747 400 PC based Sim (CX prep?)

[big_al]

well the whole point of next-gen aircraft is they are made to be very pilot friendly.

 

[Bjammin]

Temporarily breaking my rule about not bringing up FS round real pilots... No way the PMDG is too hard. I'm just a below-average prop trash student, and I figured it out just fine, and I'll probably never see the cockpit of a transport category jet, let alone hold a type. I deliberately didn't read the manual when I bought it and tried to see how hard it was to "just figure out". I had no problems getting it started and off the ground. I was left thinking "There has to be a problem here because there's no way in hell the real thing is this easy to figure out."

If you want to do it CORRECTLY you need to know about the systems, set-up, etc:

How many packs did you have on for start?

What does the N2 have to be before fuel introduction?

How do you program V1, Vr, V2, and how did you load the route into the FMC?

Do you know the fuel transfer #'s?

My point is that if you have an interview in the -400 sim for CX this all may be more then you need, but if you go in there thinking you know how it's done and screw up V speed entry into the FMC or try something strange with the mode control panel, etc: you may look like a dumba--.

PMDG is a great tool, but if you want to use it correctly you should have some knowlege of the procedures.

 

[dseagrav]

I guess I misunderstood you; I thought you meant it was too confusing/difficult to use. I tend toward believing it's way too forgiving. For example, there's only one FS model I know about that will actually cook the engine if you open the fuel too fast when starting, and it's a King Air. FS will let you get away with not caring about many things that matter in real life, most notably the lack of someone to bitch at you for not following procedure/doing something retarded/playing computer games/etc. I do not think of FS as anything other than entertainment when I can't afford to fly (which is most of the time). Supposedly FS-X is going to have more systems modelling capability when it comes out, which will allow the addon developers to do more stuff. It's still just a game though.

 

[AC560]

If you want to do it CORRECTLY you need to know about the systems, set-up, etc:

How many packs did you have on for start?

What does the N2 have to be before fuel introduction?

How do you program V1, Vr, V2, and how did you load the route into the FMC?

Do you know the fuel transfer #'s?

That is what my virtual co-pilot is for, I generally read a magazine and chat with the virtual stewardess.

 

[dseagrav]

Actually, there IS a virtual FO for the virtual 747. He also virtually can't fly the airplane. ^_^ And I'm not quite dorky enough to shell out the extra $20 for it.

 

[AC560]

Actually, there IS a virtual FO for the virtual 747. He also virtually can't fly the airplane. ^_^

From what I read on this forums most real world FO's can't fly the airplane either

 

[Bjammin]

PMDG helped me HUGE with my last line check. It is NOT a game to me. I can load CX routes and fly approches down to mins with the autopilot then execute a go-around. It is JUST like the real airplane. The mode changes when you press the TO/GA, the interaction with the autopilot panel, the LNAV/VNAV fuctions all work correctly. It blows my mind every time I use it.

I hope you don't think it is I that is bitching at you. I just think that a tool such as this should not be understated for it's potential value.

If you want to just fly it around without any knowlege of what you're doing, GREAT!, but it CAN truly be incredibly useful and a great learning device for those so inclined.

Get some 747-400 procedures manuals, plan a route with a real HI chart along with SIDS and STARS, and program the FMC with some realistic loads and fuels and there is absolutly NO difference in what the real airplane flys like.

I flew into SFO 7+ times in PMDG using real plates, LNAV/VNAV, LOC / G/S intercept fuctions, all the Vref speeds, AUTOBRAKES, NAV RAD page setup, as well as loading all the STARS and approaches before doing it for the first time in the jet on a line check. It was exactly the same! Throw in x-winds and weather down to mins and you have an amazing trainer.

 

[SMOOTHRIDE]

Bjammin;

Wow, that's a pretty good endorsement for PMDG, and that's the best post on this thread so far, and very useful to future CX interviewees. Thanks for being honest! Good times.

SR

 

[dseagrav]

From what I read on this forums most real world FO's can't fly the airplane either

That's the joke I was making. It's semi-serious though. The virtual PMDG FO (FS2Crew) can't read any of the gauges or switch positions due to technical limitations, so he is essentially blind. He can't fly the airplane.

There's another FS2Crew virtual FO for the Level-D 767. A friend of mine has both of them. I'm giving serious thought to buying the 767 one. (It's like $20, that's less than a tank of gas, which is probably bad...) That one can actually read the gauges and such and fly the airplane, so you can pretend to do all that fun CRM stuff, even down to stupid things happening that require you to call operations people on the radio and complain about it. From what I saw it seems the primary function of the FO is to complain that you taxi too fast. As far as I know it won't interrupt you if you actually do something stupid like run out of runway or feed him stupid numbers, but it will set flaps and gear and radios, and it can fly the airplane. In both cases though, since you're the Captain, you don't actually DO anything, just order the FO around. I'd probably get bored of it after a few trips, but it'd be something new to learn about, and I'm usually up for that. Oh, and it simulates paperwork. There's a lot of that. You have to click on things to sign them.

I would think a virtual captain would be more educational, as it would make you do all the work but in a realistic manner, but since the computer sucks at making complex decisions like do-I-want-coffee-now (Yes, the thing actually has a virtual FA who will periodically call and complain about the passengers, the cabin temperature, odd noises, and occasionally offer coffee), he would probably just get you killed all the time. I read FI more than I should, so I have some idea what to expect from the virtual crew, and to tell the truth I expected a lot more complaining and things to complain about. There's never any broken equipment, the FO and FA are generally nice, sociable people that don't make you desire to punch them, and the company people on the radio are generally nice and react quickly to whatever problem you're having. It does have passengers doing stupid things, like an air-rage divert, and I saw it do a bird strike once, but all that did was play a very loud bang on the speakers that caused me to just about ******************** my pants because I wasn't paying attention, and then it drew a broken window. The author of the program has expressed a desire to add more stupidity later, though.

Anyway, back to the 744; I do have some idea of what I am up to. I don't have a canned checklist or anything like that, I just know how to get a route from point A to point B into the computer and get the airplane to do what I want. It's just that it's my understanding that I should not be able to do that, so I interpreted it as the computer making things too easy. I suppose until I see a real 744 (Or a level D sim) I am not in any position to judge how easy or difficult it is, but I can guess. If anything it does a really good job of illustrating how to press buttons and what to expect when you press them.

 

[big_al]

im just trying to find out what cost index companise use, especially cathay cargo. is this a closely guarded secret?