Hi Guys!

 

Taking off from YSSY and as I advanced the thrust levers to 55%, the master caution DOOR light came on. I pulled levers to idle, check the doors from external view, all were closed incl. Equip etc. Double checked FMS as well.

 

So cancelled warning, and continued flight.

 

Now I have read that in the real 737NG you may get a door indication referencing the over wing exits as their auto-latching mechanism is slow to latch as you advance power.

 

Could this issue have been from that, or a genuine error or bug?

I bet that real life door glitch is what you're experiencing. Just apply your takeoff power and you'll see it disappear

I bet that real life door glitch is what you're experiencing. Just apply your takeoff power and you'll see it disappear

Its just weird I have never seen it before. Oh well.

I get it from time to time as well. I remember the first time it happened to me I was alarmed as well and did the same thing, taxied off the runway, checked the doors both externally and from the FMC to see they were fine. I was relieved to know that it happens in real life as well and isn't anything to be concerned about as long as you know the door are actually close prior to take off.

 

 

Sean Campbell

I get it from time to time as well. I remember the first time it happened to me I was alarmed as well and did the same thing, taxied off the runway, checked the doors both externally and from the FMC to see they were fine. I was relieved to know that it happens in real life as well and isn't anything to be concerned about as long as you know the door are actually close prior to take off.

 

 

Sean Campbell

I think the trick is to not immediately pull power back to idle; if you leave it for a few more seconds it is supposed to clear. But I don't know if I would hit TOGA with it still showing.

 

 

Now I have read that in the real 737NG you may get a door indication referencing the over wing exits as their auto-latching mechanism is slow to latch as you advance power. Could this issue have been from that, or a genuine error or bug?

 

If you had read the intro manual you'd have your answer (which you've alluded to - not sure where you got the info, though).  The intermittent indication is intentionally included in the NGX.

 

Act normally.  If it stays on, then you'd return to the field, but it's not like the plane is going to explode, or people are going to die of lack of oxygen if the door isn't fully latched.

If you had read the intro manual you'd have your answer (which you've alluded to - not sure where you got the info, though).  The intermittent indication is intentionally included in the NGX.

 

Act normally.  If it stays on, then you'd return to the field, but it's not like the plane is going to explode, or people are going to die of lack of oxygen if the door isn't fully latched.

You caught me out Kyle! whilst I did read the manual, I did not read it quite as thoroughly as the 777 Manuel; this is because a good friend of mine flies 737NG for Virgin Australia and I had a chance to go over his manuals for RW aircraft. I must have missed this door reference in the PMDG manual; or; just forgotten where I had read it (It happens, my mind is not as good as it was 10 years ago.)

 

More interesting would be how this random event is triggered because I have flown quite a few NGX flights with no such warning.

 

Also, my captain side master caution annunciator did not show DOOR, I had to look at the FO side to see what it was. I am assuming this is normal as well?

 

That's why I didn't continue straight away, master caution and no reason on my side... hmmm

 

RE your quote that no ones gonna die, whilst I fully understand how plug doors work, are the 737NG over wing exits not hinged doors that are not actually covered by the plug principle? Much like cargo doors on other (777) aircraft?

 

Cheers

 

 

You caught me out Kyle! whilst I did read the manual, I did not read it quite as thoroughly as the 777 Manuel; this is because a good friend of mine flies 737NG for Virgin Australia and I had a chance to go over his manuals for RW aircraft. I must have missed this door reference in the PMDG manual; or; just forgotten where I had read it (It happens, my mind is not as good as it was 10 years ago.)

 

haha - that's my purpose here, I think.  In the real world, I walk around with printed copies of the manuals to hit people on the head with, when they ask questions that would be answered by it.  Just ask Aaron or Robert...

 

If nothing else, a good read through of the intro manual would save most people from a decent amount of the "issues" that pop up.

 

 

 

More interesting would be how this random event is triggered because I have flown quite a few NGX flights with no such warning.

 

Yep!  Nifty how that works, eh?

 

 

 

Also, my captain side master caution annunciator did not show DOOR, I had to look at the FO side to see what it was. I am assuming this is normal as well?

That's why I didn't continue straight away, master caution and no reason on my side... hmmm

 

Pay attention to the lights when you test them next time (press and hold on the annunciators)  :wink:

 

The captains side doesn't have DOORS as an indication.

 

Captain side: FLT CONT, ELEC, IRS, APU, FUEL, OVHT/DET

FO side: ANTI-ICE, ENG, HYD, OVERHEAD, DOORS, AIR COND

 

So...not a curious as you initially thought.  I'd point to the manuals again, but not reading the FCOMs is a little more forgivable...haha

 

 

 

RE your quote that no ones gonna die, whilst I fully understand how plug doors work, are the 737NG over wing exits not hinged doors that are not actually covered by the plug principle? Much like cargo doors on other (777) aircraft?

 

They are hinged, and not covered by the plug principle to my knowledge (one of the reasons for the latches, I believe).  In any case, at that low altitude, the pressure difference really isn't that high, so that "plug principle" really isn't adding much of an extra "lock" to the system, if you will.  If the latch doesn't latch, it doesn't really mean that the door is going to spontaneously pop open.  It means that there's one less protection against it popping open.  The hand-operated function (that the passenger would use) still holds it closed.

 

Regardless, continuing to operate the plane normally would still give you enough time to reject takeoff if you were really worried about it.

Thanks Kyle I must admit I have not spent as much time on the NGX as I should have. I got the two in reverse, 777 first and NGX only recently.

 

I will read through a few things more carefully!

Thanks Kyle I must admit I have not spent as much time on the NGX as I should have. I got the two in reverse, 777 first and NGX only recently. I will read through a few things more carefully!

 

haha - yeah, that's the tough way to go: highly automated to sporadically automated.  They're two different breeds of aircraft.

haha - yeah, that's the tough way to go: highly automated to sporadically automated.  They're two different breeds of aircraft.

My biggest faux pas to date was forgetting to turn the packs back on after engine start; resulting in cabin pressure warning a bit later on! Damn 777 makes it too easy.

Don't know about the 777, but I'm halfway through ground school converting from the Q400 to the 737NG. The glitch in the locking system has already been explained to us but on the Fixed Base SIM takeoffs it hasn't happened yet.

 

The PDMG is proving really helpful to practice the flows and procedures and despite our aircraft not having rollout capability, and many with steel brakes still, I'm looking forward to flying the things for real.

 

The FMC simulation is the most useful part as is the sequences of lights and warnings as they come up.

 

I suspect the NGX is a good seller to flight schools, most of the youngsters I'm training with have it at home. I'm using a laptop with WIN8 and an i5 and it can just about cope but usually throws the towel in on approaches!

 

Can't wait to get my main rig sent out to me here in Turkey. 6gb of RAM and a core duo CPU just can't cope, it seems....

Don't know about the 777, but I'm halfway through ground school converting from the Q400 to the 737NG. The glitch in the locking system has already been explained to us but on the Fixed Base SIM takeoffs it hasn't happened yet.

 

The PDMG is proving really helpful to practice the flows and procedures and despite our aircraft not having rollout capability, and many with steel brakes still, I'm looking forward to flying the things for real.

 

The FMC simulation is the most useful part as is the sequences of lights and warnings as they come up.

 

I suspect the NGX is a good seller to flight schools, most of the youngsters I'm training with have it at home. I'm using a laptop with WIN8 and an i5 and it can just about cope but usually throws the towel in on approaches!

 

Can't wait to get my main rig sent out to me here in Turkey. 6gb of RAM and a core duo CPU just can't cope, it seems....

If PMDG hears this they are gonna give a warning, your not supposed to use it for real flight training! (Even though I have no doubt many of us could jump in a real NG and operate it)

Don't know about the 777, but I'm halfway through ground school converting from the Q400 to the 737NG. The glitch in the locking system has already been explained to us but on the Fixed Base SIM takeoffs it hasn't happened yet.

 

The PDMG is proving really helpful to practice the flows and procedures and despite our aircraft not having rollout capability, and many with steel brakes still, I'm looking forward to flying the things for real.

 

The FMC simulation is the most useful part as is the sequences of lights and warnings as they come up.

 

I suspect the NGX is a good seller to flight schools, most of the youngsters I'm training with have it at home. I'm using a laptop with WIN8 and an i5 and it can just about cope but usually throws the towel in on approaches!

 

Can't wait to get my main rig sent out to me here in Turkey. 6gb of RAM and a core duo CPU just can't cope, it seems....

If PMDG hears this they are gonna give a warning, your not supposed to use it for real flight training! (Even though I have no doubt many of us could jump in a real NG and operate it)

Ha ha. No I use it for practicing drills and CDU programming as it is better than the posters on the hotel room wall, that's all. I don't have my rig out here so a mouse yolk doesn't appeal. It doesn't leave the gate!

 

 

I have a real FCOM, Lufthansa and Boeing Alteon CBT programmes and a Level D EASA Approved Simulator to do the proper training in. My PDMG NGX is for light relief from studying right now.....

 

I must say nothing I've found so far contradicts the real thing though, except a few options. And I am a picky sod!

Ha ha. No I use it for practicing drills and CDU programming as it is better than the posters on the hotel room wall, that's all. I don't have my rig out here so a mouse yolk doesn't appeal. It doesn't leave the gate!

 

 

I have a real FCOM, Lufthansa and Boeing Alteon CBT programmes and a Level D EASA Approved Simulator to do the proper training in. My PDMG NGX is for light relief from studying right now.....

 

I must say nothing I've found so far contradicts the real thing though, except a few options. And I am a picky sod!

Yes I imagine that using the FMC for real on the PMDG is much better than pictures in books... For the record I find the Boeing FMC much easier than the Airbus FMC to get to grips with. Not to turn this into an AvB war.