I've been trying to get back into the PMDG 737-700. I tried my hands with the Fenix A320 - while the aircraft was absolutely beautiful, I think I just couldn't get onboard with the Airbus ecosystem/culture. Everything seems backward. I bought the 737-700 for MSFS 2024 the day it came out but I just hadn't flown it much. Time to change that as the 737-700 can also be a sweet BBJ - and that's my preferred style of flying.

I took to youtube to relearn how to start the engines and work the systems. After 3 flights I was able to start everything from C+D (and back) without the internet :)

Today I found some lovely tailwinds and departed KMKE bound for Boston. Routing was KMKE SQUIB HOCKE Q816 KELTI NABOR PONCT JFUND2 KBOS - filed FL390 - ended up with about 550-560 kts over the ground.

I also used BATC. BATC has really been failing me lately. I've done about 5 flights in the last two months and end up just exiting out during the arrival/approach phase. On one flight it was trying to clear me for a visual approach 82 miles away LOL. But today I figured I'd give it a try. It really did quite well! First time in a while everything worked as expected. I spent about 2 hours at the PC flying in real time, I got a "real" Simbrief flightplan and got my pax and fuel loaded in the EFB. (I still prefer to manually enter the routing myself). I also ran the Flybywire app for traffic (but I think maybe BATC also generates it now?) Either way I had AI traffic in the sim which is nice. Live weather was setup - which made for a sporty arrival into BOS!

Enough yapping - here are my tiny pics

Originally I wasn't planning on screenshots but I just can't help it sometimes! Leaving MKE headed east over Lake Michigan

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by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/185132751@N02/]Ryan Butterworth[/url], on Flickr

Just got up to altitude as we approach Lake Huron

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by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/185132751@N02/]Ryan Butterworth[/url], on Flickr

This is just south of my airspace at Mpls Center

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by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/185132751@N02/]Ryan Butterworth[/url], on Flickr

(I try to get about 20 screenshots but I skipped most of them in cruise... it was really boring haha - here I am at TOD just west of PONCT for the JFUND2 arrival)

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by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/185132751@N02/]Ryan Butterworth[/url], on Flickr

With the tailwinds I needed a lot of spoiler action "DRAG REQUIRED" to get down - lots of precip as you can see. I don't know if BATC simulates deviations so mostly I just went into the bad red LOL

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by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/185132751@N02/]Ryan Butterworth[/url], on Flickr

At least the sim is directly reading the precip cause the red was really heavy - and very loud! Almost too loud to hear ATC - apparently that can be realistic even with a nice set of ANRs.

Those lights are NOT me breaking out - looks like a ATC separation error HAHA

[url= by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/185132751@N02/]Ryan Butterworth[/url], on Flickr

I feel like we get a lot of bang for the buck with this aircraft

[url= by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/185132751@N02/]Ryan Butterworth[/url], on Flickr

I finally do breakout about 1000 above mins for runway 33L

[url= by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/185132751@N02/]Ryan Butterworth[/url], on Flickr

"GoPro" view

[url= by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/185132751@N02/]Ryan Butterworth[/url], on Flickr

We'll roll almost all the way down to Signature FBO

[url= by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/185132751@N02/]Ryan Butterworth[/url], on Flickr

[url= by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/185132751@N02/]Ryan Butterworth[/url], on Flickr

PMDG's EFB is pretty nice too - I was quite impressed with the updated plane for 2024!

[url= by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/185132751@N02/]Ryan Butterworth[/url], on Flickr

[url= by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/185132751@N02/]Ryan Butterworth[/url], on Flickr

A beautiful livery by whiskeythrottle at flightsim.to

[url= by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/185132751@N02/]Ryan Butterworth[/url], on Flickr

Edited Tuesday at 01:29 AM4 days by ryanbatc

That "GoPro" view is really nice.

Fantastic Ryan!