When you are on a really long flight, with hundreds of miles between the next waypoint, what do you do?Just out of interest! :-)

RTFM :(

Monitor Comms and instruments of course :(

I have a notebook so while I monitor systems and fuel flow and passenger comfort I also spend a lot of time on these forums and various other flight related simulation websites. I am also writing my thesis for MA so I get a long haul up and then I do some real work, while keeping an eye on my flight. :(

I have a notebook so while I monitor systems and fuel flow and passenger comfort

So how do you do this? I was gonna ask how passenger comfort can be looked at.CapP - I wasnt asking what to do, just asking what people like to do - more of a discussion than a question.

So how do you do this? I was gonna ask how passenger comfort can be looked at.CapP - I wasnt asking what to do, just asking what people like to do - more of a discussion than a question.

I was joking, :( but I do believe that there is a program called FS Passengers that monitors comfort level of the passengers. I do not own it but I am sure there are others that could give more information.

CapP - I wasnt asking what to do, just asking what people like to do - more of a discussion than a question.

I do understand. It was just a joke (see the wink next to it): I like to read the manual on long hauls at my notebook.About FsPassenger: you can monitor and manage passenger comfort by serving food, drink or playing a movie.

Use another computer, go shopping, wait for flightsim to crash lol.Joking there, I've only had that happen twice and one of them was my fault :( Rare for me to do 8 hour plus flights though. I prefer about 2 hour ones.John Ellison

hello, i am not trying to deny anyone flying long haul, but the bottom line in flight sim is that one airport looks much the same as another. if you concentrate on short hops you can probably cover two or three flights in the time it takes to do a long haul, and at the same time you can taxi around the various airports and pinpoint various differences thereby making yourself more familiar with these airports particularly if they are addons and make simming more interesting from that point of view. happy hauling. richard welsh.

This is one of the reasons we've developed the J41. One of the great things about this airplane is that if you pick the right flight, once you are finished with the takeoff and departure phase of your flight, you are already prepping for the approach and landing phase, with no time to twiddle your thumbs as you watch the waypoints drone by :(

making yourself more familiar with these airports

This is a good thought - taxi'ing is the one aspect i find tricky. Especially speed and finding my way around! Although the progressive taxi option where FS draws the line to follow helps!Anyone used FSPassengers? Any good? Can it be used with the PMDG, as the manual states that loading of the plane shouldnt be done with third party software. Looks kinda cool.CapP - Yeah, i know, i was messing! :-)

I read, walk around, of course monitor fuel, browse EICAS pages, play with FMC, lights, and do step climbs. I put on the time acceleration to "warp 2" some "warp 4" bursts to speed things up (and real time to practice hand-flying). The most interesting part of it for me is landing in a "foreign country" @ an unfamiliar airport. I do mostly 2-5hr stuff though, that's about as short as you can realistically get in a Queen!Andew Christe

About FsPassenger: you can monitor and manage passenger comfort by serving food, drink or playing a movie.

What if you're a "real" MD11 pilot and you're a flying boxes?Paul

This is a good thought - taxi'ing is the one aspect i find tricky. Especially speed and finding my way around! Although the progressive taxi option where FS draws the line to follow helps!Anyone used FSPassengers? Any good? Can it be used with the PMDG, as the manual states that loading of the plane shouldnt be done with third party software. Looks kinda cool.CapP - Yeah, i know, i was messing! :-)

I simply can't fly without it! Another aspect of is its a biz-lite sim as well. You can set ticket prices, food and beverage prices and kind of manage a fleet. Of course all this can be automated as well as in flight service. In my little imaginary airline I fly the F1ATR72, PMDG 737NG, Lds763, PMDG744 & 744F, MD11 & MD11F. Cargo flying isn't modeled as well as pax but it does offer some peace and quiet :(

Hi,If you are a half serious sim pilot there are plenty of things to to in the cockpit during a long flight. Here are some of them:1.- Assuming you have a good flight preparation work done, you should have a number of data to look at either in printed form or on a second PC by keeping the applications opened. - Detailed flight plan FSBuild, FOC produced - TOPCAT documents for take-off and landing - Weather data from ASX / ASA - Manuals of the aircraft you fly - Charts for all phases of the flight including enroute charts. These documents whether printed or digital should be periodically looked at during the flight.2.- Monitor state of aircraft on continuous basis including EICAS messages, Fuel flow, Weather effects on speed, altitude and heading.3.- Follow progress of step climbs and accurately follow procedures.4.- Check charts for diversion airports along the route as scheduled during your planning.5.- Follow progress on moving map (FSC or any other).6.- use FSFlightkeeper as your big brother and mentor (it has a lot of interesting options which can be used during a flight).7.- Fly online with your virtual airline or solo on IVAO or VATSIM - stay in touch with controllers in controlled areas - check position of your aircraft and other online pilots on any application you want similar to dolomynum or servinfo. Here you can learn a lot about flying habits of other members - contact nearby aircrafts on UNICOM8.- stay aware of weather changes as your weather engine updates its data along the route and make appropriate flight decisions.9.- use an ACARS system and weather radar. I know PMDG staff does not like this idea but as it has been said recently in another thread some weather radars (RXP and CaptainSIM) are not as bad as they are often depicted here. As to ACARS some virtual airlines are using some sort of ACARS to monitor their members and broadcast NOTAMS. A free ACARS can be found on the AEROWINX site for those of you flying the B744.10.- For digital reading of charts, weather charts, and moving map I could recommend the excellent EFBFSX of fswidgets. This are only a few items which could keep you busy during a long flight the list is by no means exhaustive. Cheers,