anavsun

Is the 737-800 available now in the 2024 Marketplace? I am only seeing the PMDG 737 for MSFS 2020 for streaming in MyLibrary and nothing except the PMDG 777 in the Marketplace. I'm in California.

It would be nice if controllers had a slider for the aircraft throttle but they don't. So how is it done?

FSIPanel is on sale till July 10. Got the Advanced version. Thank you again.

Yes! FSIPanel. Thank you.

@Stearmandriver In one of your posts, you recommended a relatively 'expensive' payware used by pilots for analyzing landing. Was it "tacview"?

Nice pictures. Thank you.

Thank you!

Ok, got it. thanks. No autoland. But what about auto-pilot --say up to the FAF or the decision height? Not sure if I understand your comment that "an autoland will be hand flown". Sounds contradictory? Why would an autoland require human intervention. Also, what do you mean by "a dual channel approach"? I don't think it means having CMD-A and CMD-b active right?. An RNP approach certification for an aircraft simply means that the software has been upgraded for that approach right? That is, an RNP approach does not require a separate hardware device that has to be installed in the 737 or biz-jet? And, is an RNP authorization for a specific aircraft, or is it for all aircraft of the type eg. all 737-800's? Does RNP require special training for all pilots?

Someone here mentioned RNP approaches. On a flight from KSAN (San Diego - Runway 27 and SIDS BRDR7) to KPSP (Palm Springs ) and using the PMDG 737 and the (RNP)Y RWY 31L approach to KPSP it seems that I have to handfly the aircraft from the TRM initial approach fix otherwise I end up missing the runway. I'm either too high or too fast. And, I don't understand why the altitude constraint at the PGY waypoint goes all the way up to FL190 (save fuel?) when the MSA at KPSP is only at 12,700 ft. I don't think there are any obstacles requiring FL190 along the flight. A few questions: 1. Are there any differences between iFly 737 Max8 and PMDG's 737-800 implementation of RNP-AR and missed approaches? 2. Is there an autoland or autopilot mode for the RNP approach in both iFly and PMDG versions? 3. How do I know if I am at the RNP approach? Is the FMA supposed to be what is shown in the picture below for the RNP approach? 4. How are missed approaches initiated? Do I press the TOGA switch again or are missed approaches completely handflown? Can I use an auto-pilot for missed approaches? 5. When doing an RNP-AR approach does that literally mean that the flight has to be formally authorized each time or simply that the aircraft has to be certified to fly the approach? In the first case, how is authorization obtained? EDIT: I understand RNP approaches are supposed to be complicated. That probably applies to the BALDI IAF which I assume has CUPOL in its waypoint (Do I have this right? --see chart below - kinda weird why BALDI is even an IAF considering there are other IAF to KPSP). I can understand why BALDI is an RNP approach. It does look difficult. But, the TRM approach doesn't look that complicated at all. Why does TRM require an RNP approach? What does THERMAL mean? Flight route. FL190 starting at waypoint PGY. Why?

I'm still new to airliners and will still need (and also find it very convenient) to use a moving map on the EFB similar to the screen cap shown below. The moving map helps me fly around. It'll also help me learn how to fly holds, missed approaches, flying in bad weather, night flying, etc. I don't know the source of the map on the EFB in the PMDG 737 (the EFB apparently has a bug in it which only show a spinning circle sometimes). I know it's not payware since I don't have a subscription to Navigraph or in other chart services. I'm hoping there's something similar for the iFly. Is there something similar in the Max8? When not flying, part of the fun is watching other planes move around the airport and seeing ground activity around the aircraft. It never ceases to amaze this newbie watching PMDG's ground services vehicles and others do their thing before taxi and take-off. Does anyone know if the iFly have similar options?

Indications are that the iFly 737 Max8 for MSFS 2020 is a worthy, and some may opine, a likely better alternative or competition to PMDG's 737s. It looks like it has details not present in PMDG versions. For example, the nosewheel steering pin simulation, better HGS simulation. and meticulously modeled cabin (eg. dynamic lighting, toilet). Both are also currently priced the same as far as I know. Questions: 1. Does it have a moving map enroute that doesn't require a monthly subscription to Navigraph? 2. Will there be a charge for upgrading to MSFS 2024? 3. How does the default sound in the iFly compare to the the PMDG 737 with Boris Soundworks? 4. Will add-ons such as FSRealistic, FSI Panel and Beyond ATC work with the iFly 737 Max? 5. Does the plug-in automatically un-install after each MSFS session? 6. Does the iFly have interchangeable cockpit instrumentation? 7. Does it or does it plan to offer variants eg. biz jetsand freighter? 8. How does ground operations features compare to PMDG?

That was it. Good catch. Thank you! I must have flown this route half a dozen times but this is the first time this issue came up which is why I never looked at this screen. Any idea why this was an issue even before taking off from the runway? What could have caused it? EDIT. So far, I've not yet used a checklist. So I guess that's probably one reason why. I must have missed something. Another lesson learned. Use a checklist.

Back to school. Can someone please suggest on why VNAV refuses to work? I tried to get it to work before taking off and after, but it still would not work. | I don't see any discontinuities. I also tried changing the altitude from 5200 to 5600 ft which is the MSA for the area but it didn't make a difference. VNAV still won't arm or activate. On a previous flight I also set it to 5200 instead of 5250 in the FMC but that didn't work either (5200 is approximately an 'exciting' 50+ feet above the highest point on the mountain). Is there a way to fix and activate VNAV enroute? See the first two pictures below. Also, what is the difference between the three altimeter options in MSFS 2020? What is the Kollsman? See the last picture. Thanks.

Good one! lol

@Christopher Low I agree! I can think of two other posts who said the same thing about how helpful these message threads are. All credit and kudos go to @Stearmandriver and @martinboehme for this message thread. All my questions were answered patiently and completely. I learned a lot (almost everything I know about flying the PMDG) since I seriously started flying a tubeliner about two weeks ago. Because of the two of them, I've been trying to find out (unsuccessfully) how to pin or bookmark this and another post below in Avsim where they also answered a LOT of questions. Is auto-landing the PMDG 737-800 on KSJC ILS 30L possible? - Page 8 - Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020/2024) - The AVSIM Community Both of them remind me of two other super helpful Avsim-ers @Bert Pieke and @ark who voluntarily just give and give their time without any expectation of being rewarded in return. They're like those Energizer batteries ad from the 1980-1990s. They just keep going and going and never give up! 😵😄 They should all get some kind of recognition from Avsim (@Bob Scott) for making Avsim what it is today.

I just read your reply. Good advice all around and not just in flight simming but also in life. 🙂 Thank you!

I think I have it figured out. Very likely an error of some sort in my part. Thanks to @pete_auau I re-did my key bind and this time used a different payware plane also, FSReborn's FSR500 and it worked. I then reloaded the 737 and that worked too. Both barometric pressures in the live weather metar and the aircraft agree. The one problem I'm still wondering about is what to do with the 5 degree offset. Given that there might be something wrong with the charts (an obstacle recorded on the chart but missing in the scenery and the data source for the Jeppessen chart might have an actual error) it's not clear if the 5 degree offset shown in the charts should be plus or minus 5 degrees ie. resulting in an approach course of 177 or 167 degrees). Since this is only a sim and an incomplete one at that (where are the pilot-controlled lighting?? 😵) and the landing will be hand flown and not flown as a precision approach, the offset info is probably inconsequential.

Thank you for your time and reply. No, I have 'b' bound to 'SET ALTIMETER'. See the picture above again. "B is Brake" is just the name of an old profile (a separate story... I didn't want to use a joystick button with my joystick which has a limited number of buttons so I created a profile and named it "B is Brake" which is just the old profile name). Sorry for the confusion.

Yes, we have the problems sorted out and knowing the problem is half the solution. In the picture below, pressing 'b' does not change the barometric pressure which is 29.92. Live weather show a different value 30.22. The 'b' shortcut is keyed or bound to 'set altimeter'. To keep it simple, I used the default Cessna 172 to take complex aircraft such as the 737 out of the picture, practically removed all add-ons in my Community folder, and spawned in KTVL (see over-arching picture below - info overload! 😄). I am running out of ideas why the 'b' shortcut does not work. The PC was rebooted, and the key, also did not work using the Cessna in a different airport (KSFO). Using the 'b' key does not change the standard temperature. I'd be interested too if there is an actual error in the Jeppesen chart. Perhaps someone has access to real-world Jeppesen charts. What do real airlines use??

Good catch! As you suggested I set the altimeter to 30.20 and the elevation came out to 6260 ft. which is the TDZE elevation in the chart. It appears that the "b" shortcut doesn't work in the PMDG 737. I wonder if that issue is isolated to me or to something else. It's a problem for another day. I have to take a break. I now know about live weather and what the problem appears to be. I can work around it at least temporarily. Happy to provide the screen shots. As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. I really appreciate your help. Thank you!

Agree. We're getting somewhere. Progress. Another valuable lesson learned. Thank you! BUT, apparently this doesn't solve the discrepancy apparently even though live weather is turned on. Pressing 'b' still results in a barometric pressure of 29.92. And live weather in MSFS is 30.20, the same one as in Simbrief. One step forward, half a step back. 😵 I'm certain live weather is on because now there's snow in the scenery. What am I missing still?? E EDIT: I re-started MSFS after activating Live Weather.

I'm trying to mentally draw a flowchart (see picture below). 🙂 I want to confirm something. I'm assuming that the data input for the metar shown on the tablet below directly comes from the flight plan generated in the Simbrief website. Is this correct? (it's showing a barometric pressure of 30.20). @Stearmandriver unfortunately I used the wrong word. I shouldn't have used the word 'calculate'. I didn't mean to mathematically calculate. Rather, I meant to reference the figures in determining the MDA in the minimums section. @martinboehme Haven't read the links yet. But will... I've also been using 'live' weather all along since I started this post. Here's the thing though... I don't know if it makes a difference... I don't subscribe to Navigraph so my AIRAC is outdated. Does this make a difference in the context of this discussion and my questions? Basic question: why are there two different barometric pressure values (30.20 vs 29.92)??

Thanks. Appreciate the info. I'll visit the links.

If the sim weather is based on real weather, the altitude for the minima will be based on real world weather. Otherwise, what's the point of checking the metars. Now since that's the case, wouldn't that be a problem since the minima altitudes on the approach chart is based on standard pressure as of the date the approach chart was created and different from real weather obtained from the metar as of the date of the flight? Put another way, in calculating the minimums, to what should the calculation of the altitude minimums be based on: 29.92 or 30.09?

Apologies. I should have provided more details. At the runway in the aircraft, pressing the 'b' gave me a barometric pressure of 29.92. Without moving the aircraft, I then checked the METAR which I downloaded from Simbrief as shown on the tablet. The barometric pressure for that was 30.09 and that gave me a different altitude (6420 ft). I am wondering why that would be different since both location and time were the same. The minimums I was referring to are the landing minima listed in the approach chart for the aircraft categories (A, B, C, D) at various speeds in precision and non-precision approaches.