fsx-ms I'm really embarrassed....a simmer's confession.

[Boeing or not going 578]

Get the Angle of Attack videos for the PMDG 737NGX and you can learn to fly a 737 realistically. Once you graduate from a 737 you can fly a 777 and 747 with ease because the systems are so similar.

[Pastaiolo 1,688]

Perhaps you could try the Aerosoft Airbus, and fly it together with someone else thanks to the shared cockpit working feature

[louisdecoolste 12]

The logic of the FMS is impeccable - program in everything relevant about the plane - weight etc, plug in everything about the route - start, end, points in-between to include departure and arrival, let it calculate fuel. Load fuel, file flightplan and go.

 

But that's logic, and FMS rarely follows logical or practical processes - it's like having a dumb co-pilot where the PIC has to dumb down her own skills to meet the requirements of the idiot in the second seat with his dayglo jacket on backwards. (see what I did there, Poppet ?).

 

The problem is that no two work alike, so what I suggest is choose one, learn one, and ONLY that one for the purposes of the learning experience. PMDG are probably the best in terms of support - both developer and user - although the MJC Dash-8 400 runs it close. I really wouldn't use Airshoves for the basics of automated flight. That's a whole different level of stupidity.

 

Then choose routes that allow all features to be used, but don't have huge leg lengths or six-hour waits between TOC and TOD. About an hour and a half flying time worked for me, but I was flying in Europe. 

 

The FMC is like the GPS was - a newfangled toy that old skool pilots avoided. However, it's increasingly a tool for saving money and making things safe, so if you want to know that "Disco" doesn't just mean a seventies dance party with flared trousers, take your time to get used to one. Once you do it is usually easy to adapt to the different types.

[spilok 1,133]

How do you know which "waypoints" to put into an FMS program?   Is that a valid question?

 

Stan

[targetpractice2 3]

FMS in PMDG's 737 is pretty easy to use.. but it does depend on the model of plane.. i.e I have the Dash8 q400 and whilst it has an FMS it is very different from the 737 one but basics are the same.

 

Waypoints are given to you when you create the flight plan.. the use of the FMS does require an update to navigation to be accurate but you could probably get away with using the simple FSX flight planner to start with.

 

Navigation is actually the easy part to input the more technical aspect is working out fuel/distance/weights and measures etc.

 

you then input the codes (may look something like DEC or GOLUM for the waypoints (on ramps) or UL610 which are the airways (or motorways if you will)

 

The way I imagined it in very basic terms was motorways and of and on ramps...

 

whats my first on ramp to the motorway after I leave the runway.?. the SID to some extent does this, its the route to safely get away from the airport in a controlled manner and access your main route...

 

The STAR is your departure from your main route down to the runway (off ramp if you will)...

 

again very very basic explanation and others will perhaps provide better..

 

if you use Skype and PMDG737 I would be happy to help you out ... just PM me ...

[Ebs 114]

 

 

How do you know which "waypoints" to put into an FMS program?   Is that a valid question?

 

Hi Stan, I posted on a similar subject myself very recently. A guy in your situation also wanted to know the basics. Have a look at my post here - http://forum.avsim.net/topic/459680-gtn-750650/page-11#entry3270046 it's the very basic fundamentals. Hope it helps.

 

All the best,

Neil.

[untoweechja 35]

I went through a similar experience--it was especially hard to understand what the route discontinuities were all about and why the FMC couldn't just figure it out on its own.

 

Aivlasoft EFB helped immensely with this as it allowed me to visualize how the SIDS, STARS and approaches connect to the rest of the flight plan and made the reason for the discontinuities self-evident. Once I had that visual understanding the traditional charts and approach plates made a lot more sense, as did programming the FMC.

 

I, too, would recommend starting with and sticking to the PMDG 737 until it all makes sense.  I think I'd still be trying to figure out the Q400's FMC if I hadn't started with the 737. 

[spilok 1,133]

What great advice from you all!  I promise I will try some of these links to attempt my initiation into the FMS world.  Why it seems so complicated to me is not understandable.  I have 2 Masters degrees from Bucknell University and I'm a business owner.  Yet this FMS thing has been a real "bugaboo" for me for some unknown reason.  It has to be MENTAL!

 

Stan

[Hirdy2013 104]

Hey Stan - Great topic bud.

 

All suggestions here are top class.

 

I would add to pick up a copy of PFPX (Flight Planning Tool).  It's a great program to assist with building your plans and the export feature is great.  It will simply export completed plans into almost any complex payware aircraft.

 

Just a thought.

 

Enjoy.

[BrianG 12]

 

i would recommend the pmdg ones either 737 or 777 as they have very comprehensive tutorials included, and there are tons of other resources and tutorials, videos etc out there on the web, probably more than any other specific model.

 

 

+1 on the above. I knew nothing on how to use an FMC before going through the PMDG 737 tutorial #1. In less than 30 minutes I knew 90%  of what I need to know to get me up and going from t/o to touchdown with the FMC. The other 10% I learned through more advanced youtube videos on the subject. From a very broad perspective the FMC manages routes, altitudes and A/C performance data, all designed to reduce workload and increase operation cost efficiency.

Good to understand a few key concepts ( SIDS, STARS and waypoint's in between) if you haven't already. The PMDG tutorials will give you a solid understanding from which you can build upon and make sense of the whole thing. Kyle from PMDG support has some great supplementary videos on the more advanced level when the time comes. Go for it. MUCH easier than you might think. And I only have a BS degree  in marketing from San Jose State University

 

Have fun.

[fppilot 4,358]

 

 

It has to be MENTAL!

 

You just need to "reprogram"

[HUSSAR 271]

How do you know which "waypoints" to put into an FMS program?   Is that a valid question?

 

Stan

Hi Stan,

 

I remember that post a few years back... never too late to learn!  Here is a route from Miami to Denver from Flightaware... great site to mimic real life routes:   http://flightaware.com/live/flight/AAL1890

 

VALLY2 VALLY WOLFO AR18 DIW WETRO CEBEE SWL JIIMS2 

 

I found it much simpler to learn using the Boeing FMS, you can enter your flight on the RTE (Route) page with the coding above.  VALLY2 is the SID and the waypoints are VALLY, WOLFO, DIW, WETRO, CEBEE & SWL on the JIIMS2 STAR (arrival).  You can also see the entry AR18, those alpha-numeric values are airways which contain a number of waypoints along the way.  It makes life much simpler for the flightplanners to have a preset route based on the airway.  There could be many more airways depending on the length of the route.

 

Again, starting on the RTE page, after you have entered your departure and arrival airports in the FMS and selected the runway for departure and arrival with the SID and STAR reference you would enter the route above starting on the upper right corner and enter VALLY then WOLFO and because AR18 is some kind of airway it will be entered on the left side of the scratchpad on line #3 and directly across you would enter DIW.  You will get the hang of it, alpha numeric (airways) on the left and waypoints on the right.  When you are done and you head over to the LEGS page you will see your route albeit a little longer than what you saw on the RTE page because it contains the entire list of waypoints contained within your route.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Robert

[cmpbellsjc 2,960]

Stan, if 13 year old kids can program the FMC and fly the NGX and T7, then I have no doubt that a fellow like you with 2 masters degrees will be able to do it as well.

 

Between the tutorials that come with the NGX and T7, info from users here, and youtube instructional videos, you should be able to pick it up very quickly.

 

As far as your confusion about waypoints, you'll just need to use either a freeware or payware flight planner to generate some routes, then you can just input those waypoints in when your programming the FMC. Or, you can just get some flight plans from flightaware and use those for free to start out.

 

Although the FMC may appear daunting, they are actually very simple and intuitive to use, even more so than GPS units in my opinion.

[alf_uk 0]

Hi, I can relate to that, programming airplanes (with the 100 new words) seems to me a mental mountain.

 I have the Aerosoft Airbus A320 - the Manual is great, but in my opinion not for a beginner. The Airbus manual includes lots of side notes which you don't need for a basic first flight success.

(I spend more than 30 hours on the tutorial and still missing a few little things which make it not work, but I will continue.)

 

The Pmdg 737 ngx Manual is free for download here:

https://www.precisionmanuals.com/pages/downloads/docs.html

From what I read,it starts with a basic flight first and adds the more complicated stuff later.

 

I am looking forward to take this learning experience for myself as something which I can apply to everything in life too. To have something complex and work out a plan for myself to cut it into small pieces and work on the process of more and more understanding instead of trying to get it all at once.

regards

alf

[ctiger 49]

I know I'm going to be made to think I'm a dumb simmer here, but here goes.  I've been simming for over 16 years, and I'm embarrassed to bring this up again.  I wrote about it years ago, and vowed I would correct this inadequacy, but alas, I have not!   What am I embarrassed about?   I only use planes or buy planes that use the default GPS gauge.   I STILL do not know how to use an FMS.  Like you, I probably have thousands of dollars invested in this hobby over the years, and I fly every single day, and I enjoy it immensely.  But when a great plane becomes available with an FMS and no default navigation gauge, I don't get it.

 

What's the best way to get this monkey off my back and learn this navigation necessity.  Stars and Sids seem to have me a little confused, and I try to follow discussion here on AVSIM when some of you talk about it.

 

I vow that this time....perhaps this very weekend coming up, that I will try to start a simple flight with an FMS.  Please give me the best suggestions for getting started.  I am tired of being a simmer veteran and not using this realistic way to navigate.

 

Thanks.

 

Stan

Stan, what a great post.  I thought all these years I was the only one with the same problem by not using FMS.  I too am embarrassed or just plain dumb for not learning how to use the FMS over these last 11 years. I even have a BS in EE and PM and still couldn't take the time to figure out how to use the FMS.

 All I can say is what a great group of folks helping you out on this and now me. Maybe there are others that are having similar thoughts. It is really sad that I spent a lot of $$ on payware planes and never used them to the fullest.

 

I am with you that it is time to learn to use those expensive planes purchased over the years.  

 

Really appreciate your post.