Any Commercial Pilots?

Question

I'm looking for two things:
How to land a 737 on Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004
and
Any good colleges in which I can study commercial aviation

Answer 1

Procedurally, with any large aircraft, you want to land on the centerline of the runway and within the touchdown. The allowable touchdown zone can vary from aircraft to aircraft. In the case of the aircraft that I fly, we can touch down anywhere from 800' to 3,000' down the runway. With most large airplanes, you set your aim point about 1,000 down the runway (which can be identified by the runway markings called the "Captain's bars"). The aimpoint can be identified in the windscreen by the fact that every single thing moves away from it (i.e., clouds, a car on the ground, etc. all move away from the aim point as the aircraft travels along). Once you enter the flare you shift your eyes down the runway. Allow the airplane to settle donw by itself. Landing softly is not the goal, landing on the centerline and in the touchdown zone are the goals.

The schools mentioned by other answerers are all very good. But also look very seriously at the University of North Dakota. They have an excellent aviation program. If you are eligible and have the aptitude, I would also strongly encourage military pilot training, either on active duty, as a reservist, or as an air national guardsman. If you contact me I can give you the lowdown on this.

Answer 2

I use an add on called 737 Pilot in Command it's more detailed but i'll try.

First you must know that just as you have a t/o speed you have a landing speed. It's called Vref, the flight managment computer will tell you what it is our if you have a printed chart you can find it. You want to get your speed by Vref say for example it is 130 knots, so you want to mantain 5 knots above Vref, so 135 Kts. To slow down don't use the spoiler it will mess up your attitude. Use the flaps and by pitching the aircraft up so slow down.

Flaps for a 737 are either 30 degrees or 40 degrees.

If you want to make your landing easier you can use the Auto-Throttle to mantain Vref +5.

Also make sure you have "armed" your speed brake, and set a setting for Auto-Brake (1 or 2 is fine)

About the flaps-they are there to increase the drag on your airplane making it easier to manuver on the approach. And so when you "flare" (pitch the nose up so you land with the main gear first) it gives a nice coushin of air to help the plane settle down nice.

So if you have Auto-Throttle disengage it when you are right of the numbers of the runway, settle it down and pitch the nose up to loose speed, remember your throttle is idle! don't move it. You might feel the coushin, just be smooth and aim for the two big blocks on the runway.

When the main gear hit the spoiler or speed brake will deploy, gently place the nose gear down and apply reverese thrust (hold down F2)

At 75 knots press F1 to release the reverse, then at 25 knots pull the speed brake down. and taxi!

Now I don't know what kind of approach you are doing, a non precision visual is the easierst but you have to be good at judging your altitude.

An intrustment landing or ILS is a bit more challenging, you have to learn how to follow the vertical and horizontal bars. But if you tun an ILS frequency in your NAV 1 and on the Auto-Pilot hit VOR/LOC to establish on the localizer which is an electronic beam that picks up that signal. and about 14 miles out it will pick the frequencey out and turn towards it verticaly. Now vertically you have to press APP and it will fly the approach.

And for the auto-throttle, dial your speed in the A/P, arm the A/T and press IAS (indicated airspeed)

Always fly into the wind!

Hope this helps

Answer 3

I believe the other commenters have answered the landing question...MFS X is coming out this fall sometime!!

I just graduated from Southern Illinois University Carbondale in the Flight and Aviation Management program. SIU is ranked among the best in country. Embry Riddle, Spartan, and University of North Dakota probably do have better equiptment but you also spend a lot more for it. SIU does consistantly keep up with those schools in competition and you spend a lot less for it. My advise, get an engineering degree, fly on the side and no employer will turn you down.

Answer 4

Can't help you with the Flight Sim, but check out these colleges:

Spartan
http://www.spartan.edu/

Embry Riddle
http://www.erau.edu/

I went to Spartan to work on aircraft, back in the 80's, and now I'm the VP Quality for a company with two major component repair centers and all sorts of commercial and military customers.

Answer 5

Well I wish I had that game.

Oh and the best colleges to study aviation is Embry Riddle, the best in the US. It's gonna cost you a lot, but it's still the best. One is located in Daytona Beach FL, and one other i beleive is in Phoenix AR.

oh and Spartan is good too, it's in Oklahoma, also one of the top ranked schools in the US.

Answer 6

Cabair, oxford aviation uk.