A high quality freeware (and accurate fde/systems/visual model-wise) example would be the Tinmouse 737-200 - no vc but excellent all around.

 

It's very fps friendly on lower end systems and can be integrated with both the default garmin or a few other navigational systems like ISG, Realityxp and CIVA INS.

 

It's one of my personal favourites.

I actually think you are right.

But now i know how to use the GPS.

I DONT know how to program the FMC.

And i dont have any software for setting up flights. Someone even said they spend 15-20 minutes just setting up a flight!

I know it will be faster when you have done it some times, sure, but right now i dont have time for it.

And the PMDG is fps hungry, so i have to tweak FSX just to fly with it.

That means lots of compromises regarding graphics.

 

Dont get me wrong, i like the 737NGX, and happy to have it in my fleet when i have time for it, and time setting it up for FSX.

 

The FMC is not that hard to setup. Most FSX/FS9 FMC's grab the FS flight plan you have called up in the default flight planner (real world crews don't sit there either entering in waypoints if their airlines offer the routes that instantly plant the full route in the FMC). All you have to do from there is put in your cruise altitude and weight. As you use it you understand it more and realize how critical it is to airliner operation and making sure the aircraft performs properly. I was once apprehensive about using it and understanding it but once you get around the very minor learning curve it makes a world of difference for your flights. Some here get real granular in it's functionality remember most of all is you want nothing more than to see your route on the ND screen from there you learn the other pages. It's really easy, don't be intimidated by it. Same goes for the Airbus MCDU.

 

FSX is a problem unless tweaked correctly. Word Not Allowed has a very good write-up in how to set FSX up properly to minimize performance issues:

 

http://#####.wordpress.com/fsx-software-and-hardware-guide/

 

The deal with P3D v2 is you can get the same performance or better of a tweaked FSX without the hassle of tweaking. Problem is PMDG has not released their products for it yet. My biggest recommendation for you would be P3D v2 so your time is better spent on things like learning the FMC. That should be your upgrade path but for now go to Word Not Allowed's site and get FSX setup properly. From there take 15 minutes to learn how to use the FMC (one of us can screen share with you). You'll be amazed at how simple the whole process is.

Two easy ways to set up flightplans in PMDG FMCs:

 

1. Create a VOR-to-VOR flightplan in FSX. This results in very few waypoints that can be entered quickly into the FMC ... manually.
2. Take a look at the PMDG MD-11. It's the only PMDG plane that's able to import native FSX flightplans. (Just type in the city pair of departure/arrival airports and confirm the FSX flightplan offered by the MD-11's FMC.)

Use this: onlineflightplanner.no-ip.org/

 

Let's you export to PMDG fmc and FSX

 

Never let me down

The 1st tutorial flight with the NGX teaches you all you need to know for 99% of flights.

 

Really, do the 1st tutorial.

Well ok, i went for another flight with 737ngx.

I decided first to load an ifr flight and let atc guide me.
BUT, atc text dissapears sometimes.
I read somewhere that swithching coms could help bring back atc text.
I'm not sure how to switch coms?
Switching between actives does not help.

Well ok, i went for another flight with 737ngx.

I decided first to load an ifr flight and let atc guide me.

BUT, atc text dissapears sometimes.

I read somewhere that swithching coms could help bring back atc text.

I'm not sure how to switch coms?

Switching between actives does not help.

 

I turn the text off as you have to learn to hear your flight number called with all the other traffic around. Seeing as your just discovering the FMC by all means leave the text on. You have to learn the FMC if you want to properly fly a modern airliner. Like I said it's very simple and over time you'll get a larger understanding of the what's and why's of the various pages. For now learn how to punch in your flight plan or call it up, learn how to put in your weight and cruise altitude and your off. From there you can program in your takeoff runway so you don't have an accident like Comair, you can see your landing runway on the ND screen so you don't end up like Southwest who's pilots need to be fired, and you really start to enjoy the modern way things are done these days. Any other option you try to use will actually be more cumbersome than just learning a couple of simple things in the FMC.

If you do stick with the 737NGX, I highly recommend the freeware SimBrief: http://www.simbrief.com/home/

 

Note that it will automatically find a route for most entered airports as well as produce flight plans you can download in FSX and PMDG format to be loaded in-sim (if you need instructions, just ask). It also determines other information automatically if you leave it blank.

 

The dispatch sheets it generates may be confusing at first, but they also give you values for fuel and payload so you don't have to calculate them yourself.

 

If you need help with all of this, just let me know.

Thanks :-)

I will take a look at it.

Very helpfull is a book by captian Mike Ray written for NGX simmers. 737NG training syllabus. Very well illistrated, humorous and fun to read. Every thing from cold and dark start up to FMC programing to shut down. It can be had at PC Aviator or his web site www.utem.com

Thanks :-)

I will take a look at it.

 

I'd like to add for me I just use the default flight planner. For long routes I just enter in the first few waypoints that get me to cruise (say 160 miles out from the airport) and only the way points for decent (130 miles out). This cuts down on how many waypoints you have to enter along your flight plan. After you get to cruise and your handed off to another controller you accept the hand off but you don't tune in the next controller until your 15 minutes from decent. This helps when you don't have allot of free time (kids, wife, etc). You can slew after you reach cruise to 40 miles from your decent waypoint. That gives you time to get settled in, tuned in to ATC, and allow weather to catch up to your location. Not realistic but a time saver.

Use this: onlineflightplanner.no-ip.org/

 

Let's you export to PMDG fmc and FSX

 

Never let me down

Interesting. I book marked this flight planner but can you tell me how to export to ngx fmc?

Interesting. I book marked this flight planner but can you tell me how to export to ngx fmc?

1. You choose sim (FS2004/FSX/x-plane)

2. Enter departure icao

3. Enter arrival icao

4. Choose appropriate AIRAC cycle (for PMDG default is 1108)

5. Choose aircraft type

6. Choose unit of measure

7. Choose if you want to use low/high routing, Tacan/NAT and so on

8. Press create, and you will get the list with VOR frequencies, airways - full route.

 

Than press download and you'll get route in 4 formats, among them .pln is for ATC (default) and .rte is for fmc (put it to PMDG flight plan folder, than load in game to fmc)

 

You can also use fuel planner - pretty accurate

I'd like to add for me I just use the default flight planner. For long routes I just enter in the first few waypoints that get me to cruise (say 160 miles out from the airport) and only the way points for decent (130 miles out). This cuts down on how many waypoints you have to enter along your flight plan. After you get to cruise and your handed off to another controller you accept the hand off but you don't tune in the next controller until your 15 minutes from decent. This helps when you don't have allot of free time (kids, wife, etc). You can slew after you reach cruise to 40 miles from your decent waypoint. That gives you time to get settled in, tuned in to ATC, and allow weather to catch up to your location. Not realistic but a time saver.

That's a good idea.

No need to be connected to atc ALL the way.

I will try and see how it works out for me.

But first more FMC training.

That's a good idea.

No need to be connected to atc ALL the way.

I will try and see how it works out for me.

But first more FMC training.

 

Concerning Default ATC:

 

When you get 70 miles out from your first waypoint that you have programmed in for your arrival into your destination airport ATC will give you commands that don't make since. Let ATC go through this for a few calls and it will eventually catch up to where your at and clear you to fly the heading your already at. From there ATC will guide you into your approach to short final.