November 7, 200421 yr Dear PMDG,I have been flying the PMDG NGs for quie a while now and I always considered them great products. But of course, not being a pilot I always wondered just how real it was.Well, today, I found out. I spend a few hours in a real 737 motion-simulator and I am still amazed at just how familiar I was with everything. Aside from a few expected differences (location of TO/GA button for example) I managed to start the engine, taxi, and perfrom several take-offs and landings. I flew visual and ILS approaches, used VNAV/LNAV, called up FMC pages and functions - the whole nine yards. While it took me a moment to get used to the control forces and such, my take-offs and landings were great. When landing at KSFO, I touched down so softly, I wasn't even sure that I had touched down until the speedbrakes deployed and the nose wheel came down. I kept saying that this was just like "my sim at home" Duh!. More like the other way around, but that's exactly the point. :)To sit down in a full size 737 motion sim and actually knowing what I was doing was just unbelievably cool (and yes, I knew that my 1 engine out-landing at EDDF was.. shall we say "loose"). If I ever hear any of my friend give me a hard time for "doing that flying thing on the computer again," I can actually shut them up :) I liked the PMDG 737 before, but having experienced just how real it is AND how much I knew because of it, was incredible. Thank you so much for putting so much great work in such a great product!
November 7, 200421 yr Aside from a few expected differences (location of TO/GA button for example) Well let's give credit where it is due, look at the virtual cockpit's throttle TOGA and say that again ;-)Best Wishes,[h4]Randy J. Smith[/h4]http://www.rawbw.com/~bdoolin/shinault/southparkcartmad.gif[h3]I WANT MY 747![/h3]Caution! Not a real pilot, but do play one on TV ;-) Randy J Smith
November 7, 200421 yr Hi Torsten,Thanks for sharing your experience, very fun and interesting to read since I belive there are lots of us here wondering the same thing you did...until now that is...;)Actually I'm going to have this oppourtunity in January next year but it will be in a 767 and a MD80 so I guess I won't feel as familiar as you did but hopefully I will at least have some benefits from all my hours spent with the lovely PMDG 737!All the best and happy flying,
November 7, 200421 yr We get a lot of PMDG users who come and put their skills to the real test in the 737NG full-motion simulator - and they always do incredibly well. Our instructors love it as they can just sit back and let the customer 'get on with it', even setting up the overhead panel, starting the engines and programming the FMC!In terms of the closeness between PC simulator and full-motion simulator there's nothing in my opinion that comes close to the PMDG 737.The full-motion A320 simulator is another real favourite with our customers but the PSS Airbus product gives you no 'feel' of how lovely this aircraft is to fly. Flying the 737NG simulator will make you want to fly PMDG more, and flying the Airbus simulator will make you feel that flying the PSS Airbus is time wasted.
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