Hi everybody - I realize this topic really has nothing to do with the impending release of the 737 NGX (hear Trumpet fanfare in the background - just use your imagination). :( I just returned from a trip to Georgia - my wife and I went to see our son and daughter-in-law. KBOS to KATL.From reading a post a while back, I decided to try and have a word with our Captain (at the end of the flight, once we landed.) I did as someone previously suggested - I asked a Flight Attendant (when she was not busy). She was very nice and she said...."yes, if he stays aboard after we land, that will probably be ok....BUT sometimes Captains just want to get off the plane and go freshen up....." (for return flight, I'm assuming??) Anyway, indeed, he bolted quickly, so I was unable to speak with him or the F.O..Return flight - figured I'd try again.......now I never thought I'd have a chance - here's why - the flight landed in Boston at 11:30 P.M.(ish). I thought for sure - this Captain is going to want to go home and get some sleep. You know what? This Captain was the most accommodating person I've ever had the pleasure to meet. Really friendly......so I started the conversation with the usual polite entry - "Captain, do you mind if I ask you a couple of questions? And maybe peek in the Flight Deck?" He said "sure"......so I couldn't resist - I then asked... "we flew the Inndy2 STAR in didn't we? With the JFK Transition?" He replied "yes" to both questions. Looking at me a little puzzled, he asks....." you fly?" I then sheepishly said - "Well, sort of - I fly an MD-11 - simulated - in my home". Now he looks at his F.O. - and says (kind of jokingly) - "this guys's a sim pilot....."Not being able to contain my enthusiasm, I blurt out......"yeah, my MD-11 has the EXACT same MCP as your 717.......right down to the Autoflight and Approach buttons - same all glass MCP." Now I've got him "hooked". He looks me straight in the eye and says......"I suppose you can do a CATIII landing?" "You know it", I said - "my simulator aircraft is made by PMDG" - (see me beaming proudly). He looks at his F.O. and says -" they can do this stuff at home, now?" His young F.O. just nods in the affirmative.Here's the unbelieveable part (well, for me, anyway).......the Captain asks me if I'd like to sit in his seat for a minute or two - I almost fainted!!!!!! Let me tell you - the MCP was gauge for gauge and screen for screen exactly like my home MD-11. Unbelieveable - I felt right at home.So - THANK YOU PMDG :( :( for giving us such high fidelity and quality in the aircraft you make available to us "home pilots". Speaking for myself, I think you folks have raised Bruce Artwick's original idea of flying to a whole new level (along with MS flight sim). Words alone cannot express to you how excited I am about the impending release of the 737 NGX (and the triple 7 after that).Thanks for reading this..........All best, Ray Landolt (Blackbird)

Ray, I told you 'most" of them are pretty easy to get along with. It is pretty amazing that he took the time to talk to you on his last leg of the day. Usually they're busting a move to get down to the hotel shuttle. Glad it worked out for you.

Hi everybody - I realize this topic really has nothing to do with the impending release of the 737 NGX (hear Trumpet fanfare in the background - just use your imagination). :( I just returned from a trip to Georgia - my wife and I went to see our son and daughter-in-law. KBOS to KATL.From reading a post a while back, I decided to try and have a word with our Captain (at the end of the flight, once we landed.) I did as someone previously suggested - I asked a Flight Attendant (when she was not busy). She was very nice and she said...."yes, if he stays aboard after we land, that will probably be ok....BUT sometimes Captains just want to get off the plane and go freshen up....." (for return flight, I'm assuming??) Anyway, indeed, he bolted quickly, so I was unable to speak with him or the F.O..Return flight - figured I'd try again.......now I never thought I'd have a chance - here's why - the flight landed in Boston at 11:30 P.M.(ish). I thought for sure - this Captain is going to want to go home and get some sleep. You know what? This Captain was the most accommodating person I've ever had the pleasure to meet. Really friendly......so I started the conversation with the usual polite entry - "Captain, do you mind if I ask you a couple of questions? And maybe peek in the Flight Deck?" He said "sure"......so I couldn't resist - I then asked... "we flew the Inndy2 STAR in didn't we? With the JFK Transition?" He replied "yes" to both questions. Looking at me a little puzzled, he asks....." you fly?" I then sheepishly said - "Well, sort of - I fly an MD-11 - simulated - in my home". Now he looks at his F.O. - and says (kind of jokingly) - "this guys's a sim pilot....."Not being able to contain my enthusiasm, I blurt out......"yeah, my MD-11 has the EXACT same MCP as your 717.......right down to the Autoflight and Approach buttons - same all glass MCP." Now I've got him "hooked". He looks me straight in the eye and says......"I suppose you can do a CATIII landing?" "You know it", I said - "my simulator aircraft is made by PMDG" - (see me beaming proudly). He looks at his F.O. and says -" they can do this stuff at home, now?" His young F.O. just nods in the affirmative.Here's the unbelieveable part (well, for me, anyway).......the Captain asks me if I'd like to sit in his seat for a minute or two - I almost fainted!!!!!! Let me tell you - the MCP was gauge for gauge and screen for screen exactly like my home MD-11. Unbelieveable - I felt right at home.So - THANK YOU PMDG :( for giving us such high fidelity and quality in the aircraft you make available to us "home pilots". Speaking for myself, I think you folks have raised Bruce Artwick's original idea of flying to a whole new level (along with MS flight sim). Words alone cannot express to you how excited I am about the impending release of the 737 NGX (and the triple 7 after that).Thanks for reading this..........All best, Ray Landolt (Blackbird)

Great story, thanks for sharing :)In my experience its hit and miss, some are very accomidating and still enjoy flying for how cool it really is. Others just go through the motions of a daily job they no longer enjoy.

Ray, I told you 'most" of them are pretty easy to get along with. It is pretty amazing that he took the time to talk to you on his last leg of the day. Usually they're busting a move to get down to the hotel shuttle. Glad it worked out for you.

Oh, yes....hi, I remember you saying that the other day.........well, it was great. He was a nice man. THANKS!Best,Ray L.

Great story, thanks for sharing :)In my experience its hit and miss, some are very accomidating and still enjoy flying for how cool it really is. Others just go through the motions of a daily job they no longer enjoy.

Yes, it was very rewarding for me to meet someone who enjoys what they do, and enjoys talking about it. I was kind of afraid I'd be "dismissed" as a "gamer", but that was not the case at all.Ray L.

Thx for sharing the story, I will be sure to ask next time!!

Nice to read both the kindness of command crew and your passion for the genre !Next time you could ask to let you conduct a left engine start up procedure, I bet you can do that with your eyes shut Thx for sharing mateMark Fosseth

Nice to read both the kindness of command crew and your passion for the genre !Next time you could ask to let you conduct a left engine start up procedure, I bet you can do that with your eyes shut Thx for sharing mateMark Fosseth

Haa haaa!!! I would love to try!!! Ray L.

It's people like him who are inspiring the next generation of pilots, I can't stress how important it is for flight crew to be accommodating of visitors after the flight - I pop in every time I fly and it makes my day to have a chat with the pilots. I look forward to being in that seat in the next few years and being able to offer kids the same opportunity I so craved when I was younger.

A long time ago while on the way to Oshkosh for the EAA fly in, I decided to take along my Gleim Private Pilot test prep book. Since I had the written scheduled the next week, I decided I'd listen to music and study in the "comfort" of the AirTran 73'. On the way out, the Captain (he couldn't have been 28) stopped me and saw the test prep book in my hand. He went out of his way to tell me "anything over a 70 was just a waste of my time". He ended up talking to me for over 15 minutes as passengers departed. Friendliest guy I have met in a while.

"anything over a 70 was just a waste of my time".

Sorry man, maybe there's some sort of language barrier... what did he mean by that? Does the 70 refer to anitcipated test results? If yes, is 70 (%?) what you need to pass?Oh and to the OT, thanks for your story, been a great read and glad for you to have had this experience! :(

Sorry man, maybe there's some sort of language barrier... what did he mean by that? Does the 70 refer to anitcipated test results? If yes, is 70 (%?) what you need to pass?Oh and to the OT, thanks for your story, been a great read and glad for you to have had this experience! :(

Sorry. Yes, you're correct. And yes, 70% is all that you need to pass. :(

Great story. Thank you for posting it.I find that a lot of the commercial pilots that I have met are very good people. My personal belief is that, because they are so highly aware of the trust that their passengers put in them daily, they have a love for their passengers and for people in general.I have never met Mike Ray personally, but I have emailed him and he always responds to each email, and is always very friendly. He is the retired Captain that flew for United Airlines for about thirty years and writes flight sim books and articles for Computer Pilot Magazine.Also I met a retired Dash 8 Captain for USAir on some flight sim forums, who actually hopped on an airplane jumpseat from NC and came and visited me. He was a very nice person and had some great stories about his carreer. He showed me a lot on the Majestic Dash 8 simulation while he was here.I have a lot of admiration for airline commercial pilots because they are willing to take so much responsability with the lives of so many people by their training and professionalism. I'm just glad that if I make a mistake in my job, no one is hurt (maybe just their feelings). The kind of responsability of a commercial pilot, I would never be willing to take on. I guess that is why I love flight simulation and admire commercial airline pilots so much. You admire those who do the things that you are not able, or maybe just willing to do. Bob

I find that a lot of the commercial pilots that I have met are very good people. My personal belief is that, because they are so highly aware of the trust that their passengers put in them daily, they have a love for their passengers and for people in general.Also I met a retired Dash 8 Captain for USAir on some flight sim forums, Bob

That's pretty neat, Bob. Guess he was one of those Piedmont Airlines guys. Regardless of what some of the low time guys there say, I aspire to fly for them to build my turbine time if I get a choice.I've found that a good bit of the guys I know that go to the airlines have descent social skills. This is a must when in the line of work.

Sorry man, maybe there's some sort of language barrier... what did he mean by that? Does the 70 refer to anitcipated test results? If yes, is 70 (%?) what you need to pass?Oh and to the OT, thanks for your story, been a great read and glad for you to have had this experience! :(

There is another rendition of the phrase that goes like this...."anything over 70 is just showing off!" What it imlplies is that, you only need a 70 to pass. Dont go wasting your time trying to get that A or "Show off" lol. After all, on a check ride its either pass or fail.....no As no Bs...just pass or fail. Do everything you can to pass and dont waste your time trying to perfect anything. In the end...you and everyone else will have the same certificates. No one will know how well you did...only that you passed.

Great story. Thank you for posting it.I find that a lot of the commercial pilots that I have met are very good people. My personal belief is that, because they are so highly aware of the trust that their passengers put in them daily, they have a love for their passengers and for people in general.

I have heard the exact opposite...and experienced it. Once you close that door. You forget about those people in the back. Thats at least what I have heard from a bunch of pilots. On MX flights I was able to jumpseat on, Once i strapped in, I didnt even realize there was a cabin behind me. Think about it. You instinctively put all your focus on flying the airplane and talking to the guy/gal next to you.

Nice story! I always try to get up there to see if we can get direct since I work ATC... it works sometimes, mainly flying in ZMP airspace.