737Type and MS FS2002

[milflyboy]

Are there any good downloads for microsoft Flight Simulator 2002 that you can benefit from when prepping for a 737-2/300 type?

 

[srjorion]

http://tinmouse.org/about.html

Looks exactly like the -200 sim HPA uses. The best part is using it to get used to the autopilot and flight director.

Good luck!

 

[milflyboy]

Thanks !!! - What about flows? Is it good for that sort of thing?

I still have a little over a month before going to HPA for my type.

 

[JAFI]

Look at the "Cockpit Companion" by Bill Bulfer (around $35) or the "Cockpit Review" by Canova Aviation. Each will assist you in the oral and system knowledge. The specific flows and flying will be taught at the training center you go to. You should (IMHO) spend much more time on the system review than practice in the MS Flight Sim.

JAFI

 

[srjorion]

The FlightSim -200 is really only good for getting used to the scan and playing with the FD/Autopilot. I wouldn't spend a lot of time messing with it just as JAFI said. If you have a laptop you can take the -200 sim with you and play with it while you are in the second week. Trust me, it isn't necessary AT ALL and you will pass without it.

 

[milflyboy]

Funny, I didn't even think they would let me use the autopilot for the type rating.

I do have the "Cockpit Companion", but actually prefer just reading the manual. It is nice to get a different perspective on some of the systems and that is mostly what I have used the "Cockpit Companion" for.
I bet the "Cockpit Companion" is very usefull in the cockpit, but I doubt they let us use it for the type

 

[JAFI]

You will not be allowed to use "The Companion" for the type ride. Trust me, you will be too busy to do any reading during the exam. You should already have enough knowledge to pass the oral exam prior to the sim part.

The ability to use auto pilot and any other automation is VERY important for a transport catagory type ride. My sugestion is USE EVERYTHING that will help you untill the examiner tells you to turn it off. You are required by PTS to conduct one single engine ILS that is hand flown, other than that I use the autopilot for the rest of the ride. If you keep the aircraft in trim the autopilot will work just fine even single engine.

Correct Rudder use will save you or kill you with the V1 cuts. Do not use the yoke to correct drift during V1 cuts, especally in the 737. When you turn the yoke past 15 degrees the aircraft will deploy the speed brakes on one wing to "help" in the turn. If you are slow when this happens, you will only get slower. Always try to stay around 10 knots faster during Single engine work to keep from getting too slow. It is easy to slow down, it takes some time to gain any lost speed. I think you will see much more yaw than you saw in the Tweet.

Good luck in the ride.

JAFI

 

[jimpilot]

For what it's worth a hand flown non precision approach is also required as well as an ILS using the autopilot.

Best of luck

 

[JAFI]

Jim, you are correct. I did not give the entire PTS list, and there are waiverable parts listed in the front of the PTS depending on where you take the exam and who for. It can get complicated to make sure everything is covered in the exam.

JAFI

 

[jimpilot]

I didn't mean to be a nit picker, just wanted to mention the hand flown vs. autopilot requirements. My guys do this for a living, so I am just tend to have to be that way.

 

[Swerpipe]

not just the AP

Milflyboy,

I highly recommend the download on the link above. That model (the air file) is almost a replica of what the 737 sim flies like(HPA). In fact, the sim technician at Simuflite put it together. If you practice the profiles and the autopilot use you will be ahead. The single engine work is fairly good as well. Having controls is important. I am not sure how useful it'll be if you just have a joystick but certainly better than nothing.

 

[snoopy_1]

Couple shots of the FS 2004 sim

http://www.flightsimnetwork.com/cgi/dcforum/dcboard.cgi?az=show_thread&om=41346&forum=DCForumID8

 

[milflyboy]

Ok - I guess I waited one day too many with downloading the files. Looks like the site closed down on me. Is it possible for any of you to upload the files to me? (I have a couple of servers in a Data Center in Dallas, so if you have a fast connection it should be a breeze)

If you feel like helping me, please contact me via private messages and I will give you the upload details.

Thanks

 

[ekuflyer]

I have the aircraft file but didn't get the panel or the .air file. If anyone has them lets us know. I could post on my site for future dowloads.

Thanks

 

[milflyboy]

I wonder what happened to http://www.tinmouse.org/

The "We're closed" message doesn't sound good

 

[RideTheWind]

I've all of the files, the panel is a .zip and is 6 megs, there are a couple other files that you need but they're smaller.

It's a very nice panel/aircraft combo, the main panel is done but the overhead only has a working fuel and APU panel, the rest was still in the works.

Let me know how to get them to you.

 

[RideTheWind]

http://tinmouse.org/screenshots.html is up and running again.

 

[milflyboy]

Just wanted to thank everybody who has been helpfull. I bought FS2004 instead of FS2002 and downloaded the files and I must say the outcome is pretty cool.
I am pretty sure that I have saved valuable time in the real sim by playing around with the flight director and the auto pilot flying the different approaches into Memphis Intl.
Does the real auto pilot really suck like the one in FS2004? I haven't seen S turning like that since I went through pilot training

 

[Swerpipe]

Autopilot

It's all a matter of perspective. When I got my type rating (Wow, 3 years ago!) I was a Captain on Metroliner. The Metro has no autopilot, fms or flight director. Consequently, the workload on the Metro is a lot higher than the workload on the 737. The Metro has really stiff controls and is a handful. So one pilot must always be flying while the other one is monitoring and performing all the other functions. Going from that to an airplane with a flight director, autopilot and control wheel steering was like going from the dark ages to the renaissance. The airplane seemed so much easier to fly than the Metro. The aupilot was just awesome. The other folks in the class couldn't say enough negative things about it. Some went so far as to drive 10 hours to go to the -300 sim. So like you see, it's all a matter of perspective. If you fly a Metro you'll love it, if you fly a -700 you'll hate it.

When you fly the autopilot (on FS2004) put the aircraft on an intercept angle and then click heading button off with the VOR/LOC on. It should work correctly now. That is the only difference between the real autopilot and FS2004. On the FS9 version the heading mode fights with the VOR/LOC mode. Another way of doing it is to line up your heading with the localizer and then turn the heading off and the VOR/LOC on.

Good luck with the type and SWA. I'm still waiting for the opportunity to interview. Don't sweat the type. Just study and enjoy the ride. If you're going to HPA congratulations. It's an awesome place.

 

[milflyboy]

I will try your technique. So far I have found that flying it manually until established dead on was the best approach.

Thanks !!

Isn't FS9 and FS2004 the same?

What do you mean by "drive 10 hours to go to the -300 sim"? Isn't is located in Dallas?

 

[Swerpipe]

Depends on your class size

Milflyboy,

I was talking about flying the approach on AP. If you are manual then my technique dosn't matter. On the sim they want you manual before intercepting anyway so you are doing it right. Another thing, the control wheel steering works beautifully in the real sim. When you turn the AP on with no mode selected you are in CWS. When you push the column forward it'll trim itself and you'll hear the trim wheel turning, it's sweet, then it holds pitch.

About driving for the sim, it depends how big is your class. My class had about 20 people. There are not enough simulators for that. So, some may end up driving to Houston for additional sims.

 

[milflyboy]

Interesting. So they did this to avoid the -200 sim? I have heard that you get sims depending on when you paid your deposit. How far in advance do you think it is needed in order to get the -300 in Dallas? I paid mine early October for a February class date.
Is there a difference in what they put on your ATPL?

 

[Swerpipe]

It's hard to predict

Me and my sim partner were the first two to sign up. We only cared about the sim time and I'd rather stay in Dallas. So, we asked for and got the -200 sim at noon. If you want the -300 sim you'll probably get it. Not everybody wanted to drive to Houston. I really would care more about the sim time than whether or not it's a -300. My sim partner was a F-18 driver and he didn't care either. Don't sweat the -200. It seemed that the guys that were flying already the 737 were the ones that cared.

 

[snoopy_1]

Sounds like something is wrong with your setup, are you using the plane and new airfile from www.tinmouse.org? The autopilot will not work correctly with any other plane, have to use theirs. I've never had a problem with it tracking a course.

Working fine here for me going into O'hare
http://forums.avsim.net/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=147&topic_id=182313&mesg_id=182313&page=2

As far as the real sim, your copilot will be setting your flight director and autopilot on your command, you won't need to touch it, the -200 is not hard to fly at all.
Since you've practiced with the tinmouse panel and know how it works you should have no problems.

 

[milflyboy]

Swerpipe, I didn't realize the -300 sim wasn't located in Dallas. If that is the case I will stick to the -200 also. I guess the auto throttle is what people are wanting and since I have never flown with one I am probably not going to miss it.

Snoopy 1, The auto pilot tracks fine on course if you place it on course. The S turning happens if you put it on an intercept heading and then let it intercepts by itself.
I have also noticed sometimes when using heading track it will initially turn the wrong way, but then correct itself.
The flight director works perfect and is way ahead of the autopilot.

I am using b732.041019.air.ffx2.fs2004.zip from Tinmouse.org

 

[snoopy_1]

I used the -200 sim at Simuflite DFW while at Higher Power back in Nov '03, I'm pretty sure there was a -300 at FSI or Alteon (whatever they're calling it now) in Dallas back than.