Best manual?

[conura 45]

Hey everyone, Basically in another thread a few people mentioned that I need to learn the basics, which I completely agree with. Fundmentals like SIDS, STARS, navigation, glideslopes...Pretty much everything. this one was recommended: http://www.amazon.com/Flying-Boeing-700-Flight-Simulators/dp/0936283106 Although some of the reviews say it isn't too well written. Could anybody recommend anything? I've a long commute each day and need something to keep me entertained on the train :-) Thanks!

[Houghton11 12]

Frankly, although I've heard good things about this series of books, I don't think it will provide much more than just flying the included tutorial a couple of times. You'll gleam most of what you'll need to know pretty quick.I'd save yourself some coin, do a little research (just wiki SID and STARs), follow though on the tutorial (if you can print it out bonus) and when you got time just go through the fms section of the FCOM and FCTM.

[Spin737 102]

Bulfer's Cockpit Companion is great reference for systems, but isn't going to help you learn the flying side of the house. None of the Boeing materials really tells you much about how to work in the IFR system.

[michal 44]

Fundmentals like SIDS, STARS, navigation, glideslopes...

This is best covered in typical IFR textbooks that are not focused on any particular aircraft type.For example:http://sportys.com/pilotshop/product/13213http://sportys.com/pilotshop/product/13230http://sportys.com/pilotshop/product/13208They are excellent and well illustrated. Very good pillow or train read ;)In my opinion if you are getting a 'tutorial' book you are NOT learning fundamentals.

[Chock 17,769]

Mike Ray's book is a good basic primer for anyone wanting to learn how to fly Boeings with FMCs, including how to do the flight itself from start to finish, and it is aimed at flight simmers, so it is probably what you are looking for. I don't know who said it wasn't well written, but I'd disagree with that, Mike Ray has a very engaging style which is perfect for the target the book pitches itself at, what is more, it has little 'pop quizzes' throughout it which test you on what you have recalled, which is a nice touch. It is not specifically for one sim aircraft type, nor one from any particular developer, but even so, where there are operationaol or layout differences that matter, Mike points this out and so it works out well enough. Also worth a look are these two: http://www.amazon.co...17602400&sr=1-1 http://www.amazon.co...17602656&sr=1-1 These are basically the same book, but covering the 747 in one, and the 777 in the other. They are aimed at the layman rather than a student pilot, but don't let that put you off, you'll learn a hell of a lot from reading these, perhaps more than from any other book in some cases, and they are extremely entertainingly written as well. Should keep you busy for a while, since they both run to about 300 pages. If you want something that will teach you a bit more in-depth stuff about flying airliners, I can recommend both of these: http://www.b737.org.uk/book.htm http://www.amazon.co...7+Flight+Master Neither of those two are 'tutorial books', but they are both good for learning a lot about flying airliners. The 727 one is aimed at helping people pass a check ride for the 727, which is of course a fairly old airliner now, but the fundamental stuff the book covers has not really changed, so it is worth having even today, and at 582 pages, it will keep you busy on the train, since it has a lot of useful tips. Of course the one by Chris Brady is going to be a big help if you have the PMDG NG, but it is not a 'this is how you fly the 737' book, nevertheless, you can make it into something akin to that by learning what is in it. At 334 pages, it too will help you pass a lot of time on the tain, but it is written in a strictly technical manner, so don't expect it to be a barrel of laughs. Also worth considering: http://www.amazon.co...17602400&sr=1-3 This is a more specialised book, aimed at pilots who are moving up to flying airliners. But it is broadly-based, raather than concentrating on one aircraft type. It's a good read if you like aeroplanes and very useful if you want to know how to fly them, certainly one to consider if you want a lot of inside info, but not ideal for an absolute novice. If you want to get really mental and go for it in a big way, then you could also consider this book: http://www.amazon.co...p/dp/1560278544 This is really serious stuff. It is a massive book, full of tests and such, since it is aimed at people wanting to take the real tests, where you get asked questions such as ''how many flares and liferafts does a commercial aircraft with 22 passenger seats have to carry?''. My copy came with a computer test supplement too, and even that is a fairly hefty book on its own. You'd need a bloody long train ride to get through this one, so if you commute on the trans-Siberian express, it might be worth considering LOL. Warning, this is not light-heated reading by any stretch of the imagination, but it will teach you all the proper stuff, and I do mean ALL the proper stuff. It would also be handy as a weapon to fend off a cockpit intrusion, since if you hit someone with it, they are definitely going down. Also worth considering are some of the ATC books you can find, since they are great for explaining SIDs and STARs, as well as the various procedures of a flight. Make sure you get a recent one though, older books won't have RNAV, IAN and things like that in them. And finally, for a good laugh: http://www.amazon.co...17602871&sr=1-1 Not really suitable for learning to fly, but it will definitely keep you entertained and teach you a few bits and pieces. Note that there are several editions of this book, and the first edition was out in 1996, which is significant because that was of course pre-9-11, so the text has changed somewhat in the 2006 edition to reflect that. Nevertheless, as lighthearted as the pitch of this book is, you can class it in the 'never a truer word spoken than one said in jest' category, because it is full of a lot of inside info that really is true when it comes to airline flying. A very funny book. Al

[Lawyer+Pilot 126]

This is best covered in typical IFR textbooks that are not focused on any particular aircraft type.For example:http://sportys.com/pilotshop/product/13213http://sportys.com/pilotshop/product/13230http://sportys.com/pilotshop/product/13208They are excellent and well illustrated. Very good pillow or train read ;)In my opinion if you are getting a 'tutorial' book you are NOT learning fundamentals.

+1I completely agree that you need to start with the basics. It's a lot easier to learn how to fly a SID using the FMC when you understand what a SID is in the first place. A little basic education provides the context that you'll rely on continuously as you work your way through learning the NGX.

[christo95 0]

There is also the Aviator Pro series from Angle of Attack. Check this: http://www.flyaoamedia.com/aviatorpro/ I've heard good advice and I think it is a very complete course (see the description). Christopher Schilly

[Paul_Smith 92]

For an alternative view of the basics of flight (and its free) ... you would be hard pressed to find anything better then the Fly Better series at http://www.flybetter.com.au/index.html

[nicobecker37 0]

You may also consider www.jeppesen.com. They have very good books, e.g. IFR etc.Nic

[Cristi_Neagu 134]

For ILS approaches, there's a pretty good tutorial in FSX's learning center, under lessons, airline transport pilot section. Granted, it refers to the default 737, but it's not that far off. Also, you can check out the basics of ILS approaches in the instrument pilot section. They may be the lessons that come with FSX, but they are a good starting point.

[scandinavian13 5,192]

For some reason, there's some disconnect with sim pilots and the real world. The sim uses real airports, real navaids and can even take a shot at real world weather, but for some reason people always look to learn the concepts through tinted glasses (a specific developer's tutorial, or FSX-specific book/blog/site). While I'm not saying books written for FS are always going to be wrong, I'd argue you might as well just go to the source. If the sim models reality, and the reality the one where you use the real procedures, why not learn from the material real pilots learn from? The FAA's Instrument Pilot Handbook is free online: http://www.faa.gov/library/manuals/aviation/instrument_flying_handbook/ Furthermore, it's best to learn conceptually. Trying to learn the fundamentals of an ILS approach by looking at the problem and thinking "how do I fly an ILS approach, in this aircraft" isn't going to get you anywhere fast. What you want to do is learn what an ILS approach is, how it works, how you'd be vectored to it, or how it would be flown fully, and then you'd go learn how to accomplish that in a particular aircraft. If a book refers to anything specific about a particular aircraft when you're trying to learn the basics, you're learning the basics from the wrong book. Since I know how the IFR system works, in general, no matter what aircraft I fly - Cessna, ERJ, or 737 - I'm able to jump in and know what to do. Either way, if it gets the job done, it gets the job done. I just felt like I'd add my own thoughts here.