Hand Flying with Active Sky

[madtun 2]

This plane is surely a computer driven complex bird. I am trying to learn how to fly without using the autoflight (hand flying). Using all the data from the tutorial flight as well as ActiveSky 6.5 real weather download is not recommend for new pilots to this plane. Everything was going fine until the ATC gave the other end of the runway causing me to try and find the new SID. Well I did not do a good quick job and the SID and waypoints did not connect properly. You are not given any leeway on trying to operate or program the MCDU while hand flying. If you get out of position and start to roll or slow too fast the auto system takes over and you should not try to over compensate because the plane is not forgiving. I was trying to retun back to Heathrow to land but of course London is always cloudy with low visibility. Bad choice as I tried to land by VFR flying by hand. Three attemps and go arounds with no luck. Flight was cancelled in mid air. I have other high end heavy payware aircraft but this one has the highest learning curve. I like learning how to fly by hand before turning everything over to the computer. I want to become like the Airtran pilot in New York, no power, no computer and no time. When I start my training using failures then I hope I will not panic as much for those depending on computers and time to read procedures on failures.Anyone else out there that are trying to fly by hand? I have learned how to fly my 767 payware to all the procedures as well as hand fly to a point I would love to get in a REAL LEVEL D simulator and try to fly the plane. I believe I could. I feel the need for 2 more years of FS9 training with the PMDG MD11 just to comfortably get in a REAL world Sim for the MD11.Carl Perry

[Guest Boeing Skunk Works]

Hand flying is the only way to do it in the 727. I still use the Sperry SP-50 during cruise because I have to navigate with charts and check the engineer's panel occasionally. Mostly navigate, check frequencies and headings, adjust WCA, etc. It really is a three crew aircraft.SID's and STAR's and approaches are all hand flown. I don't even remember the last time I made a coupled approach and have been flying the 727 for nearly five years now.