready in the system. If the EICAS hasn’t completed its self-checks, you might get stale or inaccurate data on the displays. In aviation, timing isn’t a nicety—it’s a safety feature. A short delay allows all indicators to come online, confirms that the EICAS health flags are clear, and ensures the APU can start with a clean slate.

A practical startup flow you can visualize

Here’s a straightforward way pilots typically approach the sequence, keeping it simple but solid:

• Power up and energize EICAS. Let it run through its initialization and display the usual status pages. You’ll notice the system checks, warnings, and status lights cycling through as it confirms everything is in order.

• Pause for 30 seconds. This is the quiet moment where the EICAS completes its self-tests and the crew confirms there are no outstanding faults.

• After the 30 seconds, set up the APU start. Engage the APU start switch and monitor the indications: APU RPM rising, EGT increasing to a normal range, and the APU idle light behaving as expected.

• Confirm the APU stabilizes. The APU should come up to idle and provide bleed and electrical power as needed for the rest of the post-start sequence.

• Continue with the next steps. With the APU running, you’ll have the essential power sources for starting the main engines, air conditioning, and other systems required for taxi and engine start.

If you’re thinking about “what if” scenarios, it helps to keep a mental checklist handy. GPU power, battery status, and whether you’re in a cold-soaked environment can subtly change how you verify the readiness of the EICAS and APU. But the core principle stays the same: give EICAS a moment to wake up, then proceed.

A gentle digression: the human side of startup timing

You might wonder, “Isn’t time money?” Sure, but in the cockpit, timing is a balance between efficiency and safety. The pause is a tiny investment that pays off by reducing the chance of misreads and late fault awareness. In a high-workload moment, you can feel the urge to hurry, especially when you’re on a tight taxi or have a long route ahead. Yet the crew that respects the 30-second rule tends to spend less time chasing false alarms or dealing with unexpected alerts once engines are running.

That’s the human factor in action: procedures aren’t just boxes to tick. They’re designed to keep people and airplanes aligned, especially when conditions aren’t perfect—for example, after a recent pushback, a light rain, or a hot day when components are a touch more sensitive.

Common missteps—and how the 30-second rule helps

• Rushing the start: If you flip to APU start too soon, you might miss a subtle EICAS flag that would have appeared a moment later. A quiet pause makes the system’s readiness obvious, not guesswork.

• Skipping checks on the EICAS page: Some crews skip the full status display and rely on memory. The pause encourages you to review the intended indicators—like “APU OK,” “N1/N2 ranges,” and any caution banners—before committing to the next step.

• Underestimating environmental effects: Cold-soaked starts or humid conditions can affect sensor readings. The 30-second interval gives the system time to stabilize and confirm normal ranges.

From cockpit reality to everyday aviation thinking

If you’re new to the ERJ family, you’ll notice the finger-light touch the crew uses with the EICAS. It’s not just a readout—it’s a live conversation with the airplane. The 30-second rule is a small but meaningful part of that conversation. It’s about building a reliable routine you can carry into unexpected airports, shifted weather, or an unfamiliar gate configuration.

A few practical refinements you might hear discussed in the crew room

• Confirm display configuration before the count starts. Ensuring you’re on the correct EICAS page reduces any ambiguity about what you’re watching.

• Keep a soft rhythm. The pause should feel deliberate, not automatic or robotic. The goal is to be sure the system isn’t catching you off guard.

• Use the time for a quick scan of related systems. While the EICAS is doing its thing, you can verify bleed source selection, electrical bus status, and air conditioning flow paths—things that often matter a lot once the APU starts.

Why this matters for safety and reliability

Here’s the bottom line: the 30-second wait after energizing EICAS isn’t a minor detail. It’s a safeguard that preserves the integrity of the entire startup sequence. If a fault pops up during initialization, you’ve got the time to notice and address it before you commit to the APU start and subsequent engine starts. That early visibility is a big part of preventing cascading issues later in taxi, takeoff, or climb.

Real-world flavor: the ERJ mindset

SkyWest’s ERJ fleet leans on practical, repeatable workflows. The emphasis isn’t dramatic maneuvering but consistent, clear steps that translate across airports, crew teams, and weather quirks. The EICAS-first approach with a 30-second buffer fits that philosophy perfectly. It’s a quiet principle that pays off when you’re crossing daylight thresholds into extended operations or handling an unexpected gate delay that requires you to stay calm and methodical.

Analogies that land

If you’re a car person, think of it as letting the engine computer finish its startup checks before you lean on the accelerator. Or picture a coffee machine with a “ready” light. You don’t press the brew button the moment power comes on—you wait for the machine to signal readiness, then you start the process. The same logic applies in the cockpit, just with higher stakes and more precise indicators.

A note on the broader cockpit rhythm

The ERJ cockpit thrives on crisp sequencing, clear communication, and validated data. The EICAS and APU sequence is one thread in a broader tapestry: flight controls, navigation systems, and environmental controls all must harmonize. Pauses, checks, and confirmations aren’t sluggishness—they’re the quiet pace that keeps everything together when the sky is busy or the ground crew is juggling a few arrivals at once.

Closing thoughts: keep the cadence, trust the flow

If you’re ever tempted to shortcut the startup pace, remember the 30-second rule isn’t a harsh rule so much as a practical safeguard. It’s about letting the EICAS complete its dialogue, giving the airplane a moment to confirm readiness, and then moving on with confidence. That moment of patience can feel almost invisible, but it’s the quiet foundation for safe taxi, smooth engine starts, and reliable operation throughout the flight.

So, when you energize the EICAS on a SkyWest ERJ, count to 30, then proceed to the APU start. You’ll likely notice a calmer, more predictable sequence unfold. And in the end, that calm is what keeps you, your crew, and your passengers safely oriented from engine start to touchdown.