Captains-I have just uploaded the second of the PMDG 747-400/400F Type Rating Course Lesson plans to our server.This lesson is the second of many that we will be providing to teach you the finer aspects of operating the PMDG 747-400/400F in a realistic and detailed fashion. The point of the type course is to provide a bit more hands-on information that we can provide in the Aircraft Operating Manual by allowing you to fly the aircraft and learn some of it's capabilities in a linear course that takes you through aircraft startup through all phases of flight and eventually to shutdown.The Lesson Two type course is designed to take you through the basics of taxiing to the runway for takeoff, entering the runway, rejected takeoffs (light and heavy weights), engine failures during takeoff (light and heavy weights) and low visibility takeoffs.This Lesson spends less time in the checklists, and far more time conducting hands-on procedures to demonstrate proper techniques for many different aspects of the takeoff process.I think it isn't uncommon for most simmers to view the takeoff as the simplest part of any flight, but I hope that when you have completed this Lesson Two portion of the type course, you will have a completely different perspective of how complex this process really is!I should caution you that this portion of the Type Course does not reflect any specific operators procedures and represents a mix of techniques that you can adapt or discard to suit your needs. Some of the techniques represented (engine failures) have been modified from their real world counterparts to account for the fact that as the pilot flying, you don't have the extra set of hands and eyes that you would normally have when flying this airplane. The wonderful thing about aviation is that there are probably a dozen ways to do even simple tasks- so it is up to you to build a skill based that suits your needs- then use that skill base consistantly!Before you begin this portion of the type course, I strongly recommend that you spend some time in CHAPTER 10: PROCEDURES AND PROFILES to refresh your memory on some of the finer aspects of taxi and takeoff.The PMDG 747-400/400F Type Rating Course Lesson TWO is not yet showing on our download pages because Marc has not had a chance to update them this evening, but you can download the course material from here:http://www.precisionmanuals.com/file_libra...TRC_Lesson2.ZIPPlease read the Introduction thoroughly, as I have included some helpful hints there to get your hardware and Key Commands set up to make the later parts of the course "as real as it can get."This Lesson is 24 pages and comes with 8 different pre-saved scenarios to use with the lesson parts.I hope you like the concept. My ultimate goal with this entire course is to provides me a way to help all of you begin to learn and understand the decision making process that takes place from the left seat of a transport category airplane. By the time you complete this course, I think you will have a much greater appreciate for just how complex and realistic a simulation the PMDG 747-400/400F really is!Enjoy- and get ready for "Lesson Three: Climb" next week!

Woo-hoo! Thanks Robert. :)

Downloading - thanksScott

Just a tip I learned, Try flying the TOs at 1/2. . even 1/4 speed. I used that function like training wheels. It really helped me control the airplane and see what was going on better. Then off they came and off I went . . . Splat.

many many thanksMaurizio

Thanks Robert, once again a lot of new things you can't learn just be studying the manuals ;)Great you like to share this all with us.Many GreetingsMichel

Captain Randazzo,Great the PMDG 747-400/400F Type Rating Cource!I'm deeply impressed and interested in your detailed instructions.Thank you again,Kan-ichiro Fushihara

Captain Randazzo,TRC are making justice to the magnificent Queen/F!Now I am discovering in deep how complex PMDG 747-400/400F simulation is!We needed this TRC five months ago.Thanks for the big effort!Regards.Dirk Trotteyn (SANT)

I think its great that you make these downloads availible to those that dont own any PMDG products. Its good to see that the forums are not only accessible to those that own the products unlike some.Fortunately I own all the heavies but some of the theory and principles involved in the type rating can be applied to other aircraft, especially involving PFD etc.I regularly fly the 767 at the moment but could never quite get the hang of the FD and the climb speeds, always overshooting the calculated speed. This tutorial will help immensely with getting more knowledge and also when I get to fly the 747 in the next few weeks.Many thanksGraham

Indeed - thanks Capt Randazzo, these tutorials are EVER so valuable in helping to clean up how we fly this and similar birds :), I had no idea what a great tool the FPV cue was! I could have used it when those high tailwinds were stalling me out, did not know I needed to change thrust limit, and knew only to disconnect a/p and pitch down - I was all over the place!regards,MarkXPHomeSP2/FS9.1/3.2HT/1024mb/X700pro256

Thanks Robert,Until starting this course I had never finished the entire NORMAL PROCEDURES. I had the intention but finally took the short way. Not bad but not certainly "as it should be done". :)Thanks for clarifying many weak points I just "flew over". Thanks to this course I have found "new" features of this awesome plane.RegardsCarlosGCLP

Thanks, guys! I didn't own the Queen when you put up lesson 1 last week. Having read about the course on Avsim I rushed to buy it thinking this time or never I'll ever learn how to fly a serious modern jet (did a few attempts in the past with 737NG series, LevelD and some others). So I bought and was under pressure last few days because I felt I was falling behind the course and the learning curve. The moment I finally managed to conciously start up the engines and follow up to the last page of lesson 1 - lesson 2 came out! Thank you for the wonderful product and very unique value-added free extension to it. Great job, guys.

>>Next, following your Normal Procedures checklist, bring up the VNAV >>CLB page by pressing the VNAV key on the FMC. You will note that >>the page title says ACT ECON CLB...My page at this point says "ACT 235KT CLB"? Reloaded the mission a few times with the same result. What am I doing wrong?Thanks.

I wonder where do the differences come from? My ECON SPD shows 323/.807, MAX ANLGLE is 250 instead of 242 like in the course. I hope this is normal?

This is not in reference to any other posts.TIP1:If you start lesson two by using the default flight (Cessna 172 cold and dark), you may have to select the PMDG_744_TRC_Lesson_2_Part_1 saved flight more than once to get the panel in the intended configuration. ;)TIP2:If you use "Autosave.dll", move it or simply rename it! Do this so when you choose "reset flight", you will be where the tutorial wants you to be and not in the air... falling to the ground! :)Tip3:If you have a CHProducts Quadrant, make sure your flaps handle agrees with the flaps indicator (flaps 10)! Doh! :)Hope these helps!Murray Wheten