This is not so much a story of flying a PMDG aircraft but a story of how I got my first payware aircraft, the 737NG. First off, there s something about my wife you should know. She doesn't like anything to do with me spending money...she doesn't like anything related to aviation since it takes up too much of my time and she absolutely hates anything related to me spending more time on a computer. :( I guess it was back in either 2003 or 2004, I was getting into simulation and wanted a good realistic add on to challenge me. So for those of you who weren't keeping track, I wanted to spend money on an aircraft to use on my computer...all three things that the wife doesn't like.I weighed my options and shopped around, if I am gonna catch hell for it, it better be worth it. I was going back to college for a work related technical course at the time but once my mind was set, I ordered the 737NG, downloaded it and installed it...just what the doctor ordered.Then...a few weeks later as I come through the door after a day at college, the wife asks me while holding the Visa bill..."did you buy something online a few weeks ago?".Hmmm, play dumb...."online...a few weeks ago...hmmm". :( Then the best part, she says," Yes, some book or something for your course?".Never one to miss an opening, " Oh yes, the book."Can you get the money refunded from work she asks?No, it was highly recommended but not on the mandatory list, I say as the first bullets are dodged.Oh well, it was only around $50 she says as she walks from the room.I reach over to pick up the Visa bill from the counter and sure enough, there is a charge.From Precision Manuals Development...I wonder what other "manuals" they have that I could make use of?She eventually found out when she went on my computer one day and saw the PMDG load manager shortcut on my desktop...but she got over it quick enough.Chuck CYXU

Thank God I have such a loving wife who supports my hobby, and actually never *really* compains if I buy me an addon every now and then... she does nag around a bit, but hey... isn't that the whole point of them being around??? Awesome story anyway!

Awesome.I'm not trying to discredit your story here, but the 74's APU cannot be started while in the air, so either it was started on the ground and never turned off, or FS2Crew pulls some wildcards behind the scenes.The funniest thing about my PMDG fleet is trying to teach people how to fly them, especially if they aren't pilots themselves (real or virtual). I really don't have any crazy stories to tell off the top of my head, but I'm sure I can think of something.

The APU on the 744 can't be started in flight?I learn something new everyday. I wonder if it's the same on all post-747 long-range Boeing aircraft. That said, I often turn off the APU after push-back, only to find while on ascent the APU is switched "ON" - the only possible culprit would be the FS2Crew FO who is programmed to follow a flow and push buttons.

The APU on the 744 can't be started in flight?I learn something new everyday. I wonder if it's the same on all post-747 long-range Boeing aircraft. That said, I often turn off the APU after push-back, only to find while on ascent the APU is switched "ON" - the only possible culprit would be the FS2Crew FO who is programmed to follow a flow and push buttons.

Yes it can. The only thing is you cannot draw power from it with your engines running. But it can be on and use fuel just the same.

Yes it can. The only thing is you cannot draw power from it with your engines running. But it can be on and use fuel just the same.

I love having both running. It really pi*ses off the virtual environmentalists and greeny tree huggers! :(

On a side note, I wish to inform you guys that in all of my FS career, I've crashed about 2 times, for incredible reasons. I'm talking about Hull Losses, not belly landing because I forgot to drop the gear.The first time, it was my lack of experience. About the 2nd true flight I did, decided to fly with the FS9 default 737 to Rome, from Milano... Guess my cruising altitude... 5000 ft. It was night, I left the seat to go eat, then I hear metal rumbling... Crashed in a mountain xDThe second time, I crashed because aerosoft's engineers couldn't bother making their friggin airbus fly correctly, as I was approaching Frankfurt and went around with TOGA, the plane rose the nose at 60 bloody degrees, effectively canceling the poor TO/GA thrust. Unable to do anything, the plane entered a stall that I could not recover from, crashing upside down east of EDDF, killing all passengers and crew, and turning D-AISB in a pile of scrap metal.Fortunately that kind of crap doesn't happen in PMDG planes, and I'm really cheerful for it, keep up the good work PMDG!

Yes it can.

Per the FCOM, the 747-400 APU cannot be started in flight - if it has been started on the ground, it may be left on for takeoff and operated in flight up to 20,000ft.

Per the FCOM, the 747-400 APU cannot be started in flight - if it has been started on the ground, it may be left on for takeoff and operated in flight up to 20,000ft.

Thank you. I was about to go double-check myself, but I remembered reading it in the manuals and not from some random source (it's 15,000 btw: AOM CH11 Pg. 65).

Taking off with flaps not set and hearing this loud alarm so setting flaps 20 whilst accelerating down the runway. I think I got to Flaps 20 GREEN just as I hit Vr :( haha :D

its gonna have to be flying low and crashing into a mountain, once I hit a ski resort

well not really me but when my dad came home drunk I picked on him a bit and asked him to land the 747. I think we all know what happend then

This one gets filed under "Hey I wonder if....."One day a few years back in the days before FSX, I was bored out of my rocker and decided to see if I could successfully fly the PMDG 747-400 on the Potomac River Approach to Rwy 19 at KDCA. So I loaded her up with FSPassengers and departed KORD and everything was going fine. Began the approach as directed by the chart saw Rosslyn VA just to the left of the river proceeded down the river until I saw the Lincoln Memorial, continued down the River until I reached the turn for final. Began the turn, and then all hell broke loose, FSPassengers' War Risk percentage went from 0 to 100% in oh about 2 seconds. The next thing I know I have multiple engine failures, no Hydraulics and a hull rupture which the post flight report said was due to "anti-aircraft" fire. You all can guess where the flight ended. The lesson I learned from that day was, next time I want to try something stupid near the White House, don't fly with FSPassengers.Michael

Wow. I really wish I had FSPax...

More often than not I manage to completely f*** up a perfectly good flight on final approach (you know: "AutoLand is for lozers; let me show you how to hand-fly this baby"). Anyhow, the other day I had my MD11 perfectly under control at finals at MWCR, Grand Cayman, rwy 08. The runway is a mere 7000ft long, so I was concentrating to hit the asphalt on the piano keys. Then, all of a sudden, out of the blue (or rather out of FSX autogen) trees show up just outside the perimeter of the airport. I panic, try to pull up, dive onto the rwy and end up in the bay, which is at the 26 end of the airport.Lesson learned: next time ignore autogen.Jan Peter

@wrenchca- Didnt know you were married to my wife. Maybe someday we will meet at the refrigerator.

I had bad luck with the 747.One time I departed from RJAA (Narita) with lots of turbulence and max gross weight, I hit a micro-burst 10 seconds after I taken off (thank you active sky x) and stalled into a building while in a turn. That was one of my most honest mistake I did, no intended failures or anything. Very heart-wrenching. Another time, on Vatsim during some online event, the ATC wanted me to do a * immediate landing* while I was on appoarch. I happened to went 25 knots faster than VREF and lost directional control of my plane during the roll-out and ended up sliding to the left of the runway into the grass and hitting some trees.