Evening all-

 

I just had a great flight in the NGX after running through the 2 tutorials and cutting lose. It too me a bit with my nose in the book to pull it all together without reading it step by step. Man, there is a lot to cover. Practice makes perfect I guess. During this flight I came up with a couple of slam dunk questions for you pros.

 

1) CMD activation during climb out - it wasn't happening. I know there is an option in the FMC to allow / disallow the activation if the plane is not level and trimmed. How is it is it in the real world? I mean, at 500' I am heading up and out, I want to kick this think over to CMD mode. Once I pushed the nose over in a fairly level flight, the CMD activated no problem so I assume this is the toggle I need to change unless this isn't how it really is in the R/W.

 

2) Green dots on FMC (not TOC/TOD) - what are they representing? I think they are deceleration spots?

 

3) Yaw damper - do you turn this off prior to landing or is it automatically off when the A/P is disengaged? I am use to toggeling it off in the GA planes I fly. It just seems to be in a peculiar place to look up while coming in on final.

 

4) IRU alignment - what does the "align" and "att" toggles do? I have been just going to NAV and leaving it. Everything appears to align correctly. What happens if you mess with these in flight? I imagine your FMS would be hosed?

 

5) ...dumb one... Are the spoilers auto-armed in this plane if they are toggled "on" under the covers? I am use to the JS41 which has a toggle the size of Texas on the glare shield.

 

6) Is there any indicator that autobrake is actively braking? I have it set to autobrake but never really sure if it's doing it's thing. Maybe because I am too chicken to let off the toe breaks after landing.

 

7) Reference radios in the FMS - If I mess with those, does it jack up the reference system of the FMS? The reason I ask is because I was having some issues with the LNAV kicking on prior to take off. I had messed with the reference radios and thing I messed it up. I restarted the flight, did the same loading procedure and the LNAV activated.

 

8) Heading Reference Switch - is there one?

 

9) HGS - is there any sort of manual out there? I have googled but to no avail. Only a post with link removed on AVSIM is what I come up with.

 

Thanks..that's good for now. I have more... but will fly again and read some more.

 

Benjamin

1. The aircraft needs to be above a certain height and needs to be trimmed for level flight. Then it will activate. That's how it is in the real world.

 

2. The dots represent when the aircraft should be decelerating for approach or slowing to 250 knots or below at 10,000 feet.

 

3. Turn off the yaw damper on the overhead panel. The yaw damper does not automatically disengage.

 

4. Align will only align the IRS. The switch needs to be moved to NAV for navigational purposes. ATT will only provide a display for the attitude of the aircraft. You would be screwed on the display side of things. Do NOT touch those switches during flight unless specified by a QRH checklist.

 

5. The speed brakes need to be armed for landing like any other Boeing aircraft.

 

6. Are you slowing down if the autobrake selector is set? Is there a message in the lower left corner of your screen? If so, the brakes are working.

 

7. Did you arm LNAV before takeoff? Navigation radios should be set for departure. After that the FMS will update the aircraft position automatically. Autopilot modes just don't switch on. This will only happen during the first engagement of the autopilot. This will only provide you with basic autopilot functions until you select the modes you want.

 

8. No.

 

9. See next line.

 

Read the manual.

9) Check NGX Operating Manual Vol 2 (PMDG-NGX-FCOMv2.pdf) page 637 (CH 10 SEC 22).

Thanks for the reply...follow up questions

 

1) So the tutorials are leading me down the right path? They have me ARM both VNAV and LNAV prior to takeoff and activate CMD at 400 AGL... Why have you do that if it's not right (or have a side note that says - this isn't how it's really done)?

 

Roger everything on 2,3,4

 

5) Speedbrake arm - is this the click spot to the right of the spoiler?

 

Roger on 6,7,8

 

9) I have read the manuals like crazy. Don't get me wrong, I have the basic information about entering the runway elevation / length and the various modes of HGS. I am looking for something more indepth about what exactly is indicated on the combiner. Maybe I am missing it somewhere in the manual(s) that have a little more detail about what I am really looking at.

 

Thanks again for your answers. I am a GA guy at heart so all of this big tin stuff is new.

 

Benjamin.

 

Holy crap - I am blind... Thanks guys. Got it in the manual now. Why I didn't see it before..... sigh.

That's what I was after.

I'm real happy that I can get into this amazing simulation and flip a bunch of switches, push buttons and turn knobs (relatively similar to RL CHKLST) to achieve my goal, start engines and begin journey. Learning to use VNAV/LNAV properly is just another of many exciting hurdles to jump over. Considering you are taking in a lot in a little time, it's understandable to miss something. Keep at it, my FSX would be incomplete without the NGX!

As for number 3, is it SOP to disengage the yaw damper, as I always disengaged it in the after landing flow? If so, when should it be disengaged, during final approach, and why should it be disengaged?

As for number 3, is it SOP to disengage the yaw damper, as I always disengaged it in the after landing flow? If so, when should it be disengaged, during final approach, and why should it be disengaged?

 

Yaw damper is disengaged after landing.

 

Thanks for the reply...follow up questions

 

1) So the tutorials are leading me down the right path? They have me ARM both VNAV and LNAV prior to takeoff and activate CMD at 400 AGL... Why have you do that if it's not right (or have a side note that says - this isn't how it's really done)?

 

Roger everything on 2,3,4

 

5) Speedbrake arm - is this the click spot to the right of the spoiler?

 

Roger on 6,7,8

 

9) I have read the manuals like crazy. Don't get me wrong, I have the basic information about entering the runway elevation / length and the various modes of HGS. I am looking for something more indepth about what exactly is indicated on the combiner. Maybe I am missing it somewhere in the manual(s) that have a little more detail about what I am really looking at.

 

Thanks again for your answers. I am a GA guy at heart so all of this big tin stuff is new.

 

Benjamin.

 

Holy crap - I am blind... Thanks guys. Got it in the manual now. Why I didn't see it before..... sigh.

That's what I was after.

 

1. If the departure procedure is tight and complicated or ATC directs you to follow it, turn LNAV on before takeoff. If you are issued headings, fly HDG SEL. VNAV will provide you with a vertical profile that is efficient. The tutorials are how it is done sometimes. You can activate the AP at 400' if say you're flying out of JFK during rush hour. Keep the eyes out of the aircraft to see traffic.

 

5. The speedbrake does have a clickspot to arm it. You can also move it physically or use CTRL + /.

Yaw damper is disengaged after landing.

Roger, thanks.

Agreed - thanks for the help.

 

I am going again tonight and looking forward to it. Now the real question is should I get the variants .. haha.

In real world operations at American Airlines we turn the yaw damper on during the preflight cockpit set up and the let it automatically turn off when we turn the IRUs off after we are parked at the gate.

 

We are not allowed to arm VNAV on the ground because they discovered after gaining approval to do it that it can mask windshear warnings on takeoff. The procedure is to turn VNAV on at 1000 feet above feaild elevation.

 

Oh yeah our limitations now prohibit autopilot engagement below 500 though for years previous it was 400 feet.

In real world operations at American Airlines we turn the yaw damper on during the preflight cockpit set up and the let it automatically turn off when we turn the IRUs off after we are parked at the gate.

 

We are not allowed to arm VNAV on the ground because they discovered after gaining approval to do it that it can mask windshear warnings on takeoff. The procedure is to turn VNAV on at 1000 feet above feaild elevation.

 

Oh yeah our limitations now prohibit autopilot engagement below 500 though for years previous it was 400 feet.

In real world operations at American Airlines we turn the yaw damper on during the preflight cockpit set up and the let it automatically turn off when we turn the IRUs off after we are parked at the gate.

 

We are not allowed to arm VNAV on the ground because they discovered after gaining approval to do it that it can mask windshear warnings on takeoff. The procedure is to turn VNAV on at 1000 feet above feaild elevation.

 

Oh yeah our limitations now prohibit autopilot engagement below 500 though for years previous it was 400 feet.

Good to know Tom. I fly American ops with the NGX 99% percent of the time, so it is nice to learn about the way they do things.

9) HGS - is there any sort of manual out there? I have googled but to no avail. Only a post with link removed on AVSIM is what I come up with.

 

I have a 200 page PDF file of the Rockwell Collins HGS pilot guide. Not sure if this is the same one originally on AVSIM. Send me a PM and I'll email it to you.