Retired and spent some time flying different aircraft in FSX. It was not long needed a challenge started looking for some quality aircraft to fly and found PMDG. After watching a number of videos and reading these forums fell in love with the 777-300ER what a beautiful aircraft. Sure itching to purchase a 777 it is so tempting. My experience with complicated aircraft is pretty limited closest complicated aircraft flown are the A2A. That is a different type of flying. Came to the conclusion before purchasing the 777-300ER better get familiar with a PMDG airplane and choose to purchase the Jetstream 41 and sound pack for the crew. 

 

Have not touched the down load think had better read some instructions prior to installing and learn about the crew and how to set it up. Beautiful airplane and have a lot of plans for it flying in familiar locations and a couple of round the World flights will prove to be interesting. Hope the crew does not get to up set. Put this to a end and un zip the folders and do the install.  

 

Thank You.

 

Larry

Hi Larry, I am struggling to understand what you're saying, I appreciate English is not your first langauge. I wonder if it would be worth trying to rephrase what you're trying to say?

 

Kind regards (with apologies)

 

Alex

Larry,

 

I think you would be better off buying the 777 and starting with that. The Jetstream is a harder aircraft to learn and very different in operation from the 777. The 777 has a lot of automation so the operation is not difficult to learn.

 

PMDG planes can appear daunting and complicated, but if you read the introduction manual and follow the tutorial that come with it you will soon be able to fly the 777 with confidence.

 

Good luck

 

Kevin

 

 

My experience with complicated aircraft is pretty limited closest complicated aircraft flown are the A2A. That is a different type of flying. Came to the conclusion before purchasing the 777-300ER better get familiar with a PMDG airplane and choose to purchase the Jetstream 41 and sound pack for the crew.

 

I too am recently retired, but I have a little over 40 yrs in GA aircraft in size up to the C-414, which helps but still need to study and learn to handle air transport aircraft.  Each PMDG product has it's attributes and mission profiles and the JS-41 is no exception. I love this airplane and taking it into places like Aspin CO is just plain fun. The B737 has a broad range of mission profiles from 50 min hops like KLAX-KLAS to ETOPS operations to/from Hawaiian Islands. The B777 is an amazing airplane, not just because PMDG has pushed FSX-based simulation beyond what was believable five years ago but also because the airplane itself revolutionized long haul air travel which is now 95% in twins.

 

I recommend you start with the product that best fits the type of mission profiles you want to start with. Regional commuter, SWA type operations or long haul. In any event, I suspect you will have the entire fleet within a year.

 

Have fun and use the forum to help you get started.  Finally, be sure to read the Introduction documentation and learn to use the manuals.

The Jetstream is a harder aircraft to learn

 

Are you serious? Without checking - the button/switch count in the T7 flight deck alone should be much higher compared to the Jetstream, let alone complexity of the systems. Maybe it all depends on how deep you want to dig into the manuals.

 

Just saying, not picking a fight here.

 

I think the JS41 will suit him just fine. It will also prevent a spoiled experience, like starting with a superior product and then downgrading to something with less fidelity. Go up and not down. Coming from the A2A pistons, a turboprop seems like a good stepping stone when transitioning to jet aircraft.

 

Have fun with the Jetstream, Larry!

Are you serious? Without checking - the button/switch count in the T7 flight deck alone should be much higher compared to the Jetstream, let alone complexity of the systems. Maybe it all depends on how deep you want to dig into the manuals.

 

Just saying, not picking a fight here.

 

I think the JS41 will suit him just fine. It will also prevent a spoiled experience, like starting with a superior product and then downgrading to something with less fidelity. Go up and not down. Coming from the A2A pistons, a turboprop seems like a good stepping stone when transitioning to jet aircraft.

 

Have fun with the Jetstream, Larry!

Of course I'm serious. The Jetsream is probably the hardest PMDG sim to get used to. There are techniques required in the Jetstream that aren't necessary to learn in the 777. A jet is easier to handle than a turboprop too.

 

 

The Jetsream is probably the hardest PMDG sim to get used to. There are techniques required in the Jetstream that aren't necessary to learn in the 777. A jet is easier to handle than a turboprop too.

Agree.

Hm. What exactly are you talking about? The engine management? Pressing F2 while the aircraft loads does not seem too difficult to me. Overall the JS41 just requires a little bit more attention IMHO. It's not harder to fly per se.

 

Navigation is more basic in the JS41 and the FMS is less capable. Ground handling is much easier as the wingspan is so much shorter and the overall dimensions are tiny in comparison to the large twin. You can even reverse under your own power. It flies slower and lower.

 

And that is not taking into account the planning side of things. Transoceanic flights and ETOPS are big topics that need studying. You do not need these on a regional plane.

 

My take is this:

 

In your normal day-to-day ops the T7 might (sic) be easier to handle, but once the failures keep trickling in it goes over your head really fast or just fly the thing manually until near CRZ with ATC in crowded airspace.

Sorry anyone is struggling with my interpretation of the English Language. Say this with a lot of respect to all of you. I am a USA Natural born citizen. Served in the U.S.M.C. in the late 60s. After reading the original post I made, "will not make any excuses" sine I did not articulate the English Language very well.   

 

Appreciate all of the replies. Like to say do not have or ever had a PPL have spent a few hours around aircraft in my younger years wearing diapers playing with a busted piston while setting on the shop floor. Then graduated to cleaning the toilet and latter on sweeping the shop floor, flagging, twisting wrenches or helping to replace fabric on Stearman 45s.        

 

Since my knowledge of aircraft, flying and FSX is limited. Every aircraft has its own personalities and a learning curve in order to fly the aircraft properly including instrumentation. Each aircraft and instrument has a personality that must be learned you have to become one with the aircraft. Transitioning from a heavy prop B-17 aircraft to a Turbo Prop then to 777s personally felt like after reading a lot of the forums, reviewing different aircraft on the net none of them would full fill my goal or expectations. There was one exception the Jetstream 41. The final decision was made viewing videos about the Jetstream 41 and PMDG reputation. The decision to make the purchase was not made lightly.

 

The Jetstream 41 by PMDG. Engines do require a lot of management. The instrumentation and programing is simpler than the 777s. Looking forward to a large learning curve am eager to get her in the air but must keep it in proper perspective and study the manuals and learn the proper procedures prior to flight. Lot of material to put too memory and a lot of time setting in the cabin learning the switches and nobs and thinking about proper procedures. The aircraft shall remain grounded until the first procedure is accomplished. 

 

To really learn the Jetstream 41 planning to push the envelope by doing three round the world flights Pole to Pole flights. Will push the envelope on the 41. Requires a lot of management since the flights are in extreme conditions on both ends of the scale. Hope the Jetstream 41 is up to the flight will be interesting. With success will be the 6th pole to pole flight the last three was in the A2A B-17. 

 

Thank you for all of the recommendations.

 

Larry

Agree.

+1

 

Turboprops are a lot different from jets - the techniques are different and the point of is exactly that since the automation is less, the workload increases and much less is handled by the aircraft and far more by the pilot.   This coupled with the different systems to engine management and different piloting techniques can be daunting if it is your first real dip into more serious sims.

 

If you are familiar with operating turboprops and have some good experience in systems intensive simulations then it should be fine for you.

 

Kind regards

The J41 is great. My favourite PMDG bird. It was my first one too. The T7 is a marvellous simulation (no doubt... never been further forward than row 24), but the J41 is a (sim)pilots plane, IMO. I understood you just fine and your accent is way different to mine. ;-)

 

Mike

And I still think that the JS41 is not that hard to get used to for someone transitioning up from GA piston planes, especially when they flew multi-engine before.

 

It may be diffcult the other way around though.

 

When you are used to follow the magenta line and hand-fly only below 2000 feet, then yes, a jet would be easier to fly.

 

 

When you are used to follow the magenta line and hand-fly only below 2000 feet, then yes, a jet would be easier to fly.

 

Bingo.

 

One of the things that I struggle with the most is that people are into this hobby for extremely different reasons from myself.  I got into FS in the early 90s and learned as much as I could back in a time where the magenta line didn't exist, and your best bet of figuring everything out was to score some charts from a neighbor or pilot friend.  That meant that, back then, you had to have a passion for it.  Its learning curve and difficulty (and, generally, barriers to entry) culled most of the "simmer*" crowd out of it.  For the most part, I'd assume (no message boards back when I got into it to know for sure) that users of the program were either pilots, or aspiring pilots.  Now, it seems there is a sizable audience with a passive interest, but no real drive to dive deep...and to each their own.

 

TL;DR: never assume real world approaches to this hobby will drive decision-making in it.  Assume generic simplicity instead of simplicity based on your real world aviation experience.

 

*Used here to denote those who use the sim for reasons other than pursuing pilot training and licensing/ratings.

And I still think that the JS41 is not that hard to get used to for someone transitioning up from GA piston planes, especially when they flew multi-engine before.

 

That's my experience. I found that the turboprops easier to manage than the monster Continental-RAM TSIO-520's in the C-414. There is a learning curve to starting the Allied turbos with those prop locks, but after a few hours she become pure pleasure. As far as difficulty goes, the most difficult thing I ever did in the air was single pilot IFR in hard IFR without a headset (using the hand mike), and shooting my first ILS, which was at minimums (not recommended), at night in a Piper Arrow into Keesler AFB after a day-long trip from Scott AFB IL....  it is pitch black coming in over the back bay until you are over the approach lights. I was hooked after that.

 

 

TL;DR: never assume real world approaches to this hobby will drive decision-making in it. Assume generic simplicity instead of simplicity based on your real world aviation experience.

 

That's why I don't understand when people rage about super difficult techniques in FSX.The T7 and the JS41 are both easy to "use". Learning to push buttons and pull levers - at least for me - is the smallest part of the difficulty equation.