Hi and welcome. Nice to see the barrack room lawyers welcoming you with a demand that your sign your name within seconds of your post eh? Stick it on your signature and that'll shut people up. An additional pilot training guide for you:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejGQ5oIuP9c&feature=relatedAl

I spy with my little eye, something beginning with C. Cloud? Yup.I spy with my little eye, something beginning with S. Sky? Yup.

. I can imagine that game getting old very quickly lol.Also, something I have been wondering. When at top of descent, do you let ATC know and they clear you down or does ATC know when your T/D is?Regards

@ 737 guy : Does the VNAV lead the descent to a constant rate or it varies ? Let's say from FL340 f.i. to glide altitude or viceversaIf that's a constant rate, which is, please, the average V/S of both climbing and descending using VNAV ? ( Average wind,average load etc... ) Thanks a lot in advanceP.S. Which is the average descent rate over cute hostesses ? Is drag frequently required ? -

Mark,There are some variables here with both VNAV and of course how that applies with the FAs as well. :)As you mention, there are things to take into consideration such as aircraft type/performance, weight, if anti ice is one (leads to higer idle thurst) and weather... We use two types of VNAV, performance or geometric. Geometric is a shallower descent and a "non-idle" path. With performance, we typically descend based on ECON speed to the first constrained waypoint at idle-thurst. The actual V/S can vary based again on a number of things.Hope this helps.Greg

. I can imagine that game getting old very quickly lol.Also, something I have been wondering. When at top of descent, do you let ATC know and they clear you down or does ATC know when your T/D is?Regards

ATC knows all! :)

Welcome Greg looking forward to all of your input and help with the 737, thank you. :( Regards, Rich

ATC knows all! :)

Haha that's good. Thanks.

I spy with my little eye, something beginning with C. Cloud? Yup.I spy with my little eye, something beginning with S. Sky? Yup.

I spy with my little eye, something begining with A. Al Queada? Yup

@ 737 guy : Does the VNAV lead the descent to a constant rate or it varies ? Let's say from FL340 f.i. to glide altitude or viceversaIf that's a constant rate, which is, please, the average V/S of both climbing and descending using VNAV ? ( Average wind,average load etc... )

We've modeled the latest U10.8A iteration of VNAV, which is a geometric path capable of CDA descents, "soft" speed restrictions with at or below etc... it's the most advanced version.There really isn't a way to talk about average V/S or anything like that with VNAV. VNAV SPD in the climb mode is not a V/S based mode, it's a "pitch for speed" mode that sets a constant thrust output and then varies the airplane's pitch to fly whatever airspeed it's commanding. You don't ever want to use V/S in a climb because it doesn't protect against stalling - the plane's IAS slows down as you get higher into the less dense air and if you left it on a V/S setting without changing it to account for the slowing, you'd eventually stall. LVL CHG and VNAV SPD won't do that. VNAV PTH mode in descent is similar to following a glideslope, so again V/S is never the primary consideration there.

ATC knows all! :)

I like this pilot ;)Ever fly into RSW?

Hifolks,Long time lurker, who just took the plunge and registered. Wanted to say hello,and start out with a joke - Since the question hasn't been asked recently,figured I'd kick it off, when will the NGX be available??!! Seriously, a bit about myself - I am currently a First Officer for a major USbased airline flying the 737NG, and certainly this add-on has got me intriguedto say the least... In fact, I just got done building a new sim platform to runFSX so I can put the PMDG product through its paces. Between trips and familyobligations, I'd be happy to answer any real-world questions that might come upon the 737NG. Cheers,737GuyKEWR

Hi Greg,If the aircraft is lined out at the runway before start, how can you see/know that it is perfectly in the middle and aligned. So you don't have to steer the first meters.Thanks for your respond.Eric

Hi Greg,If the aircraft is lined out at the runway before start, how can you see/know that it is perfectly in the middle and aligned. So you don't have to steer the first meters.Thanks for your respond.Eric

I would add a similar question , which is the criteria that leads a pilot to stop into the runway before pushing thrusts and the criteria who leads a pilot to take off going straight from the taxi into the runway at around 10 knots and taking off without stopping for a single second ?Thanks !-

We've modeled the latest U10.8A iteration of VNAV, which is a geometric path capable of CDA descents, "soft" speed restrictions with at or below etc... it's the most advanced version.

Hm, how would you actually set up a CDA? Or is it some sort of "default" mode anyways and it always plans the descent as a CDA from the T/D? Getting me curious.

Here go my questions:1 - You know the airport symbols that clutter up the ND ( I know they are optional)? I assume they are enabled possibly to assist in situational awareness, but most likely they are used to show the closest alternate. What is the runway length criteria for displaying such airports? I have the "other" FSX NG and use 3500 ft, is this a plausible figure?2 - I use a tool for flightsim called "TOPCAT" to help in determining the appropriate derate to use on the takeoff run. When given the list of assumed temps and the margin for runway left if an abort is done at/before V1, I choose at least 500ft. Does that sound right?3 - I used to use V/S exclusively in olden days (it seems very simple and precise in setting up the green arc on the ND at the right spot) on descents below 10000ft. Then I read that FLCH is the preferred method for large altitude changes over 1000 feet and V/S is best for changes under 1000ft. Some also say V/S should be avoided because the a/c can descend/climb though the chosen altitude, which makes no sense to me as the altitude is input in the MCP alt window as a floor or ceiling altitude. Anyhow, I now mostly use FLCH on descent below 10000ft after using VNAV for the intial STAR descent, but I find it finicky and hard to match up the green line with where I want to be with thrust alone, and would rather use v/s to keep things simple and let the autothrottle maintain commanded speed. Do you use V/S often, and is it ok to use even for large changes in altitude?Sorry for the long winded questions, I am just a 737NG fanatic trying to absorb as much real world knowledge as possible in preparation for the long awaited release!

Here go my questions:1 - You know the airport symbols that clutter up the ND ( I know they are optional)? I assume they are enabled possibly to assist in situational awareness, but most likely they are used to show the closest alternate. What is the runway length criteria for displaying such airports? I have the "other" FSX NG and use 3500 ft, is this a plausible figure?2 - I use a tool for flightsim called "TOPCAT" to help in determining the appropriate derate to use on the takeoff run. When given the list of assumed temps and the margin for runway left if an abort is done at/before V1, I choose at least 500ft. Does that sound right?3 - I used to use V/S exclusively in olden days (it seems very simple and precise in setting up the green arc on the ND at the right spot) on descents below 10000ft. Then I read that FLCH is the preferred method for large altitude changes over 1000 feet and V/S is best for changes under 1000ft. Some also say V/S should be avoided because the a/c can descend/climb though the chosen altitude, which makes no sense to me as the altitude is input in the MCP alt window as a floor or ceiling altitude. Anyhow, I now mostly use FLCH on descent below 10000ft after using VNAV for the intial STAR descent, but I find it finicky and hard to match up the green line with where I want to be with thrust alone, and would rather use v/s to keep things simple and let the autothrottle maintain commanded speed. Do you use V/S often, and is it ok to use even for large changes in altitude?Sorry for the long winded questions, I am just a 737NG fanatic trying to absorb as much real world knowledge as possible in preparation for the long awaited release!

Seeing your name I guess you should have tried Level D 767 and its vnav. Level D 767 vnav is quite a shame because all of a sudden it brings your 767 down at a V/S over 4000/4500 f/m..... like a bowling ball falling from the sky ....

Welcome Greg, It is always great to see real pilots in these threads, especially those who are ATP rated with turbine experience and an NGX rating is a real bonus!My Career is pretty much stalled, and I am starting a new gig with Transport Canada In Ottawa pushing paper at out training/maintenance facility. I am not flying much but love to be around the industry and most of all my new bosses are A1.