Nick Dobda

I thought I read on here a discussion about a discrepancy or oddity or something with the NGX as it relates to the TOGA. The result of this discussion resulted in my procedure including the following: instead of clicking the A/T ARM switch off when switching to "manual" approach, select the SPEED to off (while the A/T switch still on). This way when you press TO/GA the SPEED kicks back on and the throttles automatically go to the proper setting. Everything else is still manual (pitch up and all that), but at least the throttles are taken care of. I find it very challenging to fly the plane manually along the published missed approach with all the settings and flight dynamics continuously changing what with the gear coming up, the flaps coming up and all that. If you're gonna abort its much easier if you do it before you disconnect over to manual... lol.

I changed my internet to "metered" when everyone gave the heads up about all hell breaking loose last year with the fall update. As such, my computer never updated. As such PMDG and all other addons have been running perfectly, no glitches. Just have tobe extremely cautious to stay away from any 100% non trusted websites and do not install anything unless I am 100% certain about it.

The white page problem I've run into as well. My solution is to open ALL the windows in the background (I use FSX full screen, not windowed). while having FSX maximized full screen. Then you can click the taskbar to bring windows in the background to the front, then click the FSX background to continue. This way FSX never minimizes. I've found I only get the white screen when I minimize FSX, do some background work, them maximize again. It doesn't happen when I open a window in front of FSX.

Gary, no problem- its impossible to get tone from text so I was just concerned I ticked you off when I was just trying to help. In any event, maybe this will help: From the Introduction Realistic Autopilot Engagement: This option can be used to simplify the autopilot engagement process if desired. When set to “Realistic Engagement” the autopilot will require that the airplane is in a balanced trim condition prior to accepting a pilot command to activate. Thus, if you are holding control input in place to maintain the desired flight path, you would need to re-trim the airplane until control force is no longer required to maintain the desired flight path. Selecting “OFF” will simplify the engagement logic for those who are just learning how to fly the simulator, thus reducing your workload. If you notice the autopilot failing to take control of the airplane when you press the CMD button, refer back to this paragraph as a refresher! Additionally, I don't think CMD A can be activated below 400 AGL. So if you just want to get it into HDG so you can steer like the old default 737, you gotta get it up over 400 and have the plane trimmed so that you are not putting pressure on your controls. Either that or turn off the realistic autopilot engagement option - either will help you do what I think you are trying to Hope this helps!

Am I reading this right that you feel insulted by my first post? The only thing I know about you is contained within those 5 lines you typed in your original entry. From those 5 lines I came to the conclusion that you were having trouble engaging VNAV & LNAV. I also deduced that you were new to the NGX but had some history with FSX using the default 737. If you had included more information (that you did include in your second post) I may have had a different response. I figured I would help you out and reply with some information/ advice that someone gave me in this very forum when I was new to the NGX. Instead of typing "go read the manuals" I even went into the tutorial, cut and pasted the relevant info that I thought you would find helpful. So I'm not sure how you came to the conclusion I thought you were stupid and that this forum is not here for help?

Gary, I would suggest reading the introduction and tutorials much of the info is in there. Introduction page 0.00.28 "I couldn’t get LNAV to arm/engage: LNAV has some specific parameters that must be met in order for it to arm/engage. These are: • To arm LNAV while on the ground: The first waypoint in your flight plan must be within 5 degrees of the departure runway course. • To arm LNAV in flight : Requires a valid interception point for active leg, interception angle less than 90 degrees OR within 3 miles cross tracks error OR within 3 miles from active. LNAV will stay armed until interception." Theres more to it... and a lot more to the plane when jumping from the default 737 into the NGX. The NGX requires an investment of time.. a significant investment of time and patience to learn how to fly it. But in the end, it is so rewarding because PMDG's NGX systems wise is (as far as what I hear) true to the real deal. Its a simulation, not a game.

Since I've started loading the default short turnaround as the starting panel state I've never run into that problem again. To reiterate, my problem seemed to start because I was saving the flight at the conclusion of a leg at the end of the night. Then on the next day I would load up that saved flight and continue on. After several flights it started losing clickspots. I believe what was happening was there was some accumulating corruption of the panel state that would eventually accumulate enough corruption it would crash the clickspots. Starting fresh with the fresh default short turnaround at the start of every flight fixed the problem. That being said, it looks like you are doing that already, so hopefully someone else has some advice.

If your confused (don't be ashamed, I didn't figure out what the MKR buttons did for the longest time) these are the buttons below the radio frequencies that have arrows on them. When you depress the buttons they light up indicating that they will be broadcasting the radio signal for the associated frequency into your headset. The lower left two buttons on the right are for the NAV broadcast (there are two of them). If your NAV-1 radio is tuned to the ILS (or any VOR) and the NAV-1 MKR button is depressed (illuminated) the Morse code for that ILS or VOR will be broadcast. I think turning off the NAV 1 & NAV 2 MKR buttons would turn off the broadcast. One useful thing that I often use in this set of buttons - you can tune your COM2 radio to ATIS and flip on the VHF-2 button to hear both ATC and ATIS communications simultaneously, or turn off VHF1 and turn on VHF2 without changing radio frequencies. First pic in this link: http://www.b737.org.uk/communications.htm

Don't hit me up too hard for not being a file library sleuth, but can someone help me find a 737-800 (ngx) livery (paint scheme) - The USAirways dark blue paint scheme (photo below) I saw one in the library (and internet search) a while back but I can't find it anymore. I remember the one that was in the library the font on the fuselage looked too big, but it was all that was available. The other USAirways scheme that is out there in the file library is the white scheme - although it looks great I am only interested in the dark blue scheme. I would like it to fit the NGX 737-800 body. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:US_Airways_737_N355US.jpg

Don't hit me up too hard for not being a file library sleuth, but can someone help me find a 737-800 (ngx) livery (paint scheme) - The USAirways dark blue paint scheme (photo below) I saw one in the library (and internet search) a while back but I can't find it anymore. I remember the one that was in the library the font on the fuselage looked too big, but it was all that was available. The other USAirways scheme that is out there in the file library is the white scheme - although it looks great I am only interested in the dark blue scheme. I would like it to fit the NGX 737-800 body. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:US_Airways_737_N355US.jpg

Zomething different. I was disappointed that I didn't get to fly on a special livery, or the heart one livery... and disappointed that I didn't get to ride in a MAX. I still loved the flight, but why is it hard to understand that folks with a hobby for commercial flight have personal preferences when it comes to plane types? I loved to fly on the chromed out USAir 737s with no winglets back in the late 90s too - thought the dark blue livery was boring. Nice hat.

FWIW I flew SWA MSP to Orlando a few weeks back, 4 flights. Sitting at the gate waiting to see which 737 I would get a seat on (hoping to fly on a Split Scimitar variant) I was disappointed that that the majority of the 737's I saw did not have Split Scimitars. (of the 4 planes I flew on, they were all Canyon Blue liveries). Even watching the SWA fleet cycling through Midway for the 3 hours I was laid over, most were non Split Scimitars. I don't know what the actual stats are, but from what my eyes observed it's probably more realistic for line pilots to fly in a 737 without Split Scimitars then one with.

The back of Tutorial 2 has a process for filling in the descent page during the preflight using Active Sky. The downside is conditions can change in flight. But what are the odds of that (especially in my case my flights are between 45 and 70 minutes long). Essentially the tutorial method uses AS and the waypoints in your route that fall along the descent path to estimate the descent weather as accurately as you can short of hiring Al Roker to plan your flight. It can involve some interpolation - so some (including myself) prefer to use Dan's method he described above for the reason that even if you used ASN and tutorial 2's method every time its still an estimate. Get in the habit of noticing the trend of your descent and how to make corrections to the plane on the way down, because I think its much more common to stray from the FMC's perfect descent then it is to keep your hands off and bring it in right on the line perfectly. Throw ATC in the mix and you can throw out the descent forecast a lot of times too.

Is this modeled? I did not know you weren't supposed to use spoilers when flaps are below 10 so I am sure I've done it - I've never noticed a change in anything other then slowing down.

Like Dan mentioned consequences in the real world regarding pressurization problems have larger consequences then the sim - for that reason I'm sure RW pilots are checking the pressurization on every climb out. Plus the first and second items in the after takeoff checklist would ensure that you turn on the pressurization system. I've taken off with the over wing exit doors open, didn't figure out anything was wrong till the pressurization warning went off (obviously I wasn't checking the pressurization gauge on the way up - nor the exit door warning lights). Even still probably would have had some panicking flight attendants in the cabin beating down the door in the real world prior to takeoff.