If you want my advice - go back to FS2004 and the earlier PMDG 737 800/900. I have spent some time trying to adapt to virtual cockpit and it seems to be a realism too far. The earlier sim was realism enough.

 

They don't sell it anymore.

 

They don't sell it anymore.

 

Lol

 

 

Sent from my iPhone...typing errors imminent

I am grateful to Mr Houghton11 for his advice and on the strength of it will persist a little longer. The rather bullish point someone else makes about not coming to the forum until 300 pages of instruction have been devoured is, I think, unrealistic. Most people have flight simulators for purposes of recreation: they are not reading for a degree in the subject. In my case, I should be delighted if I could find even thirty pages of instruction. The NG version incorporated several files which were useful but I have yet to find the equivalent in the NGX and all I have is a rather poorly produced manual which provides no clues to mastering the novelties of the virtual cockpit.

 

 

They don't sell it anymore.

 

The last time - last month - I paid a visit to my local PCW, there were quite a number of FS2004 sims on the shelf.

M Kent,

 

You realize the, "rather poorly produced manual" you're talking about is the actual manual, produced by Boeing given to pilots of the aircraft?

 

The two tutorial flights are the absolutely best way to learn the aircraft. They hold your hand every step of the way and are excellently written. I can only guess at how you feel any of it is poorly done?

 

However, you bring up an interesting point. The very point of PMDG is to develop an aircraft that is as real as possible. The whole reason most people love and buy aircraft from PMDG is because they DO want to learn everything about the aircraft. Many people here have read the 1000+ pages of the manuals because that is what they want. If that's not you, that's totally okay. It just means you got the wrong plane. Recreation to you may not be the same thing as others. To me, recreation is spending hours and hours learning every aspect of the plane to the point that I could easily discuss all the technical aspects of flying the plane with a real pilot of the plane.

 

That's not to say you have to get a degree to enjoy the NGX but it is to say there's no way someone could learn to fly the NGX in 30 pages or by going to a forum and asking how to fly the plane. It takes longer than that just to program the FMC. The tutorials are the bare minimum and easiest way to learn the plane. The manuals aren't necessary, but do add to the enjoyment for some.

 

I also second that holding the spacebar down and moving the mouse is by far the easiest way to navigate the cockpit. I couldn't stand using TrackIR for FSX.

How about the FS2crew should I buy it and how do add livery's it will not work for me.

To be fair I don't think that it is PMDG's job to teach people how to use a VC. That said, I understand your point about the manual, whilst it is great to have the Boeing manuals, they are not easy reading.

 

However, the tutorial(s) are great for learning the aircraft. As are some of the videos on YouTube. It is well worth persisting with.

 

For me I tend to use the space+mouse (mouse wheel to zoom) to look around some of the time, then the "hat" switch and -/+ others...

 

G

The key to success with anything from tying shoelaces to landing a 747 is a clear set of instructions. The only manual - and poorly produced - that came with my 737 NGX is a small booklet that runs you through the FMC process but ignores everything else. Where are the thousand pages of manuals you speak of? The 747-400 had a folder which included a dozen or so manuals but I cannot locate an equivalent for the 737 NGX.

 

Incidentally the manual is not a Boeing manual. It is simply a rather poorly written booklet by PMDG that has a Boeing kitemark. I imagine PMDG paid through the nose to get it on the cover in order to give a verisimilitude of oneness with the aircraft manufacturer.

Why the hell they are no more selling 737 for FS2004 ? OMG

 

It's a virtual product, there is no manufacturing price lol. What is the problem ? Why they stopped selling 737 for FS2004 ?

Okay something's fishy here M. Kent regarding your installation. You should most definitely have more then just some 'booklet' regarding the NGX. The FCOM Vol 1. itself is 1035 pages, followed by Volume 2, which is 1240.

 

In your start->programs you should see something like this:

 

 

Where did you purchase the NGX from? If you aren't seeing what's above then something's fishy. I hope you didn't get hosed.

The key to success with anything from tying shoelaces to landing a 747 is a clear set of instructions. The only manual - and poorly produced - that came with my 737 NGX is a small booklet that runs you through the FMC process but ignores everything else. Where are the thousand pages of manuals you speak of? The 747-400 had a folder which included a dozen or so manuals but I cannot locate an equivalent for the 737 NGX.

 

Incidentally the manual is not a Boeing manual. It is simply a rather poorly written booklet by PMDG that has a Boeing kitemark. I imagine PMDG paid through the nose to get it on the cover in order to give a verisimilitude of oneness with the aircraft manufacturer.

 

There is something like 3,143 pages of literature shipped with this baby and that's not counting the two tutorials.

 

@ Houghton11, 'Something's Fishy', You're not kidding.

All the documentation can be accessed straight from the start menu, then to PMDG and the NGX directory.

PMDG included shortcuts to all the manuals (including both instructional tutorials) for the user's convenience.

It's in the most basic of places, how could he not find it?

 

I don't know how he can continue calling the manuals "poor" when he just admitted he hasn't even seen them. They are the real Boeing manuals that come with the real 737NG, not some rewrite.

Saying they were poorly written by PMDG and then slapped with a Boeing seal is just downright insulting to the company. But of course how could he know the quality of the content if he hasn't even read any of it.

 

I agree with what was said earlier that its not the simulation or the documentation that is poor, but his choice in the airplane he bought.

He would be better suited with a lighter version of the 737 made by a different developer.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone...typing errors imminent

I am grateful for that (why on earth do they hide the things lie that?) and will read through them this week-end. What I really want - if you can give me a pointer to the section - is a run-down on the starting procedures apropos the panel. Thanks again.

 

The poorly written manual I referred to was the booklet - the only one - that came with the disk. It runs through the FMC and ignores almost everything else.

I have to agree about the manuals. An example: there are yards of text telling you how the anti ice system works but as far as I can find, not a clue as to when you should use it. I'm working on the basis of between +5 and -10 and if it's really cold & damp I put the wing anti ice on too.

 

Replicating thousands of pages of text is all very well, but in real life they'd be backed up by a comprehensive training regime.

 

However, still the best add-on by a country mile.

 

As to should you get FS2Crew, that's a no-brainer, yes. You can't fly a 737 with 1 pilot in real life, why try it in a sim?

 

Replicating thousands of pages of text is all very well, but in real life they'd be backed up by a comprehensive training regime

 

And PMDG backed their product with not one but two extensive tutorials, which has been mentioned multiple times.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone...typing errors imminent

is a run-down on the starting procedures apropos the panel

 

Go to Supplementary Procedures SP 6.1 to establish electrical power

Then move on to NP 21.1 in the FCOM Vol. 1.

 

Tutorial #1 assumes an already good-to-go aircraft, while Tutorial #2 gives you a good overview of starting up from a cold+dark state.