Qavion

Having the packs on should not affect the status of the APU Bleed Valve "VALVE" indications. The VALVE light means that the valve position disagrees with its commanded position. The "command" is a combination of switch position and system logic (logic includes APU Fire Handle position, APU rpm and APU Start Latch relay position). (EDIT: Missed a few of the posts... Some comments removed as a result of further reading) Cheers Ian Riddell

LOL, well done. Now imagine that you had noticed that the little white cross above the IFE/PASS SEATS switch was missing in PMDG. It's present on most of the other panels. It's where the electrical contact for the light plate is located. If the pilots lose the lighting on an individual panel, sometimes a tap (with a blunt object) or push at this point will restore the lighting. Cheers Ian Riddell

No, I didn't mean the missing roundhead philips lightplate screw (s?). That's another difference. Keep looking ^_^ (I'm not referring to the additional switches). Cheers Ian Riddell

Thanks for your question and your photo, Harm. Minutiae = something which might not easily be spotted. By "secure", I mean that the Electrical sub-panel isn't fastened to the overhead panel properly. Only one of the six dzus fasteners is properly aligned (something a Boeing maintenance engineer might notice). Looking at your photo, all the slots of the fasteners are aligned North/South. There are lots more panels in the PMDG screenshots in a similar condition, but this is just an example. Your photo also highlights two differences which can be identified by anyone with a good eye. Sorry, no prizes for guessing :blush: Cheers Ian Riddell

LOL... All I can say is, Robert, I hope the captain is wearing a crash helmet. That elec panel doesn't look too secure... :Whistle: airliners.net/photo/Emirates/Boeing-777-21H-ER/0130320/L Cheers Ian Riddell

Nick, I think some people (engineer types) intend using the NGX as a training tool, not just as a toy. With the claim of Boeing endorsement, perhaps we expect a little more than we would otherwise.Most of the so-called bugs have been explained and this has become a learning experience for all (at least for those who can understand the explanations ). To be honest, I am a little surprised that you can't view voltage/frequency/amps prior to power selection (even if the amps show "0"), so I'll be checking this for myself, next time I work on the (real) aircraft. As previously stated, engineers sometimes have to check "unloaded" states (power available, but not selected). However, variations do occur between aircraft types. You get your kicks flying these aircraft, but I couldn't fly the thing if my life depended on it... That's why I only fix 'em ;) CheersQ

Well, Murphy's Law tells us that if anything can go wrong, it will ; )Fortunately, aircraft that have been around as long as the 737 usually have most of the bugs sorted out (I'm talking about real world bugs here). It's usually only the very bizarre circumstances which bypass all the safety systems. But it's usually a combination of human error, airplane defects and weather which is required to trigger a catastrophe. On the 737, for example, if only one faulty Rad Alt (say, reading zero feet*) has the ability to allow the deployment of the reverser in flight at any altitude, then it opens the door for human error and environmental effects to deploy the reverser at the wrong time. *We know it can do this from the relatively recent accident where a 737 fell out of the sky because the flight crew didn't notice that their faulty Rad Alt had caused the A/T to go into a somewhat premature flare idle mode.Unfortunately, I've seen the effect that airline cost-cutting can do on the level of maintenance carried out these days. If you start cutting staff, reduce training and generally making it more difficult for people to do their jobs, then accidents are more likely to happen. I could even give you a few personal examples, but this is not really the time and place for it ; )You may have heard of the recent near-accident involving a British Airways 747-400 out of Johannesburg. Part of the reverser logic caused the Leading Edge Flaps to retract during takeoff. Some folks are putting this down to human (maintenance) error, but the adjustment of this system has long been known to be too critical (i.e. a position sensor for a large and somewhat flexible part of the aircraft (subjected to aerodynamic forces), requires millimeter precision). This should not be allowed in the design. Anyway, we (the flying public) won't have to worry about this anymore, aircraft have already been modified to prevent this happening again.Hope this helps)CheersQ>

"The DRIVE amber caution light comes on when:* Low oil pressure is sensed in the IDG* The IDG is disconnected automatically due to high oil pressure* The IDG is disconnected manually with the drive disconnect switch* The engine is not running. "Yes, no and maybe... (again)Underfrequency, underpressure will put on the DRIVE light.Overtemperature might trigger a thermal mechanism and disconnect the Constant Speed Drive from the generator. This will indirectly put on the DRIVE light (when the generator is underfreq or the oil pressure gets too low).Manual disconnection produces the same effect.Engine not running? Well, if it is windmilling really fast, perhaps you can get the drive to spin fast enough to generate electricity and build up the oil pressure ; )On some other types of Boeing, underfrequency doesn't put on the DRIVE light, so it is easier to extinguish this light.Cheers.Qavion

Yes, no and maybe :( "* Inflight when the thrust lever is at idle"A thrust lever must be at idle because there is a mechanical interlock preventing the reverse lever being lifted if the corresponding forward lever isn't fully back. In flight, you are, however, restricted by the logic "When either radio altimeter is sensing less than 10 feet radio height""* When either radio altimeter is sensing less than 10 feet altitude"Yes, but not if the throttles aren't at idle : P"* When the air/ground safety sensor is in the ground mode"Well, there is more than one air/ground safety sensor, but yes, if the appropriate sensors are registering that the aircraft is on the ground (irrespective of what the Rad Altimeters are telling you), then you will be able to deploy the reversers if your forward thrust levers are at idle.Note that if the reversers do start deploying by accident in flight, that the Engine ECU's will tell the engine/s to go to idle (irrespective of thrust lever position).Do I pass? Cheers.Qavion.

I guess there are various ways of looking at Satcom. There is the "data" side which is like texting. e.g. ACARS & FANS requests can go via the Satcom system. The other side is the duplex (two-way) voice comms system. The voice comms system requires a more "high fidelity" method of transmission/reception than text.Some Satcom systems have two antenna systems- One low gain antenna system for data and one high gain antenna system for voice. However, many Satcom systems have only one "high gain" antenna system for both voice and data links. Anyway, to achieve the best reception/transmission, high gain antennae have to be steered (pointed) towards the satellites. They don't physically move... the "movement" is done electronically. However, to steer the antennae, you have to know where the satellites are.. and where the airplane is in relation to the satellites. The IRU's tell the Satcom system where the airplane is.. and other electronic wizardry tells the Satcom system where the satellites are.Satcom normally has 6 voice channels. Passengers (with lots of $$$) can also use the Satcom system to make phone calls via their seat handset/audio controller. The cockpit, of course, has priority when it come to making phone calls. To make any phone call, of course you need a phone number. The MCDU Satcom menu usually has a mini-phone book/directory. Pilots can make quick selections using these numbers. As well as dialling the number, the pilots must also use the Audio Control Panel SAT 1 & 2 buttons to enable them to use their headsets/boom mics to talk via Satcom. Depending on options, you could even phone home using the cockpit Satcom system : )Hope this makes sense.Cheers.Q>

Whatever you do, don't push the ejector button by mistake ; )The mechanical type seat is probably the most difficult.There is a medium sized lever towards the rear of the seat to move the seat back and forward (The seat track is L-shaped, so you may need to move the seat sideways first before you move it forwards).There is a large lever on the opposite side for adjusting height.Recline, lumbar, etc are less important.With all manual controls, you have to assist the seat mechanism. e.g. lift up your *ss when adjusting the height upwards.Knowing where to position your seat is one of the most important things to know. You need a good view of the outside as well as the inside. There is an "+" on the side window pillar where your eye should be. Some airlines have an eye alignment device on the centre window pillar.Rudder pedals have to be adjusted to suit your leg length (your eyes may be in the right spot, but you don't want your knees around your ears). There is a winder above the rudder pedals for this. You will have to pull the handle towards you to use the winder.I assume everyone knows how to adjust their 5 point seat harnesses(?).Rgds.Q>

I think we are forgetting that the 744 spends a lot of its time overwater, or over vast tracts of uninhabited land. There are 3 VHF radios, none of which would have more than 283 miles range even at 40,000' (assuming the ground station is at sea level).Pushing a PTT switch is no good to you if you:a ) don't know which radio is tuned to which frequencyb ) don't have the correct radio selected on your Audio Selector Panel (You may be talking to the passengers over the PA system :( ) c ) don't have the receiver volume turned up sufficiently to hear the ground station.d ) select the Centre VHF and ACARS is in use.There are lots of PTT switches, but some only work with the interphone system (pilot to pilot, or pilot to engineer).HF or Satcom might be better options for long distance comms, but they come with their own set of operating instructions. No emergency frequency is required per se. MAYDAY with your callsign would be sufficient. HF comms is difficult at times because of background static. The SENS control may be turned down, so you might not hear a callback. Certain frequencies respond better at certain times of the day. If you hear a tone when you push the mic button for the first time, wait for the tone to finish, then transmit (The transmitter sometimes has to tune)SATCOM requires you to select a ground station phone number from a directory. It also requires IRS alignment for voice comms.Certainly not as easy as you might imagine.Rgds.Q>

Autoland on the 744 is designed to straighten up the wings at 5 feet. I think you'd have trouble mimicking that :(According to one source....When large crab angles are involved, the A/P de-crabs the aircraft to produce a maximum 5 degree crab angle. At 200', the autopilot removes all crab... leaving you with an aircraft aligned with the runway, but with a lot of wing angle. This is removed at 5 feet Radio Altitude.Regards.Q>

"Below is the Qantas flight plan (QF2902) for the flight that I was onboard from Sydney (YSSY) to Antarctica and back to Sydney on February 17, 2006...."Matthew, is "MPOLE" the South Magnetic Pole or the geographic South Pole?At very high/low latitudes (greather than 88.5 degrees), GPS is not used for navigation, and the FMC (which guides the Autopilot in LNAV) uses a single IRU as a reference (without radio updates).Seems to me that you are tempting fate by flying directly over the poles ;)Cheers.Q>

Don't know if the MD11's CF6 bleed system is the same as the bleed system on other CF6-powered aircraft, but the engine bleed valve switch can be set to OFF and the reverser and anti-ice system will still operate (as long as there are no active overheats). For example, this override feature is available on B767-300's and B744's.Experts?Cheers.Q>