The manuals that come with the plane contain a lot of information - some have more than 1000 pages. The order of manuals in the folder are NOT the order in which newbies should read them. Of course the first readings should be the introduction and tutorial manuals. But by far the most useful other manual is the FCTM (Flight Crew Training Manual). that is where the information is presented in a logical, pedagogical and easy-to-understand manner, for example the takeoff and landing procedures. The other manuals contain stuff like checklists, tables and emergency procedures that can be useful, but that are useless for pilots who don't know the difference between a PFD and a yoke. The tutorial manual (and to some extent the Introduction manual) are made to be read while one has access to the cockpit, but the others probably should be read a few times (eventually of course) by sitting in a comfortable chair with a clear head. I have seen a number of RTFM comments in this forum. It is one thing to help a newbie by pointing out that the answer to his question is in the manual, but it is not helpful nor reasonable to expect a new player to remember everything that he has read. As I pointed out elsewhere, as a Professor it is my opinion that one has to learn somthing about seven times before one really understands it, and I don't see anything wrong with asking a question on this forum, where most participants are really happy to help. I have noted that REAL experienced airline pilots are among the most tolerant, and I hereby congratulate them on their patience and tolerance. Given that there is now a new message every few seconds on this forum, it is quite normal that the same questions are going to come up frequently -one could spend the whole day reading the forum and still fall behind just by going to lunch. We do want to encourage new people into the hobby, do we not? Henri

+1FRED

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Excellent post, Henri. / Tom

..... But by far the most useful other manual is the FCTM (Flight Crew Training Manual). that is where the information is presented in a logical, pedagogical and easy-to-understand manner, for example the takeoff and landing procedures. The other manuals contain stuff like checklists, tables and emergency procedures that can be useful, but that are useless for pilots who don't know the difference between a PFD and a yoke.... Henri

I made the same conclusions on the manual content, and order of reading/importance... aside: you used the word, pedagogical, with this audience. Now you need to start a post on its meaning.

Henri, You make some excellent points. I would add that there are many different ways to learn, and many people learn by the discussion that follows when they've asked a question. That said, I wonder if you would have as much patience for a classroom or lecture hall full of students who arrive without having done the reading assignment you gave them, instead expecting you to provide a detailed answer to each of them, one at a time, as they ask the same question, over and over again. At some point, purely out of frustration (a natural human emotion), you might wonder aloud if the sixth or eighth or fifteenth student had been paying attention at all the first few times you explained it. It's true that the volume of traffic on the forum these days is so great that it's simply not possible for a single individual to keep up with all of it, but consider that the proper and universal forum etiquette is to at least attempt a search before posting a question. I sincerely wish to encourage new people to immerse themselves in the hobby I enjoy, a major part of which is reading and study. I've had the 737 manuals for almost 9 months, and I still find something new every time I go looking for an answer there. That's part of the fun...a part I would not wish to deny anyone. Therefore, I often point people in the direction of the manual. Now, if someone initially asks, "The manual says this and I don't understand," that's a horse of a different hue, and most of us are far more willing to provide assistance there.