Looks fantastic, can't wait to get some Polar ops in.

 

Lawrence Ashworth

Guys,

 

Did I tell you how sophisticated this bird is at engine start?

 

Now in the NGX we have to start the APU, make sure the APU is delivering bleed air for start, set up the APU for the electrics, turn off the PACKS, turn on the engine starter and then monitoring for 25% N2 before bringing in the fuel. Then you need to remember to disconnect APU air bleed, put the PACKS back on and well... you get the idea of all the switching around.

 

This is a whole different setup with the 777.

 

Start your APU - it will automatically provide electrical if the engines are off and the APU GEN switch is on

Rotate the engine start switch

immediately bring in the fuel

 

That is it, complete, finito, done!

 

The intelligent systems will automatically switch off the PACKS for you, apply APU bleed air, let the fuel in to the engines at the appropriate time etc etc

 

When your engines are started just switch off your APU, the PACKS are automatically restored to using engine bleed air, the electrical buses are automatically connected to the engine generators, fuel pumps are configured for you. The whole overhead just configures itself like magic!

 

Now you are going to ask me, what if something goes wrong - say a hot or hung start or bleed air failure or some other gremlin in the works. Well, the automatic start system has complex monitoring and sequencing and can detect any issues that you might have and respond accordingly. It even knows to retry the start a couple of times if the internal logic thinks that could help matters!

 

There are a huge set of complicated diagnostics and "what ifs" going on behind the scenes for every engine start. PMDG have modelled that whole intelligent diagnostic system down to the last detail! Here you see again how the 777 is way more technically complex than the NGX, but that complexity translates to helping the pilot.

 

Honestly, the NGX is like a cheap Ford compared to the Rolls Royce of the 777LR!!!

 

As a systems fan, I do enjoy watching all the animated system synoptics during these processes. In the shot below you can see that I have just started the no2 engine and the system is waiting for appropriate spin up before letting fuel in to the number 1 engine. You can see the green flow line does not yet reach the engine. It will shortly and completely automatically when the autostart sequencer is satisfied that the time is right!

 

Truly Stunning.......

Thank you for showing and sharing with us. 

This is relevant to my interests.

Nothing to say...

Here is the electrical synoptic after starting the right engine. You can see the right hand side buses are now powered by the engine generator (the backup is available but not powering anything, its a green box with no flow lines)

 

The left engine has not started, so the APU is still powering the left side buses as you can see the flow line from the APU. After engine start, both generators will be on the electrical buses and the APU will be disconnected (fully automatically without pilot intervention!!)

 

 

 

Let me leave you with a little snippet of info on the sounds, Yes, we have all heard sounds when you press a button on the overhead etc, how about that sound changing depending on where you click the overhead button or the pressure of the mouse. The whole aircraft is organic, you will never hear the same sequences of sounds twice, that includes the engines that may be just that bit quieter or whine that little bit more depending on atmospheric conditions. This is not an aircraft of looped canned sounds, the whole aircraft responds to you as a pilot and how you treat her. From every cockpit click to those enormous engines you are not going to be hearing cut and paste sounds but an evolving, living breathing soundset that responds to you!



JaneRachel

Hi Jane,

Many thanks for this input, while I have become addicted to Flight Models since the NGX, I have also paid more attention to sounds, to hear this news is fantastic as I dwell on sound setting on occasion just to see if I can tweak/balance just a bit more, This will be really cool to fly and Hear also without too much trouble at all, So much work has gone into the Magnificent PMDG777  I can even wait an extra coupla day's for the server demand to  slow down after release, why, because good things are worth waiting for,   thanks again for your input.

 

Regards

 

Guss.

Here is the electrical synoptic after starting the right engine. You can see the right hand side buses are now powered by the engine generator (the backup is available but not powering anything, its a green box with no flow lines)

 

The left engine has not started, so the APU is still powering the left side buses as you can see the flow line from the APU. After engine start, both generators will be on the electrical buses and the APU will be disconnected (fully automatically without pilot intervention!!)

 

 

I see that the external power is also still connected but obviously not supplying power since the APU and engines have priority, that is neat considering that you have to manually connect busses on the 737.

Hey Maurice, here is the full fuel loadout of the aircraft. It is fully loaded with 320,000lbs of fuel. It will certainly get you that whole 9000 or so miles if you wish.

 

 

1) PC Pilot Magazine (I am the Deputy Editor and also write technical tutorials for airliners)

2) yes, you can use pounds or kilos. Please see the screenshot in my earlier post which uses lbs.

3) lots, I haven't counted them all, but there are 16 pages of options in the CDU!

4) honestly, I have no idea, but I will take a look for you later

Thank you for your answer and this pic! About 320,000lbs is the maximum fuel capacity for the -LR without the Aux tanks. And on the display in the picture you posted, i only see the left, right and center taks. No Auxilary tanks! Maybe is it possible to get these aux tanks by setting these tanks in the fmc - aircraft option settings? 

 

It would be cool if you look for this option. 

Hi Jane,

Many thanks for this input, while I have become addicted to Flight Models since the NGX, I have also paid more attention to sounds, to hear this news is fantastic as I dwell on sound setting on occasion just to see if I can tweak/balance just a bit more, This will be really cool to fly and Hear also without too much trouble at all, So much work has gone into the Magnificent PMDG777  I can even wait an extra coupla day's for the server demand to  slow down after release, why, because good things are worth waiting for,   thanks again for your input.

 

Regards

 

Guss.

 

great to hear from you, I always enjoy your letters to the mag and hearing from you!

 

The sounds are simply phenomenal. I have never seen any aircraft with sounds done this way before. Sure you can get custom sound controllers now that extend the number of sounds available way above the default FSX. However, I have never heard an aircraft without canned sounds before. For example, press a switch on the overhead four times in a row and you might get a different sound for that same switch each time you press, depending on where you pressed or the pressure of your mouse simulating the pressure of your finger! So the very same switch can sound completely differently based on how YOU pressed it. That translates across the entire aircraft!

Thank you for your answer and this pic! About 320,000lbs is the maximum fuel capacity for the -LR without the Aux tanks. And on the display in the picture you posted, i only see the left, right and center taks. No Auxilary tanks! Maybe is it possible to get these aux tanks by setting these tanks in the fmc - aircraft option settings? 

 

It would be cool if you look for this option. 

Without these aux tanks, the aircraft can carry 47,890 US Gallons and 53,515 US Gallons WITH these aux tanks. I think it´s possible to activate these tanks in the settings?! 

 

 

Do I see an option for the FMC to load the fuel in for you?! See, with the NGX, I just guessed the amount of fuel (don't kill me!), so, if I were to select "medium" range, it would load a suitable amount of fuel in?

Or, with the NGX and this, am I thinking of something different, was the fuel done auto in the NGX, too?

 

I have posted this elsewhere, but I will post it again here as I think it is such a breakthrough for those of you who want to cover the globe but don't necessarily have the time!

 

Guys,

 

One of the features that really impresses me with this aircraft is a feature in FSX that I have never seen before. It means you can SAFELY do a longhaul in a little over an hour! seriously!

 

Yes, we have all used time acceleration, only to regret it as the whole sim goes pear shaped! The 777 has an intelligent, auto acceleration feature built in, should you wish to speed up your flight!

 

Right clicking the CHR button on the clock by default engages a new automatic time compression mode that PMDG have developed. This mode intelligently accelerates time along the straight line segments of the route up to a maximum level that can be set in the SIMULATION options menu in the FMC. The feature will slow time down at turns, step climbs, level offs etc and is also capable of detecting wind, pressure, or temperature shifts that could upset the aircraft while it's flying accelerated. If these happen, it slows to 1x, recovers and then accelerates again. This mode works extremely well in our testing so far and allows you to complete the longest 200LR flights that exist like KATL-FAOR in just an hour or two. You can turn the mode off by left clicking the CHR button.

 

Yes really, I am not kidding!

 

JaneRachel Whittaker

 

Wow, I am truly stunned, I have never used it in fsx but havent done long haul, I might just be tempted to look at this feature, you have been very thorough and its appreciated.

 

Thanks Jane.

 

Regards

 

Guss.

 

I see that the external power is also still connected but obviously not supplying power since the APU and engines have priority, that is neat considering that you have to manually connect busses on the 737.

 

Alex, well spotted!

 

Yes, I deliberately left both ground connections in place so you can see how the electrical system is automatically configuring according to priority. Ground power is superseded by APU, which in turn is superseded by engines

 

Incidentally, you can have a 1 or 2 plug ground connection. I was at ESSA Stockholm and had access to a ground cart with both plugs. Here is the ground power connected for those who are interested

 

 

Here is a view from the rear, notice the APU inlet is open. I have also deployed the flaps as someone was asking for a flaps shot (yes I know I am parked, but it is illustrative )

 

A couple of interesting things I cannot share with you easily are the sounds. When you start the APU you will hear the startup in exquisite detail from outside of the aircraft, being louder if you position your camera near the tail, but audible from the complete fuselage. From startup to operation you will hear every sound.

 

If you want something really clever, you might even hear the APU sound change slightly if she is under heavy load!

 

Those flaps make sound too. The sound of which can vary depending on conditions. You will always hear the flaps motors actuating, but you will also hear the metal surfaces themselves sliding around in to position, not always making the same noise every time!

 

Great!