737NG Project …. Scope of the intended documents

Hi Simmers and Fellow Airplane lovers,   It is “O- Dark:30” and I am sitting staring at my monitor …

Regarding the Boeing 737NG manual project. That seems to be the item in question uppermost on the mind of you guys sending me e-mails. The project involves two separate books. Each one will be targeted at a separate audience; and will be my typical 400 page “technical” stuff . It will be a lot like the other books in the series. Initially, I have elected to produce the “737NG Training Syllabus” for flight simmers. This document is in the last phases of completion and some of the pages have been sent out to my proof-readers for comments. The concept for this book is to address the issues that I think might confront a Flight Simmer with little or no experience in operating the instrument suite of a modern Boeing airliner. My goal is to keep the information stream just complex enough to be challenging; but not too dense as to make the reader want quit and go surfing. In this book, there will be a complete cockpit review of ALL the instruments; with an emphasis on the “BIG 5”.  We will cover EVERY STEP of a trip segment from flight planning and simulator set-up to COLD DARK startup procedures, taxi out and fly the segment to parking, shut down, and the “secure” procedure and checklist … the whole thing. There is a section on “Diversion” , Emergency Descent”, and emergency procedures. Approaches and how to fly them will be dissected in excruciating detail. Everything that I think you might want to do or try, I will explain and show you “how to do it”. It will be slanted towards a VA (Virtual Airlines) training syllabus. While I won’t “talk down” to the Sim community, I will always try and keep in mind that the simmers have a limited exposure to the professional aviation culture, nomenclature, and dialog. This is an opportunity for these two communities to meet and blend.

Since the PMDG 737NGX and the iFly 737NG are a quantum leap forward in home PC simulation capability … it would be a real shame if we didn’t dig into the systems a little. I am using the PMDG 737NGX as the model … and the MSFX as the simulation tool-set since I think they offer the best and most popular set-up being used by simmers today. However, let me say that I am leaving the book flexible enough to accommodate any other flight simulation product that will come along … P3D, X-Plane, FS, etc. If the simulation accurately models the “real” 737 NG; then the stuff in the book will work.

Book two … yet to be completed … will be written with the professional airline pilot check-ride in mind. I have found that simmers progress rapidly, and can reach “professional” levels of understanding and capability … if they are allowed access to the information  required. I will allow the two books to compliment each other, so that a Simmer; once they have assimilated the first book will find it productive to transition to the more complex and “mature” material.  I contend that the capabilities of the MSFX and 737 NGX combine to create a toolset complete enough to train a person to airline standard. I make the claim that I can teach a kid to pass the FAA Certification simulator Check-ride just using the Home PC and these tools. Even my 7 year old grandson can  fly a 747-400 (sorta). I am planning to write these two books, so that when used together they will form a complete training syllabus for Flight simmers that will be without equal.

Happy Simming, catch you later,  Mike