A gas turbine engine has a compressor section, a low spool, and a fan. The fan delivers air into the compressor section and into a bypass duct having a variable area nozzle. The compressor section compresses air and delivers it into a combustion section. The combustion section mixes air with fuel, igniting the fuel, and driving the products of the combustion across a turbine. The turbine drives the low spool. A control for the gas turbine engine is programmed to position the nozzle at startup of the engine to increase airflow across the fan. A variable inlet guide vane is positioned upstream of the compressor section. The control also positions the variable inlet guide vane at start-up to increase air flow across the compressor section.