Gents, I gotta share some cool news...that really hope happens..Was sitting in the MKE (Milwaukee) airport tonight waiting for my return flight to ATL freezing my rear end off (8 deg F) when my mobile phone rings.Its my great uncle, who is a former P-51 pilot from WW2 with many many aviation friends. He asks me..."what are you doing saturday night?". I said "Same thing I always do...fly FS Flight Simulator"...boring I know... He says, How would you like to meet me at the Atlanta airport and Fly the Delta Airlines B777 simulator this time? "HOLY ISH!!! uh...YEAH.... instantaneously! Seems he was invited to give a talk to a group of aviation enthusiasts at the request of a retired delta captain who happens to be chief instructor pilot for Delta. As a thank you for the talk on his WWII experiences (which included a shoot down and evade in Communist China), his DAL friend offerred the sim session. My Great uncle invited me to go along as co-pilot!Sorry, but Manfreds Jahns Connies will stay parked saturday. Im gonna go fly me some heavy iron. I run a blog called Freightdawg.com which is related to my work. I will post pictures and a blog article on the event over the weekend. I just hope it takes place...its so neat that I worry it wont happen for some reason (technical, political, security, who the heck knows!)I just wonder if the instructor is going to think Im some kind of Al Qaida idiot when I start punching stuff into the FMC like I know what Im doing and asking for specific company routes, SIDS and STARS... then want to tune in ATIS during preflight. Eric

Very kewl!

Gents, I gotta share some cool news...that really hope happens..Was sitting in the MKE (Milwaukee) airport tonight waiting for my return flight to ATL freezing my rear end off (8 deg F) when my mobile phone rings.Its my great uncle, who is a former P-51 pilot from WW2 with many many aviation friends. He asks me..."what are you doing saturday night?". I said "Same thing I always do...fly FS Flight Simulator"...boring I know... He says, How would you like to meet me at the Atlanta airport and Fly the Delta Airlines B777 simulator this time? "HOLY ISH!!! uh...YEAH.... instantaneously! Seems he was invited to give a talk to a group of aviation enthusiasts at the request of a retired delta captain who happens to be chief instructor pilot for Delta. As a thank you for the talk on his WWII experiences (which included a shoot down and evade in Communist China), his DAL friend offerred the sim session. My Great uncle invited me to go along as co-pilot!Sorry, but Manfreds Jahns Connies will stay parked saturday. Im gonna go fly me some heavy iron. I run a blog called Freightdawg.com which is related to my work. I will post pictures and a blog article on the event over the weekend. I just hope it takes place...its so neat that I worry it wont happen for some reason (technical, political, security, who the heck knows!)I just wonder if the instructor is going to think Im some kind of Al Qaida idiot when I start punching stuff into the FMC like I know what Im doing and asking for specific company routes, SIDS and STARS... then want to tune in ATIS during preflight. Eric

I would not bother punching stuff into the FMC I would just enjoy hand flying T&G's in this incredible aircraft. You will not believe how easy this aircraft is to hand fly.I flew the Level D British Airways 777 sim at Heathrow. I felt it was like a Rolls Royce car ...you only need two fingers to steer it. The 777 was like this...not a lot of yoke movement is required to smoothly steer the beast.So yes just T&G's with differing crosswinds/visibility. Bon chance!Oh....there may be one problem. Once flown a Level D 777 sim....will you ever be happy with a FS 777 sim? :(

I would not bother punching stuff into the FMC I would just enjoy hand flying T&G's in this incredible aircraft. You will not believe how easy this aircraft is to hand fly.I flew the Level D British Airways 777 sim at Heathrow. I felt it was like a Rolls Royce car ...you only need two fingers to steer it. The 777 was like this...not a lot of yoke movement is required to smoothly steer the beast.So yes just T&G's with differing crosswinds/visibility. Bon chance!Oh....there may be one problem. Once flown a Level D 777 sim....will you ever be happy with a FS 777 sim? :(

Ed its a little bit like dating a beautiful woman clearly out of your league... if you score, you will appreciate the experience regardless. :(

Ed its a little bit like dating a beautiful woman clearly out of your league... if you score, you will appreciate the experience regardless. :(

Well I felt she was like woman who had a nose job, boob job, botox etc etc. Some people like that but I like the real deal.What I mean is FBW. When you hand fly the 777 you know you are getting a lot of assistance from computers.I would rather fly a 707.Obviously if flying is your job you would choose the 777 but for fun I would choose a 707. :(

I would rather fly a 707.Obviously if flying is your job you would choose the 777 but for fun I would choose a 707. :(

I get it. I work for DHL in the US. our network used to be serviced by many DC-8's and DC-9's. We had simulators for both. I recall getting a really big Deja Vu from being in the DC-8 sim at our hub in Wilmington Ohio (now property of Clinton County Ohio) I worked for Delta as a summer intern in 1980 and loaded many many DC-8-61's that summer and was on the flight deck many times as well. I recall the cockpit being HUGE with pilot, copilot and first officer. Back then access was easy and the pilots welcomed visitors who were interested. Long before the serious security threats we face today. Eric

I get it. I work for DHL in the US. our network used to be serviced by many DC-8's and DC-9's. We had simulators for both. I recall getting a really big Deja Vu from being in the DC-8 sim at our hub in Wilmington Ohio (now property of Clinton County Ohio) I worked for Delta as a summer intern in 1980 and loaded many many DC-8-61's that summer and was on the flight deck many times as well. I recall the cockpit being HUGE with pilot, copilot and first officer. Back then access was easy and the pilots welcomed visitors who were interested. Long before the serious security threats we face today. Eric

Eric, I agree with Ed. I work for Delta Airlines and have flown the triple (sim) once, and the 57 three times. Most likely your visit will be late at night (unless the Gary can swing something otherwise) and you will not have time, nor the interest, to enter things into the FMS. Push back, taxiing, etc - forget it. Likely not to happen. As Ed says, enjoy the time you do get, taking off, the loop, and landing. Additionally, do your best to "recall to brain" what the plane actually feels like. Its an incredible feeling. Enjoy your visit and I look forward to reading your comments when you return.Mitch

Do your best to "recall to brain" what the plane actually feels like. Its an incredible feeling. Enjoy your visit and I look forward to reading your comments when you return.Mitch

Yes, come back and tell us if there are any aircraft in FS that feel like it. :(

Gents, I flew the Delta 777 sim tonight. What a blast. 19 million dollars worth of CAE constructed 6DOF simulator. Flew take offs and landings at PHNL, KSFO and KJFK in both night and daytime conditions (alas, no weather.). Was pleasantly surprised that I knew how to handle most of the FMC and autopilot commands, but was a bit surprised that the real thing goes to autopilot about 15 secs into the take off roll. You set up VNAV and LNAV as well as autothrottle then after advancing the throttle quadrant about half way, you hit a button on the throttles and the airplane takes over. Vspeeds are posted on the PFD and you just rotate and fly the flight path show on the PFD.I know the delta instructor showed us a softball set up and easy stuff, but its not stick and rudder. Its much more akin to systems management. Still, I had the time of my life. Great fun.Whats so impressive is the total immersion. You hit the throttles and those GE90's, even derated to 50% push you back in your seat...literally... How they do that in a stationary sim platform, I have NO idea. FS9 leaves the graphics in the dust, but the platform is simply amazing. Still, I knew exactly where I was at all airports. In fact I was pointing stuff out to my great uncle who helped set this up. All I can say is what a treat. We took pics, but a bunch turned out blurry. Regretfully I am no ace with my sisters borrowed digital camera. That pee'd me off seriously. There were a few keeprs, and I will post those soon.If anybody gets the chance to do something similar, do NOT skip it. I'll be honest, it really did validate the seriousness with which FS9 has reached trainable status in my mind. The instructor noticed almost immediately and asked me about it. I had said nothing as I figured that professionals would consider FS a toy hobby in some way. (I know it still is entertainment, and not a training device. I do not delude myself here at all!) Ed, you were right, it was easy to fly... I kept it right on the needles the whole time. Something more old school would have been more of a challenge, but it was still Fabulous. Delta has a serious investment in these simulators. I counted 8 full up simulators for B767-300, B767-400, B777-200, B777-200ER, B777-300LR. I couldn't see the rest of the long row. I figured the large area I was in held approx 150 million dollars in sim stuff.... gotta be nirvana for our type of folks!!Eric

Sounds like a neat sim flight.

Gents, I flew the Delta 777 sim tonight. What a blast. 19 million dollars worth of CAE constructed 6DOF simulator. Flew take offs and landings at PHNL, KSFO and KJFK in both night and daytime conditions (alas, no weather.). Was pleasantly surprised that I knew how to handle most of the FMC and autopilot commands, but was a bit surprised that the real thing goes to autopilot about 15 secs into the take off roll. You set up VNAV and LNAV as well as autothrottle then after advancing the throttle quadrant about half way, you hit a button on the throttles and the airplane takes over. Vspeeds are posted on the PFD and you just rotate and fly the flight path show on the PFD.I know the delta instructor showed us a softball set up and easy stuff, but its not stick and rudder. Its much more akin to systems management. Still, I had the time of my life. Great fun.Whats so impressive is the total immersion. You hit the throttles and those GE90's, even derated to 50% push you back in your seat...literally... How they do that in a stationary sim platform, I have NO idea. FS9 leaves the graphics in the dust, but the platform is simply amazing. Still, I knew exactly where I was at all airports. In fact I was pointing stuff out to my great uncle who helped set this up. All I can say is what a treat. We took pics, but a bunch turned out blurry. Regretfully I am no ace with my sisters borrowed digital camera. That pee'd me off seriously. There were a few keeprs, and I will post those soon.What a TREAT. If anybody gets the chance to do something similar, do NOT skip it. I'll be honest, it really did validate the seriousness with which FS9 has reached trainable status in my mind. The instructor noticed almost immediately and asked me about it. I had said nothing as I figured that professionals would consider FS a toy hobby in some way. (I know it still is entertainment, and not a training device. I do not delude myself here at all!) Ed, you were right, it was easy to fly... I kept it right on the needles the whole time. Something more old school would have been more of a challenge, but it was still Fabulous. Delta has a serious investment in these simulators. I counted 8 full up simulators for B767-300, B767-400, B777-200, B777-200ER, B777-300LR. I couldn't see the rest of the long row. I figured the large area I was in held approx 150 million dollars in sim stuff.... gotta be nirvana for our type of folks!!Eric

Exxxxcceellent! I'm glad you enjoyed your 777 experience! :( Mine is still fresh in my memory.....1. The feeling of thrust as one advances the throttles. :( 2. Amazement as to how much better FS9 graphics were than the multi million pound sim (maybe a lesson to ... I won't go there :( )3. After my 1hr solo session (which I paid for out of my own pocket) my BA Capt/ Instructor could not believe I was not a real pilot. A great shame you had no weather though....In fact I remember I spent my time taking off from LHR Rwy 09R climbing to 2000ft looping around to establish on ILS Rwy 09R (all hand flown...no autopilot)Then do it again with crosswind element, then again with stronger crosswind element......then low visibility etcIn the last landing at LHR (before heading off for the JFK Canarsie Rwy 13L approach. B) ) visibility was at minimums + crosswind....I still put her down safely. B) I plan to have a few more Level D sim experiences this year. A real North American Harvard flight instruction and travelling east to find Russian cockpits.

Eric, I agree with Ed. I work for Delta Airlines and have flown the triple (sim) once, and the 57 three times. Most likely your visit will be late at night (unless the Gary can swing something otherwise) and you will not have time, nor the interest, to enter things into the FMS. Push back, taxiing, etc - forget it. Likely not to happen. As Ed says, enjoy the time you do get, taking off, the loop, and landing. Additionally, do your best to "recall to brain" what the plane actually feels like. Its an incredible feeling. Enjoy your visit and I look forward to reading your comments when you return.Mitch

Mitch, thanks for your input. We went off at 8Pm on this saturday evening. Nobody else was there, so you are right, we were in the sim at off hours. However, we got about 90 minutes of play time. Also we did do taxiing. I found the flying alot easier than the ground handling. On touchdown, hitting the thrust reversers, then using rudder to stay on centerline, then cleaning up the airplane and using the tiller to stear was a challenge. Got to ground taxi a bit around to take off again.Anyway, I realize it was a PR tour of the thing. Still had a blast. If you have done the 757, you are very lucky. I saw the 767 sims nearby and really wanted to do them!!Eric

Ed, I didnt fund this little trip, but the instructor at the end asked me specifically if there was anything else I wanted to see. he would have done whatever. I was so stupidly giddy, I didnt ask for wx. I did ask for Hong Kong and whether they still had Kai Tak... The instructor said he was unfamiliar with it, so the answer was NO. I was a guest of my 86 year old great uncle who had befriended the instructor pilot. We were his guests. (the uncle is a former P51 pilot and in very good shape at his age..he met the Delta IP at the gym! ) If it had been me alone, especially if i had liberated my own coin from my bride...the story might have have played differently. As it was, I kept it on the numbers easily. A scenario such as you describe, would have been interesting. Im just lucky and glad I got this chance!Eric

I am quite the jealous person here sitting in front of my computer screen reading what you have to say about your sim session :)Must have been an awesome experience.The biggest simulator I have flown was a baron 58 while in flight school about 5 years ago. Even that was a cool experience, so I can just imagine what your session was like on the 777

Eric, you DAWG!Soooo jealeous. Sounds like you had the time of your life. The instructor was unfamiliar with Kai Tak!?!? Oh man, have times changed. BTW, enjoy your blogsite from time to time, and was pleasantly surprised way back when you posted an article about the release of 9Dragons. Pretty cool when real world aviation takes notice of what we do. All the best,Clutch