Tipps on how to approach the learing curve

[MerlinCH65 0]

Hello AllSince it is quite some time since I dropped in here - let me throw in first a happy "HELLO EVERYBODY" at you The purpose of this topic is to have a better understanding on how you guys actually "approach" this plane. How do you "learn" it.My current "skills" in terms of FSX - nuff said:a) Can fly different planes such as Learjets / B 727 Captain Sim (has no FMC):( Have no know-how about FMC / SIDS/STAR etc. etc.So, as you can see - my major lack of know how is the "Systems" - mainly FMC.Now, in theory, I have different options:a) Sit down and RTFM "offline" (without the 737 on the screen) --> Impossible - will not work for meB) Do the Tutorial Flight No. 1 and klicking step-by-step --> my current approach - but I don't know if I can memorize/understand what I doc) Look at some Youtube-Tutorials several times again and again until "i understand" --> seems also to be a valid approach to meI wonder how you do that. What can you recommend to me?Actually, even the "Introduction" Documents provided by PMDG look "daunting" to me - to say it at the least. But I am willing to go the hard way - I just want to take the most promising one.Hope you guys can share your personal information with me!MerlinCH65 (pull up - pull up - pu...)

[MrBenevolent 0]

I am pretty new to the flightsim hobby - so it has all been a steep learning curve for me; from setting up and optimising FSX itself, choosing which add-ons to get and learning the basics of flight and navigation.Didn't stop me from buying the 737NGX though - I just couldn't resist after reading all the ecstatic reviews and I have certainly not been disappointed!The most helpful thing for me was to run through this excellent, in-depth (yet accessible) tutorial flight, from Tom Risager. It takes you from a cold dark state at the gate and ending with the landing and contains lots of great tips and theory work as well.For me, it worked best reading it on my ipad by the computer whilst I went through it "live" in FSX a couple of times. It has really helped me start to understand the basics of the FMC, the 737 systems and start-up process and to get to grips with the mechanics of flying it.I still have a hell of a lot to learn, but I feel like I am making good progress and having fun with it too.Good luck!

[Guest]

Welcome backif you want to fly 737NG be prepared to spend weeks on a steep learning curve, but, if you have passion it will be pure fun.I doubt you will succeed but time will say

[simbio 56]

For me the best way is reading tutorials then look on youtube and then ask on the forum.Long time ago Timothy Meztinger wrote a fantastic tuorial for legacy version but it can apply to the current one.

[MrBenevolent 0]

Welcome backif you want to fly 737NG be prepared to spend weeks on a steep learning curve, but, if you have passion it will be pure fun.I doubt you will succeed but time will say

I would argue that one of the best things about the ngx is that the complexity is pretty scalable!When I first got it, I started the thing with systems and engines powered up and sitting on the active runway, made a clean take off, flew around for a bit and made a successful, if ugly and inelegant, landing. As I mentioned above, I am a total noob when it comes to flight simming and although I have been putting in a fair few hours with a variety of GA planes, some simple, some more complex, I have very little experience so far with heavy metal.Granted, if you want to fly it "for real" then yes, there is a huge amount amount to learn and I am well aware I am still only skimming the surface, but I think you can approach it in a pretty modular way, take your time and focus on different aspects each time you fly in order to build your knowledge.Most importantly and as you yourself said, the learning process is fun and can be immensely gratifying.

[IFR7700 228]

As far as the FMC goes:- Add fuel and payload via FS Actions on the Main menu-Add position via FMC menu-Add departing and arriving airports and runways (sids stars if desired)-Add route waypoints as needed via Route menu-Add PERF data. Double click ZFW to enter computer calculated entry LSK3 Enter reserves (5), cost index (25) and desired cruise altitude Don't forget to activate and enter whenever the light prompts you-Add TAKEOFF data; Flaps 5, double click CG for computer calculated entry, Set trim from number generated by CG entry Click LSK for V1, VR, and V2-Clear up any discon's in leg pages-Set aircraft knobs and switches as desiredl-Apply TOGA and hang on for dear lifeEnjoy,Dennis

[Guest]

flew around for a bit and made a successful, if ugly and inelegant, landing.Most importantly and as you yourself said, the learning process is fun and can be immensely gratifying.

To be honest I was answering the thread starter but your post injected itself in the meanwhile Yes, anyway we agree.I quoted your sentence about the landings, it made me laugh a lot because I did a tons of them and every now and then I still do those " inelegant " landings....

[Akila 39]

if you are willing on spending some money, "Angle of Attack" would be a perfect solution for you (it was/is sure mines)http://www.flyaoamed...7-ngx-training/

[MerlinCH65 0]

Hi MrBenevolent - Hi All!!First - thank you very much! In fact, I will try the Tutorial of Tom Risager as I think that "training on the job" is the way to go - and it's fun too. Yes, I will bang my head etc. but hey, that's part of the fun too Aside this, I will also do the Tutorial Flight No. 1 of PMDG and then I will check with youtube.If all else fails - I have you guys, no? Thx also to IFR7700 for your run-down!Cheers - will let you know in a couple of *weeks/month*...MerlinCH65 "to low - gear, to low - gear, to lo..."

[Paul_Smith 92]

You mentioned watching U-tube videos. I would suggest that you will learn a lot more by doing then by watching. Fly the tutorial a couple of times and you will become familiar with the steps involved in getting from A to B. Now make a single change to your plan (such as using a different destination airport) and try to fly it. Whenever you encounter something you are not sure of, use the 'P' key to pause the sim while you check the manuals. From this one change, you will learn how you need to pick your route, how you chose a STAR, and how you connect the STAR to your route. When ever things start to get out of hand, just turn the AP off, and have fun flying the plane by hand until you are ready to try the next lesson.

[ArjenVdv 190]

You say that you're really unfamiliar with SID/STARs etc. I can imagine that. About 1 year ago, I was still flying default planes, almost not add-ons. Than I decided to buy the 747 and MD-11. I didn't understand anything about the FMC, and SID/STARs. Now, around 1 year later, I perfectly know how to operate all those airplanes with the FMC, and SID/STARs. I mainly used YouTube videos, but also the tutorial flight.SID/STARs can be really complicated in the beginning. When I saw SID/STARs like LEKO1N SID, or the RKN2A STAR, I thought, what do all these words mean? How do I know which SID/STAR belongs to which route, how can I see that? The answer for that are charts. Let's say you're doing a flight EGKK to EHAM (like in the tutorial flight). If you're using real world weather, you always want to be taking off into the wind. Let's say the wind is 220 degrees, at 15 KTS. You want a runway that goes into that direction at much as possible. In this case that's runway 26L or 26R. Simply look on google for charts for your airport, for example EGKK charts. Then look up the ground map, there you can see which runways the airport has, choose the runway that points the most into the wind, or the runway that (online) ATC assigns you. As the route from EGKK to EHAM is going to the east, you want to pick a departure produdure (or SID), that goes to the east. Look up a SID that goes to the east, and which belongs to your takeoff runway. The name of the SID will be displayed on the chart next to the route. If you have found the right SID, choose it in the FMC's DEP/ARR page, under the left DEP tab. When you're arriving at Schiphol EHAM, you're coming from the west, and you want a STAR that leads into the airport from the west to the east. On the chart you can also find the ATIS frequency. Listen to ATIS and pick the active runway in the DEP/ARR page in the ARR tab next to EHAM. Then choose the STAR you have found that leads to the east into the airport. Each STAR can also have different transitions. That means that a STAR can go via different VORs NDBs or fixes. This is also displayed on the chart, and simply choose the transition which is in your flightplan, or if it's not on your flightplan, choose the on that you're coming from (in this case you're coming from the west.).Where to get waypoints or flightplans? I'm using a programm called VRoute. The standard version is free, you can simply enter your dep and arr airport. It will display the flightplan for you. Just enter the airways displayed on that flightplan in the left column of the FMC's RTE page. Also enter the waypoint that the airway leads to. For example a short flightplan can be: UL705 RSD UZ478 BVD U78 SPL. First enter the UL705 airway on the left, then the RSD waypoint on the right. Then enter the UZ478 airway on the left, and the BVD waypoint on the right. In the end, you have to select ACTIVATE, and then press EXEC. If there are any route discontinuities on the RTE page, simply copy the waypoint after the discontinuity, and past it into the previous like, with all those blocks (the actual discontinuity).Hope this helps for basic SID/STAR, flightplanning, and some FMC operation.

[Critch 0]

To learn the NGX you must go through the tutorial flight to give you a grasp on the PMDG specific options in setting up this aircraft for a flight. As regards the systems (FMC Etc) you will soon find that there is a flow involved and as you get to understand what you are doing it will become clearer with each flight.Short answer do the tutorial more than once, read the forums and ask questions and dont, dont, dont give up.Darryl Critchley

[Guest]

I would also suggest to move sooner rather than later to manual landings.

[Akila 39]

Let's say the wind is 220 degrees, at 15 KTS. You want a runway that goes into that direction at much as possible. In this case that's runway 26L or 26R.

you would pick RW8R/L actually :)RW26 would bring you with the wind as it's heading almost the same direction as the WIND coming from.your goal as you mentioned it is to be against the Wind, not along side it.small note :)another note, it was amazing what you wrote , kudos for that, however if it is a rookie that is reading your small tutorialhe wouldn't know what the hell you are talking about.I know it as for my self, when I was a rookie and I would read that, I would have no clue on where to start.However, your little brief tutorial is very nice and sums it up pretty well and not to intimidating either ;)

[ArjenVdv 190]

you would pick RW8R/L actually :)RW26 would bring you with the wind as it's heading almost the same direction as the WIND coming from.your goal as you mentioned it is to be against the Wind, not along side it.small note :)

No, you wrong about that! Now set up the NGX at EGKK runway 26L, set weather with wind at 220/15. Now take off and look at the ND, now you'll see that you're taking off into the wind. Next thing, now take off from runway 8R with the same weather, now you're going with the wind! Wind 220/15 means the wind is COMING from 220 degrees, it's not going TO that direction.