As a birthday present (few months back already) I received a voucher for time on the 737-800 Simulator at Lelystad Airport. (EHLE) These guys (www.simcenter.nl) solved their troubles finding a job as pilot by starting a training center for people like them; licensed but lacking in sufficient (airline tailored) training hours. They also offer their Simulator for use by amateurs, and that is where my lucky break comes from. A typical package is some time for theory followed by 20 minutes in the simulator, with the option of going for an hour. (this is what I have)

 

Their simulator is supposed to have up-to-date scenery of all relevant airports across the world, so I get to choose what I want to do and where. Some ideas I have are doing circuits at Groningen's (EHGG) recently extended runway or make a full flight between two relatively close-by airports. My experience level is pretty basic and FSX only; I can land most planes if I get enough room to prepare, with nice landings on autoland (duh), reasonable ones with propeller craft given PAPI lights, to license-losing experiences with tail-draggers and hand-flown jets. (hey, the ignore crashes setting is there for a reason, right? :-))

 

I guess I would benefit most from having an experienced pilot setting next to me while I try to hand-fly short flights or even circuits, but perhaps someone in this crowd has a great idea?

 

There is an easteregg on some NG sims.. when you push certain buttons, you will get a machine gun for your aircraft. Dont remember the combination but I can remember a few crews having a lot of fun

 

Other than that, do some approaches @ LOWI.

Personally I'd go for LOWI. Departure for RTT, turn around and go in to 08. If they had it, I'd try Kai Tak. Or maybe Samedan, if the craft was 700 or a BBJ.

Personally I would do pattern things. It's a lot of fun to land. It is actually a lot easier to land than you might think. I would definitely hand fly a pattern around your chosen airport. It is a beauty to hand fly. And just have fun. I'm sure they won't let you crash it too bad!

My experience level is pretty basic and FSX only; I can land most planes if I get enough room to prepare, with nice landings on autoland (duh),

 

Why don't you try manual landings in FSX first and keep practising until you don't find it difficult? I rarely, if ever, do an autoland.

 

Is this simulator a full motion one or a fixed base? I had a bithday voucher for 90 minutes in a fixed base 737NG simulator a few months back. I managed half a dozen landings in various weather conditions including the last two at Kai Tek, which the instructor said were my best of the session. I too only have FSX on the 737NGX as "experience".

 

I wouldn't have liked to go straight to a full motion sim. I think that might be a bit too much for the first time but I could be wrong.

 

Iain Smith

 

EDIT: Just checked that website and it appears to be a full motion sim. So it will certainly be an experience and I'm sure you'll enjoy it - assuming you don't suffer from motion sickness!

The coolest thing I saw in the real sim that you can't really simulate in FSX was a microburst on takeoff during the initial climb. Scary.

 

Do a low-visiblity autoland too - you won't believe how fast it all happens and looks in the real thing.

+1 on that low-vis. We were 3 rotating positions in the cockpit, and the guy acting PF while i was PM tried his luck on the low-vis with HGS. However, he forgot to notice the flare-indicators and slammed the thing at -500fpm or something. That ground came up really fast, and it actually sendt a soda bottle flying out of its cupholder. Seeing those running rabbits appear out of the fog, not on your PC monitor, is a completely different experience.

However, if you got limited time, the suggested patterns isn't a bad idea. If this is the real deal, you'll have an experienced instructor with you, so if you feel your skills are lacking on the stick & rudder, he's gonna be a lot of help.

Definitely have fun and enjoy your experience.

 

It will be visually "overwhelming" as there will be so much to look at inside and outside the flight deck.

Do what ever strikes your fancy.

 

 

Then as you have time:

 

Try a cat iii 300rvr auto land.

Try an engine failure at v1.

Try to hand fly a steep turn.

High altitude stalls, (very different from approach to stall say at 10000ft)

Loop or barrel roll the sim

Try for the shortest flight (from takeoff to landing) mine is 32 seconds without overrunning the runway.

 

 

Personally I'd love to see the LOC DME WEST at LOWI to land on Rwy 8 down to minimums. KTI track the loc overfly the airport. Break out visually, execute the 200degree turn to the right to gain visual, lose the airport, continue the right turn 360 degrees and track the OEJ outbound to RTT for the missed then do it again but wx is good enough to keep visual on the airport to fly the downwind base and final to 8.

 

Steve W.

V1 cut without knowing which engine is going to fail was another one I did too. That was fun.

As for fun it's the most awesome thing to try, but sitting at either during Typerating or check it can e nerve racking hehehe (but still fun to try). Going from having a cut at Vr in a Seneca to having a V1 cut in a 737 is so fun to try the differences.

V1 cut without knowing which engine is going to fail was another one I did too. That was fun.

That's something I always wanted to do in the NGX. Instead, we have to choose which engine to fail and when, so I always anticipate how to correct it. I wish there was a "fail an engine at takeoff" that will randomly select either #1 or #2 to fail at <V1, V1, VR, or V2. What do you think?

That's something I always wanted to do in the NGX. Instead, we have to choose which engine to fail and when, so I always anticipate how to correct it. I wish there was a "fail an engine at takeoff" that will randomly select either #1 or #2 to fail at <V1, V1, VR, or V2. What do you think?

 

I'll put it on the request list.

I'll put it on the request list.

Hey Thanks! That would be really neat to see B)

Ok, yesterday was the day and it was a lot of fun. It didn't include LOWI, but did include Kai Tak. I'll see if I can get some of the video on Youtube. (first time for everything :-))