FSX-MS PMDG 737-800 NGX Questions

[mwilk 1,107]

2 hours ago, Oleg321 said:

Hello,

I am learning to fly the PMDG 737-800. I passed both PMDG tutorials, but they did not really help me understand why am I doing every step. Do you have any recommendations of where can I learn to fly the PMDG 737??

thank you.

Do a search on YouTube for Flightdeck2Sim. It's a series of videos done by an actual 737 pilot using the PMDG NGX.

[cmpbellsjc 2,963]

3 hours ago, Oleg321 said:

Hello,

I am learning to fly the PMDG 737-800. I passed both PMDG tutorials, but they did not really help me understand why am I doing every step. Do you have any recommendations of where can I learn to fly the PMDG 737??

thank you.

As Mike mentioned, there is a lot on YouTube that you can watch to help you learn.

Learning to fly the 737 is a lot to take on if you don’t have any previous flight experience. You haven’t mentioned your prior experience and what aircraft and flight techniques you are proficient in.

If your new to simming and are not sure about a lot of the stuff mentioned in the tutorials such as the phrase “capture the localizer” you had questioned earlier, it might be worth the time and energy to start from the beginning. As you probably know, airline pilots first learn to fly small planes such as the Cessna 172 while gaining experience and working on getting their IFR ticket. They then move onto small twin engine planes before finally getting into large turbo props or small jets. FSX has a learning center and lessons you can do to help get a good understanding of the basics that you will then use when flying larger aircraft like the NGX. Trying to start from scratch and jumping into the NGX is going to require a steep learning curve with no prior experience.

See how you get along with some YouTube videos and report back if you have more questions.

[Oleg321 7]

Hello,

I am learning to fly the PMDG 737/800. Can somebody explain me what the VOR, DME, and ADF mean. Also how can I choose the right departure SID? Where can I figure out which runway should I use to takeoff and land? And also what does the TO/GA do? How can I find out the cost index for my flight? 

Thank you 

[Jim Young 2,356]

2 hours ago, Oleg321 said:

what the VOR, DME, and ADF mean

https://skybrary.aero/bookshelf/books/722.pdf

2 hours ago, Oleg321 said:

how can I choose the right departure SID?

You cannot.  ATC will do that for you before takeoff and vector you to the first waypoint.

 

2 hours ago, Oleg321 said:

Where can I figure out which runway should I use to takeoff and land?

This all depends on the weather at your departing and destination airport.  ATC will send you to the right runway and, at destination, ATC will provide you information on the proper approach (STAR - if available).

 

2 hours ago, Oleg321 said:

what does the TO/GA do

Takeoff and go around - https://www.skybrary.aero/index.php/Take-off_/_Go-around_(TO/GA)_Mode

2 hours ago, Oleg321 said:

How can I find out the cost index for my flight? 

From the operations center for your airline.  For instance, United Airlines may require a cost index of 85 for all of their flights.  American Airlines may require a cost index of 230.  It's up to the individual airline as to the cost index.  In FSX and other flight simulators, this is not simulated other than you can enter any figures you want.

Best regards,

Jim

[Oleg321 7]

13 hours ago, Jim Young said:

https://skybrary.aero/bookshelf/books/722.pdf

You cannot.  ATC will do that for you before takeoff and vector you to the first waypoint.

 

This all depends on the weather at your departing and destination airport.  ATC will send you to the right runway and, at destination, ATC will provide you information on the proper approach (STAR - if available).

 

Takeoff and go around - https://www.skybrary.aero/index.php/Take-off_/_Go-around_(TO/GA)_Mode

From the operations center for your airline.  For instance, United Airlines may require a cost index of 85 for all of their flights.  American Airlines may require a cost index of 230.  It's up to the individual airline as to the cost index.  In FSX and other flight simulators, this is not simulated other than you can enter any figures you want.

Best regards,

Jim

So the TO/GA takeoff power is automatically calculated by the FMC, right?

[Jim Young 2,356]

1 hour ago, Oleg321 said:

So the TO/GA takeoff power is automatically calculated by the FMC, right?

No.  By pressing the TO/GA switches when autothrottle is engaged, the thrust lever servo-actuators are activated and they advance the thrust levers at a preset rate in order to reach the position for take-off or go-around.

[Oleg321 7]

1 hour ago, Jim Young said:

No.  By pressing the TO/GA switches when autothrottle is engaged, the thrust lever servo-actuators are activated and they advance the thrust levers at a preset rate in order to reach the position for take-off or go-around.

So I can’t control its power as I understand. 

[Jim Young 2,356]

As long as the autothrottle is engaged, you cannot but you can always go up and turn the autothrottle off.

[Oleg321 7]

12 minutes ago, Jim Young said:

As long as the autothrottle is engaged, you cannot but you can always go up and turn the autothrottle off.

Ok thank you. When I am playing FSX on my computer the game is full screen but the margins are black. So I can see the image of this game only as a square. Do you know how to fix this ?

[Jim Young 2,356]

Evidently you are not in full screen.  Just click Alt+Enter and it will go from Windowed Mode to Full Screen.

Best regards,

Jim

[Oleg321 7]

1 minute ago, Jim Young said:

Evidently you are not in full screen.  Just click Alt+Enter and it will go from Windowed Mode to Full Screen.

Best regards,

Jim

I am in full screen. The game covers the full screen but the image if the game is square.

[Jim Young 2,356]

Then there is something wrong with your computer or monitor.  Nothing I or anyone else can do. If Alt-Enter does not work, then you will have to go to the maker of your computer and monitor and tell them to fix it.

[Oleg321 7]

How can I calculate the Reserves field in the fmc? Also which one of these should I pick in the fmc - TO; TO-2; TO -3? 

[cmpbellsjc 2,963]

2 hours ago, Oleg321 said:

Hello,

How can I calculate the Reserves field in the fmc? Also which one of these should I pick in the fmc - TO; TO-2; TO -3? 

 Thank you 

Oleg,

I merged the new topic you started into a this one since it contains all your NGX Questions. Please just continue posting your questions in this thread as they all pertain to the NGX.

To calculate the reserves you’re going to have to use a flight planner, either a free one or a payware versión like PFPX. The flight planner will tell you how much fuel you’ll need based on the route and winds and you can choose your reserve values based off that. The manuals that come with the NGX might have a fuel consumption table that you could use to calculate them yourself.

As far as TO, TO-2/3, those are thrust derates and are used to reduce wear and tear on the engines and in some cases to reduce noise. To calculate which one to use varies depending on the weight of the aircraft, density altitude, length of runway, etc. You can use a tool like Topcat that figures the derate value for you. I believe there is a derate chart also in the manuals but can’t remember for sure. Since your new to the plane and don’t really know much about this stuff or how it works, just use TO for now and you’ll be sure to have enough power to get off the runway in a safe distance. Using TO-2 or 3 might not provide enough power depending on the variables I listed and you might not gain enough speed to lift off before running out of runway.

Have you checked the YouTube videos another poster sent you a link to? You might be able to learn a lot from those and reading ALL the manuals that came with the aircraft.

[Oleg321 7]

Hello,

What does the Yaw Damper do? What do the recric fans ,APU bleed, hydrogen pumps do?