What I want to know is:

So, I used this video of this cartoon that many of you know well to introduce my question: Does anyone have any idea of what do these buttons do? Just to locate you guys, these buttons are on the right side of the doorway.

Mateus, são "clicáveis"?

Mateus, são "clicáveis"?

But... VARIG went broke!

It´s for maintenance only, above those selectors they can enter a CD or other memory device and update the flight management computers..Cheers,Berni

Matheus, são "clicáveis"?

Nope. Neither of the two.

It´s for maintenance only, above those selectors they can enter a CD or other memory device and update the flight management computers..Cheers,Berni

So... It's though there the maintenance guys update systems in the plane? Interesting as well. I always wanted to know how that is done. Do you know or are there more details about it?BTW, is it normal to have so many INOP tags around the bigger selector? Or could PMDG have hidden tags there for security reasons?

No that´s normal. I don´t really now much about these selectors, you should ask an boeing technician, but I think, you can get the aircraft with so many custom options like 1 FMS, 2 FMS, HGS, whatever... there is space for different systems on these selectors... security is not an issue..Cheers,Berni

That's what I though it could be. Just looking at them one can get an idea of how they should work. Just 2 more things. I assume the first knob would be used to select the data source, right? And what is APU doing there?

That's where all software can be uploaded to there related system's like the FMC NAVDATA base with a floppy disk. This is the onboard data loader.The APU has also a computer for controlling and monitoring the APU, The APU Electronic Control Unit (ECU) has operational software to controll and protect the APU, This Operational software can updated.

The ADL is not only used to upload data or softwares to the onboard devices, it can be used also to download for example internal FMC diagnostic data witout removing FMC from the aircraft.Normally I seen installed onboard only floppy drives for ADL, CD or PCMCIA readers maybe used as custom options.The inop placards on the selector are present for that voices that are not installed on the plane (for example ACARS)ADL (airborne data loader) can be missing on some airplanes, in this case an external data loader will be connected to onboard DATA LOADER receptacles.

But... VARIG went broke!

Oh, really?

The ADL is not only used to upload data or softwares to the onboard devices, it can be used also to download for example internal FMC diagnostic data witout removing FMC from the aircraft.Normally I seen installed onboard only floppy drives for ADL, CD or PCMCIA readers maybe used as custom options.The inop placards on the selector are present for that voices that are not installed on the plane (for example ACARS)ADL (airborne data loader) can be missing on some airplanes, in this case an external data loader will be connected to onboard DATA LOADER receptacles.

Thank you for this information! Didn't know that. Can a laptop retrieve info from FMC and vice-versa?

That's where all software can be uploaded to there related system's like the FMC NAVDATA base with a floppy disk. This is the onboard data loader.The APU has also a computer for controlling and monitoring the APU, The APU Electronic Control Unit (ECU) has operational software to controll and protect the APU, This Operational software can updated.

This airplane has more computers that I thought it had. Thanks you all for the answers. I appreciate it.So, just to finish here, a low cost airline from Brazil, called GOL Airlines (check my sig), has a system called FOQA in their 737s, which monitors and records some parameters of a flight so that it can be analysed later by the maintenance folks. Some of you may have heard of that system, maybe. So, the data from FOQA would be downloaded using that device, wouldn't it? I know it's pretty much an obvious question, but just wanted to make sure.

Normally 737 uses mini QAR (normally MKII) to access fligt data acquired (from FDAU). It is a company option.Other uses DFDAU with optical drives, other QAR containing CF cards...There is a various way to access to the recorded data.For flight data you can download DFDR data or quick access recorded data.But the ADL is principally used to upload data and to download only few items compared to other planes like CRJ, embraers where a series of hystory can be downloaded for maintenance and performance study purpose.The interface is normally made by disks, not laptop, laptop are used to interface directly (with adapters) to some avionics unit (speaking generally, not only about 737).For example I did multiple SFECU software updates(slat/flap control unit of CRJ, almost the same of SF-ACE of the Embraers) using a laptop.In 737 the laptop usage is less than in other. Miniqar download can be done by a laptop, but the download can be carried offboard as the qar can be easily removed.

Oh, really?

Eu me lembro quando o presidente da Varig quebrou o pódio.

Dee Dee!! Get out of my la-bor-atory! Loved watching Dexter's Lab with the kids :)

Eu me lembro quando o presidente da Varig quebrou o pódio.

I'm sorry man, what's your point? I don't understand...