Philip, like all the rest I'll start with expressing my condolences of your loss and go on by saying it indeed was an amazing story I'm pretty sure we all dream about would come true someday!Then to the subject the real thing vs PMDG. This has without doubt been one of the most exciting days in my life! Got back home a few hours ago after flying a real full motion 737-700 sim at SAS Flight Academy here in Sweden. Was able to complete the whole flight without any problems, and that goes both for working the different systems as for actually beeing able to fly and handle the aircraft. Did a takeoff, handflew the a/c for about 15 mins and then returned to the airfield for an ILS approach where I went 'heads up' and disconnected the autopilot and called for 'speed off' and touched down gently on the centerline. To be honest, I thought it was easier to land the "real" a/c than the PMDG since you get a whole different and much better view in the full motion sim than you could possibly get infront of your monitor. And to be able to go through the different checklists with the instructor was very cool and impressed him alot, thanks for that Bryan York ;-)Like most people in here, I've been flying the PMDG 737 ALOT and also been using FS2Crew since it was released to learn the "real" workflows and routines for the various stages of flight from the Receiving Aircraft Checklist to the Termination Checklist. The biggest question I always asked myself until tonight was "Could I actually do this in the real thing?" And now I have the answer..."Yes, I can!" :-) Of course it was still a simulator and not the REAL real a/c and it was a short and simple flight under good conditions but still...it feels so cool :-)!!So...THANK YOU both PMDG and Bryan with your FS2Crew for your great products I've learnt so much from and had so many hours of pure joy with!!Will sum this post up with a pic from tonight with a very happy "armchair pilot" in the left seat ;-)All the best,http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/108507.jpg

Dear Philip, I'm very sorry to hear about your sister. You know I really liked what you said so I'm gonna make a print out of your post and frame it and hang it on the wall next to my monitor!well I hope things go well with the captain and all for you lucky devil}( .... just kidding, nothing personal !Vala

Another very cool story. You guys are really making me jealous ;) Congratulations on getting to fly on the simulator, Richard.KP

Hi Ken,Thanks, and yes...I was very lucky indeed who got the chance to try this out. It was a colleague in my group at work who knows a person working at SAS Flight Academy who arranged this as a kind of a 'Kick-Off'...and let me tell you I wasn't dissapointed when I heard what we were going to do on the Kick-Off :-)Cheers,

Richard, Congrats! That was really cool too, you are very lucky. It is funny that two of us have had such experiences so close together. I have to make this post fast because I am on my way out the door. I just got a call from the lady pilot and she had a surprise for me, she has scheduled several hours of full motion sim time for the two of us in a couple of weeks. On top of that she has a big surprise for me after we are done in the sim, she will not tell me what it is though. I am going to go out and buy a really good digital camera today and maybe a video camera as well so I can bring you all back a bunch of pictures. How did I get so lucky????? Actually I feel kind of guilty, I should be grieving now, not having this much fun. My sister would not mind though as she was a very fun loving person, for all I know she may have had some influence on all of this. Well you never know, my luck has never been this good so I wonder. I just can't believe that the pilot has done all that she has for me, she even wants to come and visit me this weekend. I don't think that I have ever met such a kind of giving woman. Philip OlsonI'm the luckiest man in the world, my girl friend has a yoke and rudder pedals! Eat your hearts out!http://www.precisionmanuals.com/images/forum/supporter.jpg

Well Philip, what can I say more than I'm very happy for you and be sure to play your cards well since I don't think this kind of things happen on a regular basis!All the best and have a great time with both the sim and your lady captain...and be sure to press the right buttons there in the cockpit...;-)

Phillip my man, I'm starting to wonder whether you're a squitzo imagining this lady friend because your stories are way too good to be true! :) Just kidding, but really keep us up to date on what's going on because things are starting to get interesting. Full motion sim arranged by your girlfriend?? Heck, if mine were to know that when I tell her I'm studying for my mcats I'm actually flying she'd dump me immediately! Don't worry about what your sister would say though, I'm sure she'd be pretty happy. Good luck and all the best, Victorhttp://www.precisionmanuals.com/images/forum/800driver.jpg

Hey, I am afraid that I might just wake up and find out this has all been a dream because it is way too good to be true. Man, I hope this is really happening! :-) I promise I'll keep you all updated with lot's of pictures. Well pictures of my sim and aircraft activities anyway. :-lol I really better spend some time in FS9 now, I really don't want to embarass myself! :-)Philip Olsonhttp://www.precisionmanuals.com/images/forum/supporter.jpg