Comments from a new NGX pilot.

[Jack_Sawyer 4,600]

Well, it took me a month or so but I'm really getting the hang of this aircraft. I used to overhaul and go on test flights with these planes in real life with a major airline here in KATL. So I'm very impressed with the level of detail and how the systems interrelate to each other. I am an avionics tech so I know the cockpit very well but I never had to actually program the FMC like the pilots do so I'm still learning that part but your tutorials are outstanding.

 

I just wanted to say I'm very satisfied with the NGX and will soon be buying the 777. I also heard from a friend that you plan on releasing a new 74? If so I'll buy that too as I am a very satisfied customer.

 

I must apologize for the previous contentious posts I had about the weather feature on the NGX as I didn't know. I also didn't know about the name in the sig thing.

 

You have one very happy customer and it keeps getting better and better.

 

BTW, I bought all the AOA flightwork videos and have to recommend them as they are extremely helpful.

 

Best regards,

 

Jack

[FleaJump 7]

Once you get the hang of using the FMC, pretty much all the Boeings will become easy to program for long or short flights, and there are quite a few parallels between the Boeing FMC and the Airbus MCDU, so that know-how will carry over to an extent if you decide to buy Aerosoft's brilliant new Airbus A318/319.

 

It must have been fun going for test rides in the jump seat.  I only ever experienced a real life jump seat once in my life, in an ancient 737, and that was long before my interest in flight simulation ignited, so I hadn't the foggiest what all those switches, buttons, dials and displays were for, which only added to the sense of adventure lol.

[Jack_Sawyer 4,600]

Man I have been on some crazy flights that sane people would never do, we had to sign a waiver of no life insurance before flight. L-10's, 737's, 757's, 767's, MD88's, 727's, MD-11's, A310's, 777's. It was fun.

 

Got to watch a lot of autolands in in the jump seat in zero vis and it was amazing. Loved every minute of it. Spent a lot of time in the full motion sims too, that was cool. You'd leave sweating after what they put you through as they liked to play games with us.

 

Anyway, I heard PMDG is releasing a new 747, is that true? If so when, did they give a time frame? If I buy the existing one will there be an upgrade fee?

 

I know what you mean about Boeing's cockpits, from the 757 on they're all pretty much standard. We had to only go to "differences" classes to learn the differences between jets. What a great job. I loved it.

 

Never really thought I'd get into PMDG but a friend convinced me and it was all I saw on all the forums. I used to be a low and slow VFR/IFR sim pilot but the NGX changed all that with PFPX, TOPCAT, and GSX. Next I'd like to get is FS2Crew.

[pcubine 143]

 

 

Anyway, I heard PMDG is releasing a new 747, is that true? If so when, did they give a time frame? If I buy the existing one will there be an upgrade fee?

PMDG is releasing a Boeing 747-400 Version 2 as probably their next release. It will not be a free upgrade from the current version. I would just wait until Version 2 is released before purchasing it.

[scandinavian13 5,192]

 

 

Anyway, I heard PMDG is releasing a new 747, is that true? If so when, did they give a time frame? If I buy the existing one will there be an upgrade fee?

 

It's true. See here.

http://forum.avsim.net/topic/458930-31dec14-a-little-something-for-the-new-year/

 

The official sources of information are here on the PMDG forum (new info is usually posted in the General subforum rather than the aircraft-specific forums to ensure it captures the largest audience) and the website. If you're ever in doubt, check here.

 

Time frames aren't usually given, and when they are, they're usually quite broad (one may be mentioned in that thread).

 

No "upgrades" will be offered on this one as it's a completely, built-from-the-ground up, different product.

 

 

 

I know what you mean about Boeing's cockpits, from the 757 on they're all pretty much standard. We had to only go to "differences" classes to learn the differences between jets. What a great job. I loved it.

 

And then you get the weird hybrids like the 764. Part 757/767 and part 777:

 

(Snapped this on my cell phone after flying the 777 Tutorial #1.5 trip out in the real world, though I was in back. The main displays are 777 style, while the rest is left behind from the 757/767 days, to include the green monochrome CDUs.)

[downscc 1,327]

Got to watch a lot of autolands in in the jump seat in zero vis and it was amazing.

 

I caught a ride in an AF C-21A (Lear 35) where the 'jumpseat' is sitting on the floor between and just behind the pilots. I remember it vividly because up to that time the fastest thing I'd flow was a Piper Arrow and the landing speed that close to the ground on flare was a thrill. I also marveled at their use of throttles:  full forward for takeoff, climb and cruise and full back for descent and landing... trip was Scott to Randolph AFBs (St Louis to San Antonio) with a straight in landing from the flight levels.

 

Once you get the bug.....

[Jack_Sawyer 4,600]

That hybrid is interesting. Why did they install the avionics that way? Experimental? Never herad of it before.

 

I agree, one you get the bug you want more test flights. My wife used to hate it when I went because of the life insurance issue and there was actually a maintainance test flight crash with a cargo company in the mountains of Tenneseee if I remember correctly.

 

One cool thing we used to do was L-1011 engine out approaches, landings and takeoffs from Knoxville of all places, a short runway. But a -500 with those RB211's on takeoff is something else, you get pinned back in your seat. No cargo, or pax so we had a lot of power in a light plane.

 

Anyway, I'll wait patiently for the new 747 as this has always been my all-time favorite passenger plane. Looking forward to its release.

[scandinavian13 5,192]

Why did they install the avionics that way? Experimental?

 

Not experimental. Just that the 757/767 was developed prior to the 777, so the 767-200 and 767-300 never really got to benefit from the updates realized in the 777 (or the 744, for that matter). Since the 767-400 came as a later development, they just incorporated some of the advances in the 777 into it (to include the raked wing tips that you see on the 777-200LR/F and 300ER).

 

Edit: I got the timeline a little backwards on the raked wingtips. It was the 764 that drove the raked wingtips for the 777 updates, I believe.

 

If a plane is experimental, you'd notice. It's an FAA requirement that it's made known to the passengers, and you wouldn't see one in airline service (FAR 91.319 specifically prohibits it).

 

 

 

Anyway, I'll wait patiently for the new 747 as this has always been my all-time favorite passenger plane.

 

Yours and many others, to include my own. I can't wait to get my hands on it, myself.

[Patco Lch 1,465]

Kyle, out of curiosity I've been wondering what in the world you do. Are you an airline pilot? I know you are a beta tester for PMDG, but what gets you in the back seat of a 777? Forgive me for being nosy but you seem so knowledgeable.  

[scandinavian13 5,192]

Kyle, out of curiosity I've been wondering what in the world you do. Are you an airline pilot? I know you are a beta tester for PMDG, but what gets you in the back seat of a 777? Forgive me for being nosy but you seem so knowledgeable.  

 

Vic,

 

I'm actually a smattering of things that's so incredibly random that I don't even know what to do with it. I always wanted to be an airline pilot, but life has always gotten in the way of that goal somehow. As I see it right now, though, I think it's for the best.

 

 

 

If you're interested in the details (otherwise, skip to the bottom because I know I write a lot):

 

I started out as a rampie (at airports of various sizes: BCB, IAD, DVT and PHX), then moved to flight school operations (DVT), and then to ramp supervision / ops (IAD) before I quit the business for a couple years. That hiatus saw me as a tech instructor teaching computer classes and otherwise arming myself to the teeth with tech certifications (Security+, network load balancing certs, ITIL and so on). I eventually found a spot contracting with the FAA for about a year before their sequestration woes caused them to internalize my role. While I was there, though, I worked a lot in the NextGen initiatives and ATC / traffic management stuff. I got invited onto the Beta team right about the point where my FAA work was winding down. Since then, it's been all government contracting away from aviation (so, if anyone sees this and has an FAA contract they need help with  ). Luckily, I've had PMDG to keep me in aviation role to some degree.

 

As an undercurrent to all of that, I got my PPL back in 2007 and have been flying off and on since then. I was also an applicant in PUBNATs 8 and 9, so I made it a goal of mine to learn as much as possible about ATC, which helped for that FAA contracting, and the contracting supplemented it by adding an operational picture to my book studies. The PUBNAT 9 application is still current, so that's still on the table for me, but they haven't given me a class date yet, so we'll see.

 

My LinkedIn profile has more detail, if anyone is truly bored and interested. 

 

The photo, above, is a 767-400ER and I only got up there at the end because I'd asked. I unfortunately don't get that privilege in flight on any airline. The closest thing to "crew" I am is a role as a crewmember on a DC3, which is a privilege that I never thought I'd have, and one I consider myself very lucky to have been offered.

 

 

TL;DR:

 

I'm a (non-aviation) gov contractor who also works with PMDG. All of what I write here is supplemented by flight and field experience through various aviation roles, though none of them airline crew.

[Patco Lch 1,465]

Sounds like an interesting back ground. Don't knock the diversity of your experience though, that may open a lot of doors. Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us even if you kick a little b_ _ to encourage people to do some research of their own. LOL.

[Jack_Sawyer 4,600]

Not experimental. Just that the 757/767 was developed prior to the 777, so the 767-200 and 767-300 never really got to benefit from the updates realized in the 777 (or the 744, for that matter). Since the 767-400 came as a later development, they just incorporated some of the advances in the 777 into it (to include the raked wing tips that you see on the 777-200LR/F and 300ER).

 

Edit: I got the timeline a little backwards on the raked wingtips. It was the 764 that drove the raked wingtips for the 777 updates, I believe.

 

If a plane is experimental, you'd notice. It's an FAA requirement that it's made known to the passengers, and you wouldn't see one in airline service (FAR 91.319 specifically prohibits it).

 

 

 

 

Yours and many others, to include my own. I can't wait to get my hands on it, myself.

I remember when we got our first 777's and 767-400's.  The -400 is so much longer I was astonished when we got it.

I too did a lot in aviation.

8 years on F-111's in England and Idaho, A&P, FCC, got on with a major carrier, started as a ramp guy hauling bags, freight, mail, and cleaning the only two planes we had a 727 & a 737.  Also worked gate, ticket counter, and dispatcher doing weight & balance.  So I got to see the other side of the fence as it were.

 

I read that post about PMDG's V2 747 and loved the screen shots.  Man I can't wait.  I wish they'd give a little hint when it'll be released, like first or last half of 2015.

No matter, I'm gonna get in on the ground floor with this one.  That is one beautiful plane you guys created.

[77west 139]

 

 

like first or last half of 2015.

If I was to pick between those two, I would pick last half of this year, if we are lucky.

 

(Robert, please prove me wrong!)

[FleaJump 7]

Hats off to you Kyle, for you have definitely walked the walk, as opposed to the ramblings of landlubbers like me who can just about hold their own talking the talk, despite having zero real life aviator experience to back up all the theory and pontification spouted here.

[scandinavian13 5,192]

 

 

8 years on F-111's in England and Idaho, A&P, FCC, got on with a major carrier, started as a ramp guy hauling bags, freight, mail, and cleaning the only two planes we had a 727 & a 737.  Also worked gate, ticket counter, and dispatcher doing weight & balance.  So I got to see the other side of the fence as it were.

 

That experience sounds very familiar in that, if it's around a plane, we've probably done it - haha. I wish more people in aviation got more exposure to the other sides, honestly. I recently had to explain something ATC-related to a fellow pilot friend who started off on a rant that the controller was on a power trip. It was kinda sad, but I was luckily able to explain what was happening and why it wasn't what he thought it was.

 

Hats off to you Kyle, for you have definitely walked the walk, as opposed to the ramblings of landlubbers like me who can just about hold their own talking the talk, despite having zero real life aviator experience to back up all the theory and pontification spouted here.

 

I'm a huge proponent of knowledge. You don't need to be a real world pilot to have the knowledge, luckily. Honestly, some of my most "worthwhile" times in that regard were the times where life kept me out of the sky for whatever reason - it forced me to hit the books and research the background of what I do in the air.

 

Many will assume that real world pilots are the pinnacle of knowledge when it comes to matters of aviation - and they are (or should be) when it comes to their plane and their operation - but they probably aren't the best source of knowledge about other topics. Those are better left to controllers, or dispatchers, business aviation pilots, or sometimes just aviation SMEs.

 

Don't ever feel like you have to put other people on a pedestal because you don't fly. Not saying you are, but I did want to make a point that knowledge alone - even without the ability to take it full circle and see it applied in the real world setting - is powerful indeed.