DC_Ed

How about SimBrief? It's free, you only need to sign up and that's it. http://www.simbrief.com/home/index.php

As said by others above. Short answer is, in a real airplane, no you can't. I'll tell you why. You, as a sim pilot, are in no way prepared to deal with the physical effects of flight. Not just stress, but g-forces, the effects of altitude and basically, the struggle of your brain to adapt to being in a place where you've never been before (despite the fact that you sort of know what you're looking at) and in conditions you've never been before (nevermind flying as a pax, that doesn't count). Once you sit in the cockpit, you will SORT of know where everything is, but it will take you a while to actually figure the whole cockpit out, just because you're seeing the cockpit in a real airplane in a different angle and different ergonomics (this is especially true when most of us used to fly on 2D panels). After you're done with that, you will have to fight the psychological effect of acknowledging that you are effectively flying an airplane (big or small). When flying an airplane for the first time, much of the experience (if not almost all of it), the "wow factor" is omnipresent. Moving a throttle and feeling the aircraft accelerate or slowing down, moving the yoke and feeling the aircraft move about; it is staggering for you, because you've done it in the sim, and you have wished to do it for a while, and getting the chance to do it and feel everything in the airplane is at first just about everything your brain can handle. This "wow factor" will be bigger as the airplane gets bigger, because the physical effects are bigger too, they are more noticeable to you. Think of when you started to drive (even more if you learned on a car with a manual gearbox): You could have played realistic car games all you like, but when you got to do it on the real machine, your brain was too busy coping with the sensorial data it was getting. This will distract you, it will make life difficult for you, it will make you nervous when the airplane/car reacts a bit more vigorously than what you expect (again, the bigger the airplane/car, the bigger the sensorial overload) FS does help you with some things (IFR flying is one of them, helps you LOTS!) and in some ways also how handle the airplane under different conditions, but since your airplane in the PC is a screen, your brain will have to work overtime when you're on an airplane because now your airplane is not just on a screen, it's all around you, you're wrapped in it and this a scenario you know nothing about. That being said, the task of *manually* landing an airplane for the first time it's a complete mental overload, you sort of know the theory, but the reality may have a couple of aces to throw at you; nothing too serious, a couple of knots increase in wind velocity in a real airplane will be somewhat more difficult than in the sim and it will take you longer to react and to re-accomodate the airplane on the proper path, just as you drove slowly the first couple of times you got to drive a car. It's just because you're doing something for the first time. It's in our nature to proceed cautiosly when in an unknown scenario. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, an airplane doesn't stop completely on its own. Well, it can if it has autobrakes, but do remember that autopilots don't work when on the ground, so you still have to steer the airplane on the runway and about 8 or 9 times out of 10, you will need to apply some correction after touching down, because the set of laws of physics that make an airplane fly are different to those that said airplane encounters when it is on the ground. Even harder still, given that an airplane is not a land vehicle. Most likely you will overdo the pedal inputs to keep the airplane centered on the runway (because it is a feeling like no other) and no, PC pedals will not help you much as they lack feedback (unless they do have force feedback! LOL) and the pedal inputs while on the ground aren't well modelled in the sim, so still, you're likely to make mistakes. And while you technically can stop without using the thrust reversers (performance data for airplanes is done with the use of wheel brakes only, at least in dry runways), temptation to stop will be great and you will want to pop the reversers up to help you to stop (because that's what you used to do on the sim), but bear with me on this one, they will scare you! Especially if it is a turboprop plane. The reason why they will scare you (or scared me at least!) is because they are noisy, most likely they will not go into reverse at the same time (unless both engines are brand new) so the airplane will steer away from the centerline, and basically because it's just a complete different feel of how it is on the sim. If you're a keen simmer then you will know that you can harm the engines if you use full reverse for too much/too slow, or in airplanes without computers in the way of you and the airplane, you can over-torque/over-boost an engine, so it is a possibility that you use too little reverse or too much that will scare you and will make you feel tempted to put the power back to idle and start over. So you see, while the sim does help you understand systems and what this and that does, actually getting to fly the plane without real experience is a very demanding task for your brain, because you're out of your environment and your brain will try its best to get the most it can from the new scenario and basically taking your focus away from the theory you know. Bear in mind this is with a completely functional airplane; the name of the game will change 100% if things go south, mechanically speaking. I hope I made some sense, because English isn't my first language, so I might need to repeat myself a couple of times Regards,

Pay rise to try and use the FMS? Well, it's all a matter of getting to grips with it. If you're used to Boeing or McDonnell Douglas systems, then yes, you will have a hard time with it while you learn the in and outs of it. It's a different approach, just as it is a different manufacturer. I think I have a FMS sim used by the pilots to learn how to use it themselves, albeit from the DHC-8-200 version (I think they are the same, Universal FMS). If someone wants to get a hold of it, I'd be more than happy to look for it and upload it or something, as long as someone gives me pointers on how to do it LOL. Generally, high wing turboprops are notoriously stable, even more those made by "Mr de Havilland" due to their STOL configurations (although the Q400 might not so STOL as say, the TwOtter, but still) Cold and dark scenarios? +1 on that one. I'd love that too AP selections on the FMS? I don't think the real aircraft does that, so I think it would be unrealistic. The -200 series, as most modern aircraft, have FMA's, Flight Mode Annunciator, which does what you say. How are you taxiing the aircraft? Once a turboprop aircraft has sufficient momentum to start rolling you'll need to control the taxi speed with a watchful eye. Use of "beta" (bad labeled anyway, as beta means an entire different thing, don't worry, everybody, including me, calls it that way even when it's wrong) or "DISC" on the -8, even a tiny bit of effective reverse and sometimes even toe brakes is necessary, as just having a bit of positive power, just a smudge above idle will be enough for the aircraft to keep accelerating (depending on weight, wind and the usual factors). I like my taxiing slow anyway, so almost all of the time I taxi with the power levers just a tad above disc and using a bit positive power just to keep it from stopping altogether. I don't fly the actual -8, but I do fly it's older sibling, the DHC-6. I do, however, have a bit of knowledge about the DHC-8 series as I did a ground school years ago. Fortunately, I have a bit of good memory and I still remember some details of it. Tell us your taxi technique! I absolutely agree with you. Any turboprop is a different animal from your 737 and your A320. A turboprop, even a modern one like the Q400, needs you to fly; it can't do everything on its own, thats why I love them. You still need to know what you're doing and you still need to clean up your act immediately if you screw up. I love the jets, but TP's just have that extra magic. The learning curve will be a bit steep, but just like with any other difficult challenge, you will enjoy yourself to death once you get the hang of it (which you will sooner than later if you pay attention. Don't judge this airplane with a PMDG eye, it's unfair to it. This is a league of its own, it's turboprop league! Don't regard it as unrealistic or impossible to fly; we all got used to our jets and this is just a different thing to fly. Open up your mind a bit and you'll love it. BTW, I've only flown the Q400 a few circuits while I relearn my DHC-8 stuff, but it feels a joy to fly it by hand. Bear in mind this is coming from a guy who dropped his sim activity around two years ago and is just picking it up again. I loved it when I got to hand fly it. Loved the feeling of it. Make the effort if you want to fly this aircraft, it pays off. You'll love turboprops (like I do!)

No turboprop I know has autothrottle (and I mean in real life), it's a jet gizmo as far as I am aware of

The short answer: Very carefully! As you would with any DHC airplane: Wings and flaps that produce more than sufficient lift, notorious for being STOL airplanes (hence the wings and the flaps) as well as having large tails, which by itself is advantageous but needs to be properly managed, especially when it's windy. Long answer: Stablise the approach early enough, that is get gear, flaps and all your proper landing checks in advance, so you can concentrate on flying the plane. "Speed is the key" with any airplane, but even more with this kind of turboprops. On final approach (say the last 1000ft or so) you should basically replace the artificial horizon with the airspeed indicator in your instrument scan. Constant scanning (and control!) of the airspeed is critical to a successful landing. So if landing from an instrument approach you should be doing something like: speed, flight director, speed, glide slope, speed, localizer, speed. Once you're flying visual, it becomes a game of two: Speed and out the window, then back to speed, and so on. Proper scanning leads to proper power lever movements. Also, as others have pointed out, there's no autothrottle on a turboprop (not those I know anyway!), so the IAS mode on a turboprop is (since you're familiar with PMDG) the equivalent to the LVL CHG mode on a B737. It will only maintain speed with pitch. Please note that I said "maintain" and not "control". Enjoy the beauty of turboprops: real flying my friend! You'll love it once you get the hang of it.

+1. Looks like a normally executed landing to me.To really judge whether the landing was made "by the book" you would need to have an instrument view, he could have been too slow, too fast, a bit low or high and all sorts of whatnots.As both a pilot and a videographer, the look of the landing is good because the video is in great quality and showing great colours! :(

The Twin Otter has an "intake deflector" on its engine intakes; it's a plastic plate with slots on it, when they are extended, a slot on the back of the engine opens and lets out water and other foreign particles by "inertial separation", preventing them from reaching the gas generator turbine (compressor). It's the propellers which must take the worst part on those landings

Nothing less than a Twin Otter for that operation. A true workhorse :)

It's quite simple really. The airplane is on VNAV the whole flight, it's just that once it reaches cruise altitude the autopilot "basic mode" is ALT HLD. Try and look for the other modes during other phases of flight (climb, descent). I'm not familiar with the 777 per se, but the same basic principle applies to Boeing airplanes. You should look on the FMA (Flight Mode Annunciator) for "THR HLD" (Throttle Hold) on descent and something with "SPD" on it on climb in one of the FMA columns, the autothrottle or speed column to be precise, which is the one on the top left corner.It's just the way the airplane manages its own basic automation modes to achieve the more complex function of VNAV itself.

RedSpinnaker: Noted! It's actually its little sister, the mighty Twin Otter :)

I'll get this last cable then and I think I'll buy the digital recorder, since it records in MP3, it is definitely easier to merge with the video later while editing. About the sound issue, with the GoPro, the thing is that I fly a turboprop and the noise it makes at certain stages of the flight is just superb and I want to capture that. Besides as an aviation videographer I cannot dismiss ambient sound, it's a package deal for me. I know the GoPro is superior as far as image quality goes, but the Bloggie gives better balance since it has greater sound quality and image is also good.Thanks all for the replies

I decided to buy the Bloggie because I had the opportunity to use a GoPro Hero Original for a couple of days and the ambient noise it records has a bad quality compared to the Bloggie. Haven't bought the Bloggie yet though That's exactly what I want to do, that's the kind of recorder I want to buy. I heard a Morse code identifier somewhere on that video, so I assume the method you used also records intercom? Sorry, I didn't quite get that bit. It's been a long day for me and English is not my native language. I understand you record the intercom/ATC audio directly to the camera, so I figure you don't record ambient sound unless you have an external mic or something. Can you clarify that bit for me please? :blush:By the way, I wrote Aircraft Spruce with basically the same description in my OP and they told me this is the one that would do the job: http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/pspages/patchcord.phpAlso, maybe noteworthy to mention that the aircraft I fly doesn't have additional intercom jacks; just two: pilot and copilot, both of them are used in all flights.Any new inputs in the light of this new info?Thanks to all for the replies! :D

Hey guys, need a little help here.One of my hobbies is to make aviation videos. I'd like to restart making them again since I stopped two years ago, but this time I'd like to take on board footage along with aircraft intercomm and ATC sound.The method I plan to use is this: Sony Bloggie camera on a window suction mount and/or a clamp assembly to attach the camera anywhere in the cockpit. Sound will be recorded via a commercial MP3 recorder connected to my headset. The thing with this arrangement is that since the signal to power the headset is too strong for the MP3 recorder the sound will be distorted and I've been told to buy an adapter cable for that. So here are my options:http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/avpages/recordingCable.phphttp://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/avpages/StereoVideoPatchCable.phpI don't know whether either one of those will work, so before I part with my money I'd like to know if anyone has ever successfully done what I'm planning to do here. Any help is appreciated.Best regards

Well, it is true in my country. You do need permission from ATC if you want to shoot the full approach (i.e. from the holding pattern), given that if you shoot the approach, you are flying in protected airspace for IFR aircraft and they have priority to use that airspace over VFR aircraft. You ask for permission to fly that approach, ATC knows if they have no incoming IFR traffic and they will clear you. If there's an IFR aircraft arriving to the airport and it will soon be commencing their IFR approach, your request will be denied or at the very least delayed until that aircraft lands.Again, that's how it works in my country

If you are flying VFR and want to shoot the ILS approach from the start you need to ask ATC permission to do so, since other IFR aircraft might be arriving to that airport and they will shoot the approach as well and they have "priority", so to speak, over a VFR aircraft to perform an IFR approach and of course the IFR aircraft is issued traffic separation, i.e. taking you (in the VFR aircraft) away from the approach path. If you are just flying into an airport and decided to fly the ILS signals just by intercepting them, say, in the final leg, then you are OK without ATC's permission.