737 simulator

[Guest ozzie]

finally got to use my christmas present today. a 90 minute session in the 737 simulator at Darling Harbour.

 

A great experience. full on cockpit with 180 deg view.

 

started off with a tour of the glass and the flight systems quick brief for the reference numbers flap positions and the tricky little gates on the lever, auto throtttles, gear, nav and ten minutes later push the throttles up to 40 per cent push the auto throttle button and fly the aircraft with both hands. instructor call speed at 80, V1 of 133kts VR 140 pole back for ten degrees nose up and blast thru the saftey speed. scrolling VSI show 2000 fpm call positive ROC and gear up back to flaps 5. check attitude ten and flaps up. auto throttle pulls the power back to hold the selected 150kts. whew! off for a left circuit level off 4000ft power comes way way back. zippy little thing. wants to fly slightly nose high about 5 deg. slow up a bit turn base descend gear out bit of flap. more flap trim and turn final, instructor handles the radio. little right of center line full flap power comes up to keep the speed. touchdown about 100mts in and go back to t/o power instructor resets flaps to 15 and speed brakes. and off for the touch and go. i'm really working here. bit of a shaky approach for the next one but got it to the centre line lower the nose and full reverse power and auto brake stops it. The next hour was spent on a melb /syd sector. starting at the air gate with full cheack list call out. set up the nav auto pilot call for push back and start up, finish the after start and pre take off check and follow a Qantas air bus to the active. steering with the tiller. call line up and ready. deep breath and let the auto throttle do it's thing concentrate on the center line VR and pole back away we go again . top out at FL27 follow the pink line to the first nav point and onto auto pilot. just manageing to stay in front of it. not the neatest of ever done but then really uncurrent on flying to numbers. there was a bit of a software issue between the auto pilot and atttude indicator and it spent the whole of cruise chasing itself. the cruise section was sped up and the 15 minutes it took to get to top of decent was working out the rest of the systems and flight managent and some general flying chit chat. hostee button remained unanswered. run through the approach chart set the auto throttle speed and down to 4000ft, join downwind for a westerly approach. configure early. and here the graphics let me down. picking out the runway from 5 miles was difficult and i spent to much time looking for it rather than look at the flight director and line it up by following the pink line.

 

about a mile half out the graffics came good and again got it to the center line before decision hight. good touchdown auto brake and reverse and got the first taxy way. feeling pretty good with myself as we i came to the gate. full check list shut down. great fun. i really recommend it. 2 hrs would be good. you can pick any airport. dvd as well and of course the complimentry photo. i think i'll log it:thumb_up:

 

Ozzie

 

 

 

[Guest Brett Campany]

Nice work Oz, that's awesome!

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Go Ozzie, Didn't get a chance to do any uncommanded full rudder deflection did you ?. And those hosties just aren't as good as they used to be, no respect for real skill or talent I suppose..........

 

 

[Simonflyer]

How much fun is it!!!

 

It was a trip to one of those things that got me flying...

 

I bought my Grandpa 90 minutes on one for his 80th birthday(he used to fly tiger moths 65 years ago with his mates).He had a ball as did i sitting in the navigators seat watching it all, and it was chatting with the instructor on the day that gave me the belief that i could actually do it..That i wasnt too old, too poor(although that may be the case any minute!at least im happy!) or too stupid....

 

Now Im a third of the way through a PPL/CPL course and have been thankfully introduced to the brilliant RA world where i have completed most of the endorsements..

 

Gotta love it..:thumb_up:

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

Yes it was a lot of fun and jets are not that hard to get on top of. their weight is something that can catch you out. the 90 minutes went way to fast. like to go back and do some more try some cross winds and emergency procedures. you can be as serious as you want.

 

and for those who have had a close encounter with a rpt i found that very little time is spent looking outside the cockpit. so don't expect them to see you.

 

MJR very litttle if any rudder in the turns the yaw damper keeps it balanced. but you use heaps keeping the thing pointed down the runway. roll it into the turn and once you have the bank angle you return the wheel to centre, there is a detent, and let go it will hold the bank. pitch sensitive. the AH is marked in 2 deg increments instead of the normal five.

 

ozzie

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

i think it was around $300 but check their site

 

www.flightexperience.com

 

 

[Guest tmpffisch]

There's a 747 sim in Sydney that an enthusiast has setup which is well worth having a fly on rather than the 737. The 747 is full motion where the 737 is fixed.

 

All in all though, not bad for Microsoft Flight Sim 2004....