Great info everyone, so is there a rule as to when to put the landing gears and flaps up after take off? I'm assuming once you reach 400' AGL that's when it happens?

I will assume you are asking in regards to the 737.

 

Gear up when positive rate-of-climb is identified on the VSI.

 

For flaps, on your speed tape (left side of PFD) you will see numerous green marks with flap speed markers (5, 1, UP etc). As you pass 5, select flap 1 (In the 737 you skip flap 2 both when lowering and raising flaps), and then as you are passing the 1 green marker, select flap up.

 

You can see these markers in this photo below;

 

Are you talking about setting the DG to the compass heading before takeoff?

Are you talking about setting the DG to the compass heading before takeoff?

No, he was referring to setting the HDG bug on the MCP to the runway heading.

Great info everyone, so is there a rule as to when to put the landing gears and flaps up after take off? I'm assuming once you reach 400' AGL that's when it happens?

 

 

No- that;s a whole different topic...  gear up at positive climb and flaps retracted usually at speed points.  You asked me about why you set the MCP HDG to "runway heading" and I replied why it is important to maintain runway heading and why you should set the MCP HDG to do so.  

 

Bruce.

Hi Aaron,

 

I've seen you ask some good questions for a non-RL pilot, and this is another one. It's great to see someone want to learn the basics and understand why things are like they are.

 

In the US, when departing a runway, often you will get a clearance to turn to an assigned heading on take-off. At least at a towered airport and on an instrument flight plan (when VFR the instruction at a towered airport is more likely to have you fly towards an object that is easily seen). And in other cases you might not get the verbal instruction from ATC, but the SID/DP might have an initial turn to another heading as well.

 

In both of these cases (once again in the US, I can't speak for other countries), you should always fly the runway heading until both of the following have occurred:

 

1. You are at the end of the runway (you have flown the entire length of the runway), unless instructed otherwise.

2. You have climbed to 400 feet above the runway

3. And for some larger aircraft / airliners, and/or some airlines, I have heard that a further requirement is gear retracted.

 

Points 1 and 2 are to maintain obstacle clearance (a topic that would take me the entire day to write about). Obstacle clearance becomes important when you can't see where you are going (in IMC), although is always important. Point 3 (which never affected me) relates to aircraft performance- don't turn until the drag from the extended gear is gone.

 

So that you can maintain runway heading until these conditions are satisfied, I always have set the runway heading on the HDG and just fly using that as a guide. Since you rapidly lose perspective of what the runway is as you approach the end of the runway, having it dialed in on the a/c is a help. And if you go IMC, you will need it anyway.

 

Another benefit is that, with runway heading set prior to entering the runway, you have another verification that you are on the correct runway. this doesn't help with R/L/C runways, but does help with runways having other alignments.

 

I am writing about GA flying- lots of things change when you progress up to the "heavy metal", and I'm sure that your question reflects an airliner and not a Cessna . But in most cases, the "heavy metal" flying is a progression from the smaller GA world, which is why we spend years in little Cessnas before progressing to more complex aircraft... but I know that's not what the virtual world is like

 

Thanks, Bruce.

Great answer Bruce.

 

I encourage all those who wonder to do some flying training. It is worth every cent. It will make a huge difference on your FS hobby too. You'll be more proficient on flying and you will begin to understand airmanship.

 

Regards,

 

Daniel