how to fly a pmdg

B747-400Advanced Operations TutorialL u f t ha ns a F l i g h t 4 5 4 : F r a nk f u r t S a n F r a nc i s c o

by Holger Seilz

PMDG 747 Advanced Operations Tutorial Basic Procedures

Training Manual Table of Contents

1.1 Basic Procedures

1.1.TOC TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.1.10 PREFACEIntroduction............................................................................................. 4Requirements......................................................................................... 7Cockpit Overview................................................................................... 8Setting Up The Simulator....................................................................... 11

1.1.15 DISPATCH OFFICEFlightplan................................................................................................ 15Weather................................................................................................. 19Alternates............................................................................................... 22Aircraft State.......................................................................................... 23Fuel Planning......................................................................................... 24Departure Planning................................................................................ 26Takeoff Data........................................................................................... 29

1.1.20 FLIGHT AND COCKPIT PREPARATIONBoarding / Exterior Inspection................................................................ 32Preliminary Cockpit Preparation............................................................. 34CM1/2 Cockpit Preparation.................................................................... 36Final Cockpit Preparation....................................................................... 49

1.1.30 ENGINE STARTINGBefore Start............................................................................................ 54Automatic Engine Start.......................................................................... 57After Start............................................................................................... 58

1.1.40 TAXI AND TAKEOFFTaxi........................................................................................................ 61Takeoff................................................................................................... 64

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Training Manual Table of Contents

1.1.50 CLIMB AND CRUISEClimb...................................................................................................... 68Cruise..................................................................................................... 74Center Pumps Off.................................................................................. 76First Step Climb..................................................................................... 78Fuel Tank To Engine.............................................................................. 79Second Step Climb................................................................................ 81

1.1.60 DESCENT AND LANDINGDescent Briefing.................................................................................... 83Descent Preparations............................................................................ 86Approach............................................................................................... 95Landing.................................................................................................. 99

1.1.70 AFTER LANDING AND PARKINGAfter Landing......................................................................................... 103Parking.................................................................................................. 105Leaving Airplane.................................................................................... 108

1.1.80 DEBRIEFINGDebriefing............................................................................................... 109Final Notes............................................................................................. 112

Copyright 2006 by Holger Seilz. All other rights reserved.This document has been created and exported to PDF with OpenOffice.org.

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Training Manual Preface

1.1 Basic Procedures1.1.10 Preface

INTRODUCTION

February 9th, 1969 - Everett, Washington, USA: The first Boeing 747-100 taxies

slowly onto the runway. It is 11:34. "N7470, cleared for takeoff, runway

16." Boeing test pilot Waddell advances the thrust levers and the newly designed

Pratt & Whitney JT9D engines wind up to takeoff power. "Eighty knots"

"Checked!" - "V1!"- "Rotate!" The largest passenger aircraft ever built is airborne

for the first time. Journalists watching the spectacle are simply overwhelmed by it's

size. The name "Jumbo Jet" is born.

More than 30 years later, the 747 has become one of the most widely recognized

transport aircraft. Everybody can identify the unique shape of a Jumbo at a single

glance. Nearly all global players in the airline industry operate a sizable fleet of 747s -

not only as the backbone of their transcontinental route system, but also as a symbol

for the success of modern air travel.

Introduced in 1988, the 747-400, or Dash 400 version marks a significant step

forward in the development of this aircraft family. With an impressive, modern two-

man cockpit, derived from the 757/767-series, a selection of powerful yet more fuel

efficient engines and subtle aerodynamic improvements such as winglets, most

airlines have upgraded their old 747 fleets to this version.

Meanwhile however, more complex and more technologically advanced airplanes

have been designed by both Boeing and Airbus. And with the rollout of the huge

A380 this year, the 747 is no longer a class of it's own. Still, the Jumbo Jet is a

benchmark by which all new competitors will be measured... for good reasons.

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ABOUT THE SIMULATION

When Precision Manuals announced the release of a high-quality 747-400 for

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004, a lot of excitement grew among the crowd of

flightsimmers, expecting a major quantum leap in aircraft design. On the release

date, August 2nd 2005, the run for the new PMDG bird was massive enough to

completely crash both the developer's website and the biggest flightsim community

site on the web - AVSIM. With such a ferocious start, one would expect an

outstanding piece of simulated aviation.

And it looks like we haven't been disappointed..

Together with recent releases from Level-D,

Dreamfleet, and a few others, the PMDG 747

marks the top 10% of add-ons, transforming a

$50 game such as Flight Simulator into a TRUE

simulation. From my point of view - and many

had a chance to prove that - someone with

flightsim proficiency will be able to operate the

real aircraft as well. Note that I don't say FLY

the real aircraft, as this would be a bold claim

and a bit of an insult to all airline pilots who had

extensive flight training and practice. But for

systems- and procedure training we now have

access to a degree of perfection which allows

desktop pilots to experience the fun and

excitement of real world operations - without

real world jet lag.

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WHY A TUTORIAL?

Having seen a lot of discussions on various forums, it is obvious that most normal

users can't handle a complex simulation such as the PMDG747 without extensive

studying of the manual. However, not all virtual pilots do this - either they don't have

the time or simply the patience for reading all the documents (I myself belong to both

groups). They start complaining about bugs and wrong behaviors which are in fact

often their own pilot errors.

That's where the need for a comprehensive tutorial arises. A tutorial is a wonderful

way of learning technical systems because it directly shows the practical

consequences of one's actions. It is a bit disappointing, however, that most tutorials

are written in a brief style and only provide you with a chain of actions without

actually giving you the story behind it. There's a lot more to flying an airplane than

just switch-flipping. So I decided to use my little knowledge and write one - based on

actual airline procedures, but written in a more fluid, hopefully readable style.

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REQUIREMENTS

In this tutorial, we're going to simulate a long-haul, transatlantic flight from Frankfurt

to San Francisco, CA. I picked this flight because it is a typical example of a 747 city

pair and has an interesting near-polar-routing to offer as well. It is one of Lufthansa's

main connections to North America, departing from Germany's busiest airport. Up to

390 passengers per day expect a safe and pleasant trip to their destination.

For you as the simulator captain, there are a few requirements for this tutorial:

You should already have a good knowledge about Flight Simulator and a basic

knowledge about flying transport-category aircraft. Ideally, you have

completed Flight Simulator's ATPL training course. As for the PMDG747, you

should know how to access different parts of the panel. Terms such as "overhead",

"primary flight display" and "mode control panel" should be no total strangers to

you. Obviously you don't need to know details about various systems.

It takes at least 12 hours to complete this flight if you want to accomplish it in real

time. Of course you wouldn't want to stare at the screen the whole time - just set

the stopwatch at takeoff and make sure you're available at the specified times

during cruise. Real pilots have their rest, too. Accomplishing the cruise phase of

this flight with time acceleration up to 4x is possible, depending on your

computer. This cuts flight time down to 4 - 5 hours.

I assume that you have a stable installation of Flight Simulator 2004 and the

PMDG 747 with Service Update 1.10 and the PMDG Lufthansa livery (both

downloadable from http://www.precisionmanuals.com/html/downloads.htm). The

new 747 Freighter upgrade is optional of course.

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COCKPIT OVERVIEW

Panel SwitcherAvailable from within the 2D-cockpit, this tool provides instant access to all functions:

Captain's PanelSchematic overview of your office. You can switch between normal and expanded-

display view by clicking the CAPT button on the panel switcher.

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Overhead Panel (above)Schematic overview of the main areas.

FMC Control Display Unit (right)Access a page by clicking the corresponding

function key, enter data into the scratchpad

using the alphanumeric keys and transfer it

into the computer by clicking the respective

Line Select Keys.

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ABOUT THIS DOCUMENT

I hope that I have kept all the instructions clear and precise. If you get stuck

somewhere, read the respective section again. Make sure you haven't overlooked

any small detail. This tutorial does NOT tell you every mouse click you have to make

(e.g. exactly when to close a certain subpanel). A bit of common sense can be

expected from any pilot, virtual or real. The layout of this document is derived from an

actual Operations Manual. All instructions in bold font, for example

Parking Brake.................................................................................................... SETwere adopted from the operations manual. No difference is made between

SETTING a knob or a lever or CHECKING it. Just make sure that the respective

condition is met. An indented explanatory text or picture is provided by me after

most items, such as this one.

Other formats include:

Imporant information or condition - tells you WHEN or WHAT to do

DISPLAY AND FMC TEXT - for in- and outputs on various instrumentsATC's or pilot's voice - for clearances, callouts, briefings etc.

[FMC Button] or [MCP Button] - points out a certain knob or switch

One very last note: This tutorial is designed as READ then DO. Especially during

high-workload phases such as takeoff and approach/landing you will be too busy to

keep pace with your aircraft if you read the section for the first time. Go through the

whole document, understand it and THEN go flying. Your job will be much easier -

but still, feel free to use the pause mode whenever necessary. Use the advantage of

a simulation...

Now it's time to begin with preflight action for our trip to sunny California.

I hope you'll enjoy the flight and get acquainted with this great aircraft!

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SETTING UP THE SIM

PMDG Load Manager................................................................................. ADJUSTThe first step is to load our virtual aircraft with passengers and cargo, utilizing the PMDG load manager tool. It can be found under Start -> Programs -> PMDG Simulations -> PMDG 747-400 Operating Manuals -> PMDG 747-400 Load Manager. You will be presented with the following screen:

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Select a "Tri-class Config" in the upper right corner for a Lufthansa seating layout. Then click "Full Pax" to make the full load of 390 virtual passengers to board our aircraft. Remove 16 of the green cargo containers as shown in the picture to bring our weight within acceptable levels. Finally, select "Kgs" as units (I hope that the American readers will accept that we're flying for a European carrier, and therefore working in metric units).

Verify a zero fuel weight of 239 005 kilograms (239 tons). This is our target ZFW for this flight, so click "Save to File" and exit the Load Manager software.

Tutorial Files................................................................................................... COPYThis tutorial came packed in a ZIP archive, also including several needed files, such as the flightplan, a saved panel state and two scenario files. Make sure you copy them to their correct locations before starting the simulator:

- DLH454.rte (the FMC flightplan) goes to:\PMDG\Flightplans

- LH454 Tutorial Flight.sav (panel state) goes to:\PMDG\747400\PanelState

- LH454 Tutorial Flight.flt and LH454 Tutorial Flight.wx go to:\Flight Simulator Files

The Flightsim folder is often located at C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Flight Simulator 9. The "My documents" folder can be accessed from the desktop.

Flight Simulator............................................................................................... LOADFire up Flight Simulator 2004 now. Make sure your startup scenario includes a Cessna or any other Microsoft default aircraft with engines running. If the "Create a Flight" screen shows the standard Cessna 172 at Seattle scenario, you can proceed. If not, click "Select a Flight" -> "Other" -> "Default Flight", check "Make this the default flight", select "Fly now" and then restart the program. This may seem a little over-cautious, but it can definitely avoid some nasty trouble with more complex add-on aircraft such as the PMDG 747.

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Flight Sim Settings..................................................................... CHECK / ADJUST- In the "General" submenu, make sure "Show cockpit tooltips is active.- Adjust the "Display" submenu as necessary for your computer to allow a smooth, stutter-free flight. Eye-candy is not everything. You should lock the Target frame rate somewhere between 20 30 FPS.- Select "Metric (altimeter in feet)" in the "International" submenu.- Adjust "Air Traffic Control" and "Traffic" as you desire. We won't use Microsoft's ATC anyway.

- For the "Realism" menu, I recommend "Current realism settings:" - "Hard", so we can enjoy PMDG's excellent flight dynamics. Make sure "Autorudder" has been selected if you don't have rudder pedals or a twistable joystick.

- Also check the "Weather" menu and adjust the slider "Rate at which weather changes over time" to "None". This is important for the purpose of this tutorial (to keep the weather predictable).

We're done here. Of course I assume that you have calibrated your joystick / yoke and all sensitivities and assignments have been set according to your preferences.

Go to the "Select a Flight" menu now and pick the category "My saved flights". "LH 454 Tutorial Flight" should appear. Click "Fly now" and wait for the scenario to be loaded.

PMDG Menu....................... CHECK / ADJUSTOnce the simulator is running, you'll find yourself in the 'cold and dark' cockpit of a Lufthansa Boeing 747-430, parked at gate B22 in Frankfurt. Select various view modes and take a look at the situation. Before we can continue, we need to open the PMDG settings menu and make a few a adjustments. Access the menu bar and select PMDG -> General -> Options.

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For this tutorial, we'd like to have the following settings enabled:

PFD - ND Menu................................................................................... SET / CHECK- Display Type: CRT- PFD - Flight Director: Pitch-Roll-Cue PFD - Optionals: Show Rising Rwy- ND - Clip Flight Plan Data, ARPT show runways longer than 6000ft

AFDS Menu......................................................................................... SET / CHECK- TO/GA Roll Mode: Wings Level- Flight Management System: Pause at Top of Descent

(Useful if some real life factors distract you from flying)IRS Menu............................................................................................. SET / CHECK

- Time required for full alignment: Real time (10 Minutes)(Shouldn't be too much of a factor for an 11 hour flight...)

Sounds Menu...................................................................................... SET / CHECK- Everything should be enabled and volume set to a convenient level

Leave Fuel unchanged. The aircraft should already be fueled. Remember, though, that the desired fuel level should always be set from this menu. Using the normal Flight Simulator tool can cause problems since PMDG completely bypassed Microsoft's fuel logic.

Various Menu...................................................................................... SET / CHECK- Weight Indicators: Weight in KGs

(Very important, otherwise our performance figures won't work)

Select OK to close the menu. Open PMDG -> General -> Display Frame Rate Tuning. Select a refresh rate that suits your system performance. Anything from 15 to 20 FPS can be considered fluent enough for precise instrument flying.

That completes software preparations. We have loaded the aircraft, created our Flight Simulator environment and set up a Lufthansa-conformal panel layout. Of course I also assume that you have not activated any sort of random or predefined failures for this flight.

Pause the sim now and read the next chapter first.

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Training Manual Dispatch Office

1.1.15 Dispatch Office

It is 8:00 in the morning on a sunny August day. We have just arrived at Lufthansa's crew center in the basement of their headquarters, 500 meters away from Terminal 1. After collecting several sheets of paper and speaking to the guys from dispatch office, we can sit down at the nearest desk and have a look at what awaits us.

First, let's review our basic flight data. We're on flight 454 today, leaving Frankfurt at 10:00 local from Terminal 1, gate B22. Arrival in San Francisco is scheduled for 12:05 pacific time, which is 11 hours and 5 minutes later. We will be passing no less than 7 time zones. Don't even think about the meaning of the word jet lag!

FLIGHTPLAN

Fresh out of the printer comes our flightplan for today:

EDDF BIBOS5N.BIBOS UZ28 SPY UL7 SUM UM125 SIDER G11 MY G3 KEF 5E72 YFB N554C YYQ J530 GTF J7 FMG.GOLDN4 KSFO

- or, in the extra long edition -Name Type Latitude Longitude Freq Airway Course Dist Mach/Alt--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------EDDF APT N050* 02'24'' E008* 34'12'' Direct or SID 0 0 0/360BIBOS Fix N050* 56'56'' E007* 12'31'' UZ28 317 75 .84/FL310DISMO Fix N051* 24'34'' E006* 45'06'' UZ28 327 33 .84/FL310NAPSI Fix N051* 51'19'' E006* 01'17'' UZ28 315 38 .84/FL310RENDI Fix N052* 03'42'' E005* 40'39'' UZ28 314 18 .84/FL310SPY VOR N052* 32'25'' E004* 51'14'' 113.30 UZ28,UL7 313 42 .84/FL310LONAM Fix N053* 50'20'' E003* 56'15'' UL7 337 85 .84/FL310VENAS Fix N054* 18'20'' E003* 39'08'' UL7 339 30 .84/FL310GOLVO Fix N054* 24'41'' E003* 35'08'' UL7 335 7 .84/FL310PELET Fix N054* 39'12'' E003* 25'52'' UL7 345 15 .84/FL310ASKAM Fix N054* 57'47'' E003* 13'50'' UL7 338 20 .84/FL310CUTEL Fix N055* 53'09'' E002* 22'28'' UL7 332 63 .84/FL310

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ODMIX Fix N056* 58'12'' E001* 28'03'' UL7 335 72 .84/FL310FORTY Fix N057* 57'00'' E000* 35'45'' UL7 335 65 .84/FL310SUM VOR N059* 52'44'' W001* 17'12'' 117.35 UL7,UM125 334 130 .84/FL310SIDER Fix N061* 00'00'' W005* 08'47'' UM125,G11 302 133 .84/FL310AB NDB N061* 23'43'' W006* 40'52'' 381.00 G11 299 50 .84/FL310MY NDB N062* 06'25'' W007* 35'16'' 337.00 G11,G3 329 50 .84/FL310LINDA Fix N062* 37'18'' W010* 00'00'' G3 296 74 .84/FL350ROSTI Fix N063* 24'23'' W014* 06'44'' G3 295 121 .84/FL350ING VOR N063* 48'11'' W016* 38'17'' 112.40 G3 291 71 .84/FL350MIKLA Fix N063* 50'54'' W017* 34'27'' G3 277 25 .84/FL350SKARD Fix N063* 56'34'' W020* 12'18'' G3 276 70 .84/FL350METIL Fix N063* 58'19'' W021* 31'34'' G3 273 35 .84/FL350KEF VOR N063* 59'13'' W022* 36'52'' 112.00 G3,5E72 272 29 .84/FL350GIMLI Fix N064* 38'24'' W026* 58'42'' 5E72 291 120 .84/FL350DA NDB N065* 34'14'' W037* 12'25'' 377.00 5E72 287 264 .84/FL350SF NDB N066* 58'03'' W050* 56'30'' 382.00 5E72 290 341 .84/FL350YFB VOR N063* 44'30'' W068* 28'24'' 117.40 5E72,N554C 254 477 .84/FL350BODRA Fix N062* 16'58'' W080* 00'00'' N554C 260 325 .84/FL350YYQ VOR N058* 44'30'' W094* 08'07'' 114.10 N554C,J530 249 467 .84/FL350YTH VOR N055* 48'40'' W097* 49'31'' 112.90 J530 216 213 .84/FL390YQD VOR N053* 58'25'' W101* 05'60'' 113.60 J530 227 158 .84/FL390YOUNG Fix N051* 51'18'' W105* 06'24'' J530 230 193 .84/FL390YYN VOR N050* 17'50'' W107* 41'27'' 117.40 J530 227 135 .84/FL390GGRBI Fix N049* 00'00'' W109* 27'29'' J530 222 104 .84/FL390GTF VOR N047* 26'60'' W111* 24'44'' 115.10 J530,J7 221 121 .84/FL390LKT VOR N045* 01'17'' W114* 05'03'' 113.50 J7 218 183 .84/FL390BOI VOR N043* 33'10'' W116* 11'32'' 113.30 J7 226 126 .84/FL390 REO VOR N042* 35'26'' W117* 52'05'' 112.50 J7 232 93 .84/FL390GASSI Fix N040* 34'18'' W119* 04'06'' J7 205 133 .84/FL390FMG VOR N039* 31'53'' W119* 39'22'' 117.90 J7 204 68 .84/FL390KSFO APT N037* 37'06'' W122* 21'31'' Direct or STAR 229 171 0/10-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------AIRAC Cycle used : 0506Number of waypoints : 43Total distance : 5043nm

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To get the big picture, let's take a look at a north-atlantic area planning chart first. Dispatch has already plotted two lines on the map. The white arc represents the direct great circle route, which would result in minimum distance and flight time (assuming rather unrealistic zero-wind conditions). To take geographical, meteorologic and ATC restrictions into account, we will fly along the green track line, representing our filed flightplan on the high-altitude airway system. As you can see, the difference is relatively marginal on this route.

Now let's take a closer look at the route. The first waypoint is some 80 miles northwest of the airport. Using a standard instrument departure or SID, the initial climb takes us along the scenic part of the Rhine valley, passing Cologne. We should have reached our cruising altitude when we fly over the Netherlands. The route then takes us out on the North Sea and along the eastern coast of England and Scotland. We fly between Orkney and Shetland islands and turn to a more westerly heading to reach Iceland. We then head for the mountains and glaciers of Greenland, where we will touch the polar circle at 67 north latitude over Sondrestrom Fjord. The second half of the flight takes us down to Canada, passing Baffin Island and Hudson Bay before overflying the plains of Saskatchewan. We enter U.S. airspace over the Rocky Mountains via Montana and Idaho.

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Roughly 10 hours after takeoff we'll get busy with arrival preparations somewhere over Idaho or Nevada. California welcomes us over Lake Tahoe, where we will begin our standard arrival route (STAR), leading us south to San Francisco international airport along the beautiful Pacific coast. Our main alternate airport is Oakland, just a hop over the bay.

Also note the total distance of slightly more than 5000 nautical miles or 9000 kilometers. Our available cruise altitudes on a westbound course are 31000, 35000 and 39000 feet, adhering to standard ICAO rules. (We're ignoring RVSM and special NAT RVSM rules for this flight, for more on this mildly exciting subject, consult appropriate documents.) Since our takeoff weight will be quite heavy today, we sill climb to 31000 initially and then commence gentle 4000 feet step-climbs whenever the aircraft is light enough.

Last thing to review here is the Cost Index (CI), which is important for FMC performance calculations, and ultimately, the effective cost of this flight for the operator. We'll use the standard value of 70 here (Author's note: the actual way to determine CI adjustments is beyond my knowledge and subject to intensive discussions on various forums. But let's not get too pedantic here). During cruise, we'll input a "company speed" of Mach .84 anyway, so this figure only affects climb and descent.

Believe me, due to the nice and sunny weather, you could enjoy some breathtaking views on this great route... if you were not that busy with guiding a Boeing 747 through the air!

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WEATHER

Next item on our table is another huge sheet of paper, called significant weather (or SIG WX) chart. Normally you would find all sorts of more or less nasty phenomena listed here, such as thunderstorms, turbulence areas, jetsreams and weather fronts. Phenomena that would make us reconsider the routing. Much to our surprise though, there's nothing of consequence on it, so we - and more importantly the passengers - can expect a smooth ride. Stable high pressure areas along the way.

Above is an example for a SIG WX chart (NOT VALID FOR TODAY'S FLIGHT). A flightsimmer's valuable

source for current charts is the U.S. Air Force's excellent public weather website at

https://afweather.afwa.af.mil/met/met_home.html

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Having checked that, we should take a look at the high altitude wind forecast chart. Since we're traveling so far north for a trip to the U.S. west coast, we don't have to deal with the usual strong Atlantic jetstreams in the opposing direction. Good for us, because these winds affect flight time and fuel requirements significantly.

Dispatch office would have had a look at each single wind vector along our route and then compute an average wind component. In this case we have set up Flight Simulator to give us 330 degrees with 20 knots. In other words: An average 15 knots of headwind all the way from Frankfurt to San Francisco. 15 knots is a rough estimation, because only one half of the route will expose us to direct headwind. The wind component will primarily aid us in fuel planning.

This is a typical high altitude wind forecast chart for Europe (AGAIN: NOT VALID FOR OUR FLIGHT). These

can also be obtained from the previously mentioned U.S. Air Force public weather site.

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Now that we have the big picture, we should take a look at departure and destination weather. For that purpose we consult METARs (Meteorological Aviation Routine Weather Reports) as a representation of the current weather and TAFs (Terminal Area Forecasts) as a look into the future. METARs are issued for every major airfield and are usually updated every 30 minutes or so. Here is our current METAR string for Frankfurt airport:

EDDF 070620Z 27005KT CAVOK 20/11 Q1018 NOSIG

Or in a decoded form:

EDDF - Frankfurt's ICAO code.070620z - Report issued on the 7th at 6:20 zulu-time, equating 8:20 local. 27005KT - Wind direction 270 at 5 knots.CAVOK - Ceiling And Visibility OK - clear blue skies in other words. 20/11 - Temperature 20 Celsius, dewpoint 11 -> relative humidity ~ 50%.Q1018 - Altimeter setting (QNH) 1018 hPa.NOSIG - No significant changes expected.

Looks like a great day for flying! Temperature and pressure are well within performance limits and the winds are almost negligible. The TAF for San Francisco indicates that we can expect similar weather over there on the Pacific coast. But we'll check that once we're airborne and closer to our destination. What we can say for sure now, is that Frankfurt has it's parallel runways 25 left and right active for takeoff and landing operations. As mentioned above, we'll join a standard instrument departure that vectors us in a wide southerly turn around the noise sensitive areas directly west of the airport.

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ALTERNATES

The Boeing 747 as a four engine airplane is well suited for flying long distances over remote terrain (and obviously, it doesn't get much more remote than the polar region). Most systems are four-times redundant and should we loose an engine, we still have 75% of the total thrust left. So why do we need to worry about enroute alternate airports? Imagine two simple scenarios:

1) - more likely - A passenger gets sick and needs immediate medical attention. Of course we could ignore it and continue to our destination, but that would lead to some very bad headlines in the newspapers the next day...

2) - less likely - We suddenly detect a cabin pressurization problem and have to descend to 10000 feet or even lower. Fuel burn increases massively and we're no longer able to reach San Francisco. But... are we able to return to Frankfurt? Uh-oh, very poor planning, captain! And again, bad headlines...

So, in short: We're always prepared for the worst, which in this case means, we have selected five enroute alternate airports. As the map reveals, they're either directly on the planned track or in close distance:

EGPH - Edinburgh, ScotlandBIKF - Keflavik, IcelandBGSF - Sondrestrom Fjord, GreenlandCYYQ - Churchill, CanadaKGTF - Great Falls, USA

We make sure that the weather looks fine with a perfectly clear sky and slight westerly wind on all these places. We would also check NOTAMs for each alternate. It would not be a very funny experience to find out that one of those airports is out of service -- after you've landed there, of course. "This explains why there's no fire brigade here, taking care of my burning engine." Headlines, Captain, headlines...

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We already know that our primary destination alternate will be KOAK - Oakland, which is only 10 miles away from KSFO. In case we need to divert further for weather or other reasons, KSMF Sacramento, 75 miles away, would be the next best choice. We'll include the alternate that is further away in our fuel planning. If the weather conditions were really bad for the whole northern California area, we would even consider Los Angeles or Las Vegas as an alternate. Fortunately, not today!

AIRCRAFT STATE

We've also received aircraft-specific information. Our type rating qualifies us for a 747-400, but now we know specifically that it's going to be D-ABVA -- Victor Alpha, named after the capital city of Berlin. "D-" indicates the plane is registered in Germany, "A" is for all aircraft over 20 tons max. takeoff weight (we'll exceed that slightly...) , "B" is the Lufthansa code for a Boeing aircraft and "VA" is the actual identifier.

Nice to know, but here's some more vital data: We'll take a total of 390 passengers (the full load) and 12 cabin crew members on our trip to California. That gives us a Zero Fuel Weight (ZFW) of 239 tons. We anticipate that our required fuel today will be somewhere around 130 tons, leading to a Gross Weight (GW) of 370 tons, not too far away from the Maximum Takeoff Weight (MTOW) of 394,6 tons.

Then we also need to check the aircraft's open maintenance items that can affect our flight, found in the technical logbook. Assuming that our simulated airrcraft has been treated with a full overhaul lately, there's nothing that could catch our attention. However, normally you would find any "handicap items" such as non-working instruments or cabin equipment here. We would then have to consult a book called Minimum Equipment List or MEL, aiding us in our decision whether we can safely fly or not and what operational restrictions we could expect.

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FUEL PLANNING

Fuel planning should be done very carefully on every flight, but on ultra-longhaul polar routes like this, improper fuel planning can lead to a disaster. Does that sound dramatic enough? On the other hand, taking too much reserve fuel is not a very good idea either, since we want to keep our total weight as far from maximum as possible for performance reasons. It's a balancing act. Because the whole topic is covered very well in the PMDG 747-400 operating manual, section 2, we'll go through it rather quickly:

The first figure we need is our actual Zero Fuel Weight (ZFW), obtained from the loadsheet (or the PMDG Load Manager in this case...). We then work our way "backwards" from destination to departure. We add the legally required minimum fuel level (MIN), which includes a last safety margin for unforeseen enroute fuel burn changes (wind changes etc.). Next we add the fuel necessary to reach our farthest alternate airport (ALT). Then we include contingency fuel (CNT), sufficient for 45 minutes of holding patterns at low altitude. Once we have added taxi fuel (TX2) for our destination we can draw a line and have a look at the outcome. This figure is our Landing Weight (LW), should everything work as planned. Now we have to add the biggest chunk, the actual fuel required to get us from A to B or from EDDF to KSFO in this case. We can't simply use flight plan distance for this calculation due to the fact that we have a 15 knots headwind component, lengthening our route by some 200 miles. Using the formula

FLIGHTPLAN DISTANCE + (TIME ENROUTE * WIND COMPONENT)

we can obtain our Nautical Air Miles (NAMs). We then look up the required fuel on a chart in the aircraft performance manual, giving us the final enroute figure (ENR). Having added this, we can obtain our Takeoff Weight (TOW). One last thing to include in the planning is departure taxi fuel (TX1), depending on the traffic volume of the airport. With all these things added, we can see our Gross Weight (GW). If we now ... subtract (you didn't expect this, eh?) the Zero Fuel Weight again, we'll get our required Fuel On Board (FOB) at long last.

Below is a more systematical approach to this:

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FUEL LOAD SCHEMATICB747-400 D-ABVADLH454 EDDF-KSFO

ZFW 239 000 kgs



DEPARTURE PLANNING

Already having looked at the flight plan itself, the next step is to review the departure routing. We start on the ground with our estimated taxi clearance. Quite easy for Frankfurt: After pushback from gate B22 we'll move out via GOLF to the outer taxiway ALPHA, leading us to the easternmost holding position DELTA for runway 25 right, where we'll wait for takeoff clearance.

The runway itself is 4000 meters long and 60 meters wide, giving us sufficient stopping distances. The calibrated heading is 251 degrees, threshold altitude is 370 feet. We'll use these figures to quickly check our instruments once aligned with the runway. In other words: Just before setting takeoff thrust, we want to see a compass heading of 251 and an altimeter readout of about 370 feet.

As already mentioned, we'll be departing via the BIBOS FIVE NOVEMBER SID, taking us around the densely populated Rhine-Main area cities for noise and traffic separation reasons. Here is the complete procedure in a textual form:

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OK captain, we'll do things a bit differently here. This particular SID might not be part of the Flight Management Computer's database, which means that we'll have to feed the computers manually. This is not a simple straight-out departure. We will however make full use of the million-dollar glass cockpit navigation equipment that can provide us with unprecedented situational awareness, if we set it up correctly. But first let's go through the procedure step by step:

After rotation we climb straight ahead for some 30 seconds until we're 4.5 miles away from the FFM radio beacon. At exactly 4.5, we turn LEFT to a heading of 185 degrees (continuing our climb, of course). We follow heading 185 for another minute or so until we intercept radial 223 of the FFM beacon. Once intercepted, we turn RIGHT to follow this radial on heading 223. From that point on, the autoflight director's "LNAV" mode will take over, guiding us through the rest of the SID. Autopilot can also be engaged there, if you desire to do so.

At 14 miles distance from FFM, we turn right again, this time intercepting RID radial 302 until 16 miles away from this VOR station. We then continue using the predifined waypoints MASIR, RAVKI, DITAM, ABAXA and eventually BIBOS, where we should have reached a comfortable altitude of at least 25000 feet before entering the airway system in our flightplan.

Talking about altitudes, our minimum safe altitude for this sector is 4300 feet. We should NOT level off below this altitude for any reason. This keeps us away from the Taunus mountains north of the airport. Transition altitude (the point where we switch from local altimeter setting to standard setting) is 5000 feet, as usual for Germany. Our first level-off can be expected at 7000 feet. We should then receive clearance to climb to our initial cruise altitude of 31000 feet.

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And that completes our departure. Here's the appropriate chart:

The second half of the procedure briefing (for the actual arrival at SFO) will be conducted airborne, usually half an hour before descent phase is initiated. This allows us to reassess the weather situation over there and include possible changes in our briefing. Should nothing unexpected happen, it is very likely that ATC will assign us the "Golden Gate" arrival route for a visual or ILS approach onto one of the westbound runways.

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TAKEOFF DATA

Departure time is getting closer and closer, but we have to discuss one more point: takeoff and initial climb performance. The hotter it is, the more the aircraft weighs and the less runway you have available, the more critical becomes proper performance calculation. Since we're quite heavy today, we should have a good look at some charts and tables to determine our critical speeds. Again, these procedures are covered intensively in the PMDG operating manual (chapter 01), so we'll go directly to practical application.

Let's sort out some basics first: With a weight of 370 tons, it makes sense to use Flaps 20 for takeoff, especially because we don't have to worry about terrain or obstacle clearance (Behind the westbound runways is just a lot of wood, some small villages and a chemical fabrication plant. ... Uh, disregard the last one) Generally speaking, a flap-setting of 20 degrees shortens your takeoff roll, but also reduces your initial climb performance due to the increased drag. Vice-versa with Flaps 10.

Apart from flaps we also have to discuss the use of air conditioning packs. Performance-wise it is recommended to switch one or two of them off for takeoff, since you loose a small amount of thrust due to bleed air extraction from the engines. But for the sake of workload reduction and keeping in mind that we only have to climb over that fabrication plant, we'll leave them on. One less item for you to take care of during the critical phase after takeoff.

Additionally we'll discuss whether or not we can use reduced thrust for takeoff. Airline standard procedures dictate the use of reduced thrust, quote, "whenever possible" to increase engine life and reduce fuel burn (and also to stop the aircraft from performing like a Saturn V rocket at light weights). We have two methods to decrease the power output on these General Electric CF6 engines. Method 1 uses a "fixed derate" of 5% or 15% for both takeoff and climb thrust. This is quick and dirty, but precise enough for most purposes. Due to our weight, a 5% derate would be the only reasonable choice. A similar derate can also applied to climb thrust, but will be removed once we have reached 15000 feet.

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The 2nd method is more complicated and utilizes an "assumed temperature", making the engine "think" that it's hotter out there than it actually is, thus reducing the maximum power setting. OK, it's rather the Electronic Engine Control that thinks for us than the engine itself... But we still have to feed the FMC with a temperature figure. Now, every airline has very sophisticated means of determining the appropriate assumed temperature, using huge tables with customized data for every single runway they operate from. But again, let's not be pedantic and just use the fixed derate method.

The altitude at which we reduce from takeoff to climb power will be 1500 feet above ground level. Simultaneously we'll lower the nose a bit (as commanded by the flight director system) to gain speed and retract the flaps step by step. 1500 / 1500 for these two altitudes is the standard Lufthansa procedure for Germany, already including noise abatement rules. 3000 / 1000 would result in a better initial performance but also in some angry phone calls from the residents below...

Finally we'll take a look at the "Flaps 20 - 5% Derated Thrust" chart in the PMDG operating manual (chapter 1, page 7) to determine our takeoff speeds. For 370 tons, the decision speed is 151 kts, rotation should begin at 165 kts with a target pitch attitude of 13, and the safe climb speed is 176 kts. Looks like we'll eat up a good portion of the runway!

Phew, that very much completes the preflight briefing for today's flight to San Francisco. It is now almost 09:00 and we should head out for the aircraft. A crew bus will bring us to the Terminal. While getting there, let's summarize what we have collected by now:

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BASIC FLIGHT DATA - Flight: DLH 454 FRA -> SFO - Departure: 10:00 (0800z) - Arrival: 12:05 (1905z) - Estimated time enroute: 11:05

FLIGHTPLAN - Routing: checked - Distance: 5000nm - Flight levels: 310, 350, 390 - Cost index: 70

WEATHER - Sig WX: nothing reported - Turbulence: none reported - Winds: average component 320/10 - METAR: W270/05, CAVOK, 20, QNH 1018

ALTERNATES - Enroute: EGPH, BIKF, BGSF, CYYQ, KGTF - Destination: KOAK, KSMF

AIRCRAFT - Registration: D-ABVA - Model: 747-430 - Passengers: 390 - ZFW: 239 tons - MTOW: 394,6 tons

FUEL PLANNING - FOB: 133 tons - TOW: 371 tons - LW: 259 tons

DEPARTURE - Runway: 25R, 4000m - SID: BIBOS 5N - Procedure: 4.5DME FFM / LEFT TURN HDG 185 - FFM 223/14 - RID

302/16 - MASIR - RAVKI - DITAM -

ABAXA - BIBOS

- MSA: 4300' - Transition: 5000' - 1st leveloff: 7000'

TAKEOFF DATA - Flaps: 20 - Packs: On - Thrust: 5% derate (TO-1, CLB-1) - Red./Acc. Alt: 1500/1500 - V1, Vr, V2: 151, 165, 176 - Target Pitch: 13

MAINTENANCE LOG - no handicap items

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Training Manual Flightdeck Preparation

1.1 Basic Procedures

1.1.20 Flight and Cockpit Preparation

BOARDING THE AIRCRAFT

About half an hour before before the first passengers board the aircraft, we're on our way across the apron to receive our 747-400, D-ABVA and begin with preflight preparations. We've already teamed up with the cabin crew and briefed them about route, weather and any special aspects to consider. Under the observation of a ramp agent, the aircraft is being loaded with everything it swallows: baggage, catering and fuel primarily.

While the flight attendants are already busy with preparing the cabin, we're occupying our front office to begin waking the aircraft up from sleep.

And here comes the point where you should switch back to Flight Simulator with my cold-and-dark situation paused. Make sure the simulator time is round about 9:20 local. This should give us more than enough time to go through all the procedures. Let's try to be punctual, the passengers will love it!

One last simulator note: I recommend using the 2D panels for setting up the aircraft. For that purpose, keep the small panel switcher visible all the times - you will need it! The virtual cockpit provides a better overview for all the wide-spread switches and gauges, but it can be hard to reach and identify them properly (unless you use Active Camera or TrackIR, of course).

OK, unpause the sim now - let's get busy!

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EXTERIOR SAFETY INSPECTION

You can use outside view for a virtual "walkaround" if you desire. Keep the limited abilities of Flight Simulator in mind if you can't find the wheel chocks... The following safety items need to be checked first:

Wheel Chocks........................................................................................... IN PLACELanding Gear Doors..................................................................................... CHECKFlight Control Surface Areas........................................................................ CLEAR

Check the following components for visual wear and damage:- engine in-/outlets and struts- nose gear wheels and tires- main gear wheels and tires- pitot tubes and static ports

A general overlook of the aircraft's parking position is helpful to determine safety aspects such as:

- danger of foreign object damage at parking position- obstructions within initial taxi areas- progress of fueling and loading

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COCKPIT SAFETY INSPECTION

Now let's take our seat in 2D cockpit view. Rather dark and quiet in here. But before we can establish additional electrical power, the following cockpit safety items must be performed on the overhead and main panel:

Battery Switch (Overhead)............................................................... ONThe cover should already be raised, so left-click the button and verify OFF

light extinguished. You have now powered the hot battery bus.Standby Power Selector (Overhead)........................................... AUTO

Brings the main displays and alert systems to life.Hydraulic DEMAND Pump Selectors (4 of them, Overhead)........ OFF

To make sure that no hydraulic system is currently powered, thus avoiding inadvertend movement of the control surfaces.

The following items can be found on the main panel:

Alternate Flaps Selector................................................................. OFFLanding Gear Lever.................................................................... DOWNFlap Position Indication and Flap Lever.................................. AGREE

Flap lever on the throttle console in the "up" position, flap position indicator on the EICAS screen up as well or not visible at all.

PRELIMINARY COCKPIT PREPARATION

Having checked that our office is in normal condition, we can now move on and set things up for the flight. Even with the most powerful battery, we need to find an alternate source for the electrics. For that purpose, open the overhead panel again.

Electrical Power.................................................................................... ESTABLISHAC and DC power as well as bleed air for conditioning and engine start can be supplied from the auxiliary power unit (APU) in the back of the aircraft. To bring this compact turbine online, all we need to do is:

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APU Selector........................................................................... START, then ONThe switch is spring-loaded, so right-click on it two times and then let go. This initiates the automatic startup procedure. PFD & ND will go blank monentarily. Just be patient for 40 seconds until startup is completed. Then:

- Notice APU Generator 1 and 2 AVAIL lights illuminated.- Push the switches one at a time with a little delay to prevent

gearbox damage.- Check ON light illuminates.

The APU is now supplying the main electrical bus and the battery is being recharged. You can also hear thecockpit cooling fans working now.

On the real aircraft we would now check circuit breakers and maintenance switches located on the upper overhead. Since this is irrelevant for a simulation, we can skip it. More vital for your home cockpit are the following items, hopefully found under every avid flightsimmer's desk. Your family will love it!

Emergency Equipment................................................................................. CHECKCheck following equipment is in place:

- Fire extinguisher - verify bottle pressure in green band- Smoke hood- Flashlight- Crash axe- Live vests- Emergency exit devices - stowed- Crew rest compartment - seat belt and live vest at each bunk

Ships Papers................................................................................................ CHECKCheck all relevant documents and navigation charts are on board (Our airline would provide us with chart packages, covering airspace and airports along the entire route). On our flight today, this is assured by using the tutorial in front of your nose!

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COCKPIT PREPARATION

As you might notice, the following items are completed in systematical flow on the various panels. Start at the top and work your way down the leftmost column. Proceed with the column to the right. And so on...

OVERHEAD PANEL

Elec Eng Control Mode Switches................................................................. NORMVerify no ALTN lights visible. This clever electronic control prevents us from melting the engines by applying too much thrust.

IRS Mode Selectors....................................................................... OFF, THEN NAVRight-click on each selector once. This spools up and aligns the precision laser gyroscopes for inertial navigation. This process takes up to 10 minutes, depending on current latitude.

Electrical Panel.................................................................................................. SETUtility Power Switches..................................................................................... ONGenerator Control Switches (GEN CONT)...................................................... ON

Check all switches in the "on"-position, verify OFF and DRIVE lights illuminated. The generators will come online once the engines are running.

Hydraulic Panel.................................................................................................. SETDemand Pumps......................................... OFFEngine Pumps............................................. ON

Normally, the engine pumps remain on all the time. They will also kick in automatically once the engines are started. For now,verify SYS FAULT (which is not actually a failure at this stage) and PRESS lights are illuminated.

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First column completed, let's move to the next one. On the upper left corner of the center column you should find a tiny round switch with a white circle:

Fire/Overheat Test.................................................................................. PERFORMFire/Overheat Test switch.......................................................................... PUSH

The whole test takes only a few seconds, but try to observe the following:- Fire bell sounds- (Overhead) Engine fire switches (4) illuminate- (Overhead) APU fire switch illuminates- (Overhead) Cargo fire FWD and AFT lights illuminate- (Throttle console) Fuel control switch fire lights (4) illuminate- (Main panel) Master warning light illuminates- (Main panel) EICAS warning message FIRE TEST IN PROGRESS and several seconds later FIRE TEST PASS displayed.

This is our life insurance in case of an engine fire, so we check the system prior to each flight... Now back to the overhead panel:

Emergency Lights Switch.......................................................................... ARMEDIt is the guarded switch labeled with OFF, ARMED and ON located on the center top of the overhead. When ARMED, close the guard with a right click.

Fire Control Panel....................................................................................... CHECKEngine Fire Switches....................................................................................... INBTL A DISCH and BTL B DISCH lights.................................... EXTINGUISHEDAPU BTL DISCH light............................................................... EXTINGUISHEDCargo Fire DISCH light............................................................. EXTINGUISHEDCargo Fire ARMED Switches....................................................................... OFF

Verify FWD, AFT lights extinguished.

All fire extinguisher agent bottles are full and ready to use. There are two bottles for each engine and one for the APU.

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Engine Start Panel............................................................................................ SETStart Switches.......................................................... IN, LIGHT EXTINGUISHEDStandby Ignition Selector (STBY)............................................................. NORMContinuous Ignition Switch (CON)................................................................ OFFAuto Ignition Selector (AUTO)................................................................ SINGLEAutostart Switch............................................................................................. ON

This is a normal configuration for the engine start panel. STBY and AUTO ignition switches would only be used in case of abnormalities.

Fuel Jettison Panel............................................................................................ SETFuel Jettison Control Selector.............................................. OFFFuel Jettison Nozzle Valve Switches................................... OFF

Obviously it's undesirable to jettison fuel while standing onthe ground. Check VALVE lights are not visible.

Fuel Panel........................................................................................................... SETAll Fuel Pump Switches................................................................................. OFF

- Check main 2 aft pump PRESS light extinguished if APU is running.

The APU is currently using this pump to feed itself.- Check override (OVRD) 2 and 3 and stabilizer (STAB) pump PRESS lights extinguished.

Anti-Ice Panel..................................................................................................... SETNacelle Anti-Ice Switches.............................................................................. OFFWing Anti-Ice Switch..................................................................................... OFF

Even in freezing conditions, the earliest point to switchthem on would be after engine start. Note: Actually wewould switch to the "AUTO" position here, which is a customer option, not (yet?) simulated in the PMDG747.

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Windshield Protection Panel............................................................................ SETWindow Heat Switches.................................................................................. ON

Heating the flight deck windows makes them more resistant to impact damage at high altitude and ensures forward visibility in all weather conditions.

Move on to the last column on the right side.

Passenger Oxygen Switch.......................................................... GUARD CLOSED

Yaw Damper Switches....................................................................................... ONINOP light remain illuminated if the IRS gyroscopes are still being aligned. Yaw dampers compensate unwanted lateral motion and apply sufficient rudder for coordinated turns once the aircraft is airborne.

Pressurization Panel......................................................................................... SETOutflow Valves............................................................................. VERIFY OPEN

Check needles pointing to the top (OP). The cabin is not pressurized yet, so full airflow through these valves isdesired. They will progressively closewhile pressurizing.

Landing Altitude Switch.............................................................................. AUTOManual Left and Right Switches................................................................... OFFAuto Select Switch.................................................................................... NORM

ECS (Air Conditioning) Panel........................................................................... SETPassenger Temperature Selector...................... AUTO

Keeps the temperature at a pleasant 22C.Flight Deck Temperature Selector..................... AUTOTrim Air Switch....................................................... ON

Provides more effective cooling / heating.UPR/LWR Recirculation Fan Switches................... ON

Provides better airflow in the cabin.Zone SYS FAULT light.............................................................. EXTINGUISHED

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Aft Cargo Heat Switch................................................................................... OFFEquipment Cooling Selector...................................................................... NORMHigh Flow Switch........................................................................................... OFF

Bleed Air Panel.................................................................................................. SETPack RST Switch SYS FAULT light........................................... EXTINGUISHEDPack Control Selectors.............................................................................. NORM

Right-click all three pack selectors to put them in the "NORM" position.From now on, air conditioning is working.

Left and Right Isolation Valve Switches......... ONVerify VALVE lights extinguished andtwo white bars visible.

APU Bleed Air Switch..................................... ONProvides airflow to the air conditioning packs.

Engine Bleed Air Switches............................. ON

We've almost covered the entire overhead panel now. Except the bottom row:

Exterior Lights.................................................................................. AS REQUIREDWe'll switch on NAV (-igation) and LOGO lights for now.

That completes the overhead preparation. We have verified the correct operation of electrics, hydraulics, engine start and fire protection, fuel system, air conditioning and pressurization.

GLARESHIELD PANEL

EFIS Control Panel.................................................. SET- Check HPA scale is active on the upper right knob and set the local pressure of 1018 (right-clicks on the selector knob), using the readout on the lower right corner of the primary flight display.- Verify lower left knob (CTR) is in MAP mode- Verify lower right knob (TFC) set to 10 mile scale- Select VOR L and R switches UP (left click)

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AFDS Mode Control Panel................................................................................ SETFlight Director Switch...................................................................................... ON

Normally remains on until after landing.Autothrottle Arm Switch................................................................................. OFF

To prevent inadvertent thrust application on ramp and taxiway.Bank Limit Selector..................................................................................... AUTOHeading......................................................................................................... SET

Normally we would set our departure runway heading of 251 here, but keeping in mind our SID, we'll dial in 185 for the initial left turn.

Altitude.......................................................................................................... SETSet to the first leveloff / restriction altitude during departure. We'll dial in 7000 feet.

AP Disengage Bar........................................................................................... UPThe white block must be in the up position, or we won't be able to engage the autopilot.

CONTROL DISPLAY UNIT

Flight Management System........................................................ CHECK AND SETINIT REF - IDENT page.......................................................................... CHECK

Open the CDU display and select "FMC" in the menu. Press [CLR] to remove any messages in the scratchpad. You should be presented with the IDENT page. Possible software errors can be detected here by verifying basic data: - Model

747-400 At least we're sitting in the right aircraft...- Engines

General Electrics CF6-80C2B5 Yes, we are pedantic here...- Active NAV Data Base

Verify current AIRAC loaded. 0506 was used for this tutorial.

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- Drag / Fuel Flow Factor+0.0 for both figures. No external addons fitted which would case drag.

- Select POS INIT >

INIT REF - POS INIT page............................................................ CHECK / SET- Verify GPS POS. This should be the most accurate method to feed the inertial navigation system with our current position. And indeed, the figures represent our exact

coordinates on gate B22. Click the button on the right side and transfer the GPS coordinates into the blank SET IRS POS field below. You may have to do this twice if the ENTER IRS POS message appears again. Clear the new message first (CLR key), then copy it again.- Note UTC(GPS) time. Can be considered accurate.- Select ROUTE >

RTE 1 page................................................................................... CHECK / SET- Enter EDDF for Frankfurt in the ORIGN field.- Enter KSFO for San Francisco in the DEST field.- Enter DLH454 in the FLT NO. field.

"DLH" means Deutsche Lufthansa and is our airline identifier.- Enter DLH454 in the CO ROUTE field as well.This should automatically load our flightplan if you have copied the .rte file supplied with this tutorial. Using the NEXT PAGE key 5 times, check the loaded flightplan against our hardcopy. You may notice that some departure waypoints for the "BIBOS 5N" SID have already been inserted.- Verify 25R automatically appeared in the RUNWAY field.- Select ACTIVATE >- Press the [EXEC] key.

This takes a few seconds. Don't worry - you haven't crashed the FMC computer. Keep in mind that this box works with the average speed of a 486 / 33 MHz processor.

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We have now executed the modifications and and created an active flightplan, which enables us to use LNAV for lateral guidance along the route. Since we'd also like to have vertical guidance (VNAV), we need to tell the FMC some basic performance figures. To do so,

- Select PERF INIT >

PERF INIT page............................................................................................ SET- Skip the ZFW field for now and enter 3.5 in the RESERVES field.

This figure equals our alternate fuel of 3,5 tons. A warning will be triggered once we reach that level, which would be the very last sign for us to land as soon as possible.

- Enter 70 in the COST INDEX field. As described during preflight briefing, this is the standard value for a LH747.- Enter 31000 in the CRZ ALT field. This tells the FMC our initial cruise

altitude. It will automatically compute 4000 feet ICAO step climbs for us.- Select NAV RAD page using the button on the keypad.

NAV RADIO page........................................................................................ SETWe'll now set up navigation aids for our departure. Time to recapitulate procedure briefing... After the initial left turn we're supposed to follow FFM VOR, radial 223 outbound.- Enter FFM in the VOR L field. It will automatically insert the right frequency. - Enter 223 in the CRS field below.

This should draw a line on the navigation display, which will help us following the radial.

Then follows a right turn to intercept RID VOR, radial 302.- Enter RID in the VOR R field.- Enter 302 in the CRS field below.

You should see the useful results on the navigation display. But how do we easily determine the point to commence the initial left turn at 4.5 miles from FFM? We'll use a little bit of electronic help for that.- Press the FIX button on the keypad.- Enter FFM in the FIX field. Unfortunately, there are two stations called FFM on this navigational

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database. Select the appropriate one (114.20 is the correct freq).- Enter /4.5 (with the leading slash) in the RAD/DIS field.

Take a look at the nav display again. Can you see what we're up to? Entering this station as a FIX (which is essentially just an electronic map reference point) together with a distance figure created a circle with 4.5 miles radius.

Advanced geometry continues: as soon as our airplane symbol (the top of the white triangle) will reach this circle, we'll press the heading select knob on the glareshield and follow heading 185 until intersecting the other green line (representing FFM/223 radial). At that point we can engage LNAV which guides us through the rest of the SID using the predefined waypoints.

Smart, huh? Well, by fully using your electronic navigation equipment, you can crack the most complicated procedure nowadays.

Two more things to be done on the FMC for now: Press the VNAV button.

VNAV CLB Page........................................................................... CHECK / SET- Verify SPD/TRANS field shows 250/10000.

Unfortunately we won't be able to comply with the 250 knots below 10000 rule due to our heavy gross weight. VNAV will however select the lowest appropriate climb speed (Vref + 100 knots) below 10000 feet, which is about 270 knots today.

- Enter 5000 in the TRANS ALT field.18000 feet is the standard barometric transition altitude in the United States, but we need the local setting for departure.

LEGS Page.................................................................................. CHECK / SET- Press the LEGS button. You should be presented with a list of waypoints with their respective speed and altitude predictions. Any constraints for departure could be entered here as well (speed limits, minimum altitudes etc.). LEGS is essentially just an elongated version of the ROUTE page, listing every single waypoint.

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Currently, the route goes directly from runway 25R to the first waypoint (FFM01).Since we want to intercept it at a predefined heading (radial 223 outbound FFM) we can specify an intercept course to make life a bit easier for us. To do so:

- Click the line select key to the left of FFM01 two times- INTC CRS field appears on the lower right of the screen. Enter 223 into the scratchpad and transfer it to the course prompt.- Notice that a dashed track line appears on the navigation display. Press [EXEC] to activate these changes. The new track line turns magenta.

FMC setup is almost complete, we'll come back once more in a few minutes.

MAIN INSTRUMENT PANEL

Chronometer (CHR button on panel switcher)............................................ SETIt should show current simulator time in GMT. (Local minus 2 hours for Frankfurt)It might be prudent to leave the clock visible until takeoff to keep aware of the timing.

CRT Display Select Panel (Main panel)............................................................ SETInboard CRT Selector.................................................. NORMLower CRT Selector..................................................... NORM

Primary Flight Display................................ CHECK- Verify no warning flags displayed- "NO V SPD" is displayedFlight Mode Annunciation....................... CHECK

- Verify authtrottle mode blank- Verify roll mode TO/GA- Verify pitch mode TO/GA- Verify autoflight status is FD

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Track (TRK)................................................................................................. MAGThis ensures magnetic reference is used instead of geographic "true north".

Altimeter.................................................................. CHECK FIELD ELEVATIONIndication should be round about 370 feet.

Navigation Display............................. CHECK- Verify no warning flags displayed.- Compare heading with primary compass (on PFD) and standby compass (top right corner / main panel). Should read ~ 109 MAG (magnetic).

CENTER INSTRUMENT PANEL

EICAS Control Panel.......................................................................................... SETEIU Selector.................................................................. AUTOHeading Reference Switch........................................... NORMFMC Master Switch.........................,.............................. LEFT

Standby Instruments.................................................. CHECKVerify attitude indicator shows wings level, airspeed indicator reads zero. Set standby altimeter to 1018 mb local pressure using the knob.

Secondary EICAS Display........................................................ SET Open "EICAS" subpanel on the panel switcher and press theHYD button on the selector panel (right side of the glareshield).

Hydraulic Quantity..................................... RF NOT DISPLAYEDHydraulic oil quantity (QTY) below the displayed synoptic should read more than 0.9 for all engines. Otherwise RF for refill would be displayed. Handicap item!

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THROTTLE CONSOLE(Also accessed via panel switcher, THR button)

Speedbrake Lever........................ DOWNParking Brake.................................. SET

The gray lever on the lower left side should be up, together with flight simulator's parking brake message visible on screen.

Reverse Thrust Levers............... DOWNThe four small handles above the actual throttle should be stowed.

Throttles................................... CLOSEDConfirm by physically retarding thrust control on your flight yoke / joystick, if you use one. If not, just press [F1].

Fuel Control Switches............................................................................... CUTOFFVerify all four switches are in the lower cutoff position to prevent fuel feed.

Stabilizer Trim Cutout Switches.............................................. GUARDS CLOSEDStabilizer Trim OFF flag.................................................................... NOT VISIBLE

CENTER PEDESTAL / COMMUNICATIONS PANEL(COM button on the panel switcher)

Radio Tuning Panels......................................................................................... SETNormally VHF L is used for ATC communications. We would now preselect our ground and tower frequencies, but for today, this tutorial will provide you with ATC...

Audio Panel........................................................................................................ SETNothing important to do here for us. If you want to hear approach beacons, push APP knob and move selector to the MKR position (right-clicks).

Rev 28 MAY 2006 (C)2006, H. SeilzB747-400




Autobrakes Selector......................................................................................... RTOSet to RTO position, which stands for rejected takeoff and means that the brakes will automatically kick in with maximum power if we close the throttles during takeoff run.

Passenger Signs................................................................................................. ONBoth No Smoking and Seatbelt Signs selectors to ON. All Lufthansa long-haul flights are designated non-smoking.

Transponder Panel............................................................................................ SETControl Selector................................................................ TEST

Check that TCAS indications appear on PFD and ND. You should also hear a callout "TCAS system test OK"

Control Selector................................................................ STBY We would also set a transponder code assigned by ATC now.

As you may notice, we have now worked our way through all relevant panel areas. Although the sheer mass of items to be checked may seem a little overwhelming at first, there's a clear and logical pattern, a so-called flow behind it. After the 3rd or 4th

time, you will no longer have to think about which button is next.

Oh, and don't think we're done yet!

Rev 28 MAY 2006 (C)2006, H. SeilzB747-400




FINAL COCKPIT PREPARATION

Status Messages........................................................................................ REVIEWBring up the EICAS subpanel again and check the STAT page for any white status messages. No items should be there. Leave EICAS visible, but shift your attention to the main engine screen and press the CANC button on the control panel until all yellow caution items have been canceled. They are not relevant before engine start. You should now see the following white status messages:- APU RUNNING- PARK BRAKE SET- PASS SIGNS ON- AUTOBRAKES RTO

Fuel Quantity................................................................................................ CHECKTOTAL FUEL (lower right of the screen) should read between 133.4 and 132.9 tons, depending on APU fuel burn. Check quantity in agreement with ordered flightplan fuel.

Fuel Panel.......................................................................................................... SETBack to the overhead panel again. It's time to set up the fuel system for engine start. Fur that purpose, the following 14 fuel pumps must be switched on (check all PRESS lights extinguish after selection):

MAIN + OVRD 1, 2, 3, 4 FWD and AFT pumps............................................. ONThe main pumps for the outer wing tanks remain on all the time.

CTR L and R pumps...................................................................................... ONCenter tank pumps remain on as long as there is fuel in the center tank. They are two times more powerful than the other pumps so that center fuelwill be burned first. Once this tank is empty, we'll switch them off.

Fuel X-Feed 1, 2, 3, 4.................................................................................... ONCrossfeed valves ensure fuel distribution from the central manifold to all engines. This is the right configuration for full or nearly full tanks.

Rev 28 MAY 2006 (C)2006, H. SeilzB747-400




Also be prepared to switch STAB L and R stabilizer pumps on when required. This will be indicated by an EICAS caution message. A bit more on fuel management and different configurations once we're airborne.

Close the overhead, and let's do our first checklist!

COCKPIT CHECKLIST

Gear Pins................................................................................................ REMOVEDPitot / Static............................................................................................. CHECKED

These two items refer to the exterior inspection.Oxygen.................................................................................................... CHECKED

Not possible in this simulation.Altimeters................................................................................................ ____, ____

- Captain announces barometric setting and altitude.- F/O announces barometric setting and altitude to verify correct setting and indication "1018, 370 feet." "1018, 370 feet - set and crosschecked."

Autobrakes................................................................................. AUTOBRAKE RTORead EICAS display memo message.

Fuel....................................................................................................... _____ TONSRead EICAS display indication (lower right)

Fuel Control................................................................................................ CUTOFFPassenger Signs.......................................................................... PASS SIGNS ON

Read EICAS memo message.

A general note: Checklists are not do-lists. They are used to verify only the most essential items after a certain phase of cockpit action is complete.

Cockpit checklist complete. Let's finish FMC performance calculations by entering final takeoff data, such as our zero fuel weight. This is done as shortly before departure as possible, b

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