downscc

yeah, I didn't read the original post close enough. The flickering hyd press values when all pressurization is removed is normal. The B744 does it and the 748 as well.

This is normal for both 744 and 748. A more interesting question is why this occurs.

FSX or P3D?

Nothing of the sort; however, I did notice that there is a difference in attitude landing Flaps 30 or 25. I'd gotten used to F30 when I first started testing and then moved to F25 where I've stayed for most missions. I notice with F25 that flare is negligible... 2 deg at most and then I do have to lower nose but never had a problem with floating. In my experience if I float a landing it was because I had mismanaged the speed regardless of airframe. In my opinion the -8 is a more enjoyable aircraft to fly than the -400.

I've seen the RECMD value explained a couple of times by PMDG and I still don't understand it. It is as if the FMS derives a recommended value based on a small specific set of parameters and the value is not the optimum and has nothing to do with CI. I ignore it. The key value is the optimum value and in your case where you are at FL350 OPT FL355 the recommended step to FL370 is going to occur when the OPT is FL360... that is what I pay attention to.

Definitely time to submit a trouble ticket at PMDG Product Support.

Or departing KIAH Houston you might get a direct ELP El Paso, which is half way to LAX. I notice that a lot of freighters departing KSDF in the middle of the night appear to have something in upstate NY as their first enroute waypoint. I get the sense that air traffic systems are evolving away from the old Jet VOR-based airways. Not in all cases, you still have that mess between DCA and BOS.

You should not have to reset the validation code after an update. I suspect something such as antivirus program is interfering. Using any such thing other than Windows Defender?

That is a good find.... you are correct in that it should retard the throttles when intercepting the VNAV path. Please create a trouble ticket on this so it gets in the bug tracking system.

During early descent you will still have enough thrust to maintain about a 1000 fpm descent until intercepting the VNAV profile. I am probably not understanding your problem statement... you said the thrust mode remains in hold but I'm not sure of when this is. What is the thrust mode while in early descent? Does it change to hold when intercepting the VNAV path? Are you saying the throttles do not retard on reaching the VNAV path? Granted, I don't recall doing an early descent in the 744 and there is a difference in how each handles VNAV descents.

Verify your throttle option is set to over ride in hold only. I always manually move my throttles to idle before TOD. I've flown early descent with the 748 several times and never had a problem so I am suspecting your throttles are involved.

Please fly the Tutorial. You have a lot to learn and the Tutorial will get you started on the right foot. The aircraft can fly direct to any airport, waypoint or navaid... not sure what you claim to be missing. You do have to program the FMS because the aircraft is a complex machine and such things as engine performance for take off must be set up.

Is that a message from PMDG? I don't recognize it. What else do you have running?

I never had access and still do not have a copy of the FCTM for the B747. The use of 1 or 2 for all routine operations is counter to what I've heard from operators (I'm not rated in these types), whom shared that the use of 1 or 2 with reverse thrust may cause the braking to modulate and this is not a good thing for ceramic brakes. Autobraking 3 will ensure that the brakes do not release during reverse thrust application at high speed.

Actually, those PMDG panel files might be a source of the problem depending on circumstance. I recommend you delete all the panel files and create new ones.