April 6, 201313 yr I am not a full scale pilot by any sort, I just love FSX and DX10 and by all means all of the PMDG planes. I am in a debate with one person and and flyiing with the FMC I have been told the correct way to fly useing the FMC is to fly manually useing the course bug to say fly to 10,000 before AP is engaged When I takeoff I have the VNAV and the LNAV and AUTO THROTTLE ARMED. And then when I reach 10,000 I then press the AP and i then I am now on the FMC flight plan. I might add on this flight I am not flying useing ATC of any sort; just plain flying. Now in the real world of flying the 737 how does the pilots fly the 737 on takeoff useing the ATC - RC and when do they switch the AP ON? I am in hopes someone can answear this question for me. The person also tells me that by flying using the FMCis is like flying like a "bus driver" your not flying the plane is flying itself. He also says that the full scale pilot dose not fly AP but instead flollows the magenta line manually and not on AP. This I know is not the fact. Any help on this question? Thanking you in advance, Les H lh
April 6, 201313 yr What a nonsense. Who is that guy? A 737 pilot who flies manual all the way isn't a full scale pilot but a soon to be fired pilot. And that talk about not being a bus driver if you fly using the FMC is 1. insulting to bus drivers and 2. a pilot IS in fact a bus driver, only in the sky. And if someone only flies manually all the way in a 737 I would say that person is a bad sky bus driver. I personally get very tired of all those wannabee pilots who say flying manually is the real thing... Utter crap. Anyway, you may turn on the AP almost immediately after take off, like 400 ft AGL: it usually depends on what the company tells you to do. Some companies indeed tell you to fly manually until 10.000 ft but NOT because that makes you a full scale pilot. Some companies even leave it up to the pilot.
April 6, 201313 yr Forget about this person. It's fine to fly manually, 10k is where most airlines require the AP on . You can put the AP on 400ft AGL after take of and that is fine usually it's not hand flown up to 10k, you don't really want to hand fly a difficult SID in a busy airspace when you have lots going on, but when things are not busy go for it. Usually you'd follow the magenta line with LNAV directions from the flight director, not with course. You can fly VOR radials and the like with course which might be what he was talking about but for those too your LNAV is there to help. About the bus driver thing, that's some macho old time (in the real world, which some self made computer captains have taken a liking too) "I'm in control I don't need computers telling me blah blah blah, I fly the plane and only me" and so on..... don't read anything into that, or anything else this guy says Lee Oh J van E beat me too it But anyways the plane is flying itself hence the word AUTOpilot
April 6, 201313 yr I manually fly nearly every departure until at ECON speed. The only times I don't is when it is clearly going to busy with weather or crossing traffic, just not in the mood, etc. But that is irrelevant... He also says that the full scale pilot dose not fly AP but instead flollows the magenta line manually and not on AP. This I know is not the fact. ...because that quote is utter nonsense The normal procedure is to takeoff, clean up, then engage the autopilot. The lowest AP engagement height is 400', I fly with many excellent pilots who put the AP in as soon as possible regardless of the conditions. Anyway, proper manual flying is with raw data and not following the magenta with FDs on all the time. But there is a time and place for that kind of flying, usually daytime, great weather with no traffic.
April 6, 201313 yr Author Forget about this person. It's fine to fly manually, 10k is where most airlines require the AP on . You can put the AP on 400ft AGL after take of and that is fine usually it's not hand flown up to 10k, you don't really want to hand fly a difficult SID in a busy airspace when you have lots going on, but when things are not busy go for it. Usually you'd follow the magenta line with LNAV directions from the flight director, not with course. You can fly VOR radials and the like with course which might be what he was talking about but for those too your LNAV is there to help. About the bus driver thing, that's some macho old time (in the real world, which some self made computer captains have taken a liking too) "I'm in control I don't need computers telling me blah blah blah, I fly the plane and only me" and so on..... don't read anything into that, or anything else this guy says Lee Oh J van E beat me too it But anyways the plane is flying itself hence the word AUTOpilot Thank you guys for your quick response to my question. It totally cleared up my question and I deeply appreciate the help. Les H lh
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