Flying a 777 Cockpit Simulator

	TooMuch Opinion
	Flying a 777 Cockpit Simulator *by Peter Stark* The opportunity was too good to miss! A quick trip to Perth was to give me a chance to catch up with the world famous Flightsim novel author Bill Smith, and it would allow me to try out Capt. Dean's B777 simulator! I had asked Bill to speak to Dean about a flight some weeks before. I thought it was important that I ask Bill before he had a chance to read my December Pirep, in which he had a major role. :) Bill had earlier warned me to make sure I got practice at flying manual departures & approaches so that I wouldn't make a total fool of myself. I had downloaded a JAL B777 & practiced a little so I was reasonably familiar with these big birds. I don't usually fly one & it did take a bit of getting used to. We arrived at Dean's house & he wasted no time in showing me the airport charts & briefed me on the construction of the simulator - so that I didn't break anything! He has had one heavy-handed simmer (whose first name begins with B & ends with L) that broke his flap select lever by not raising it over the indents first! Bill accompanied us to the simulator room because he wanted to see our first reaction. WOW! The room was full of computers in racks, a mirror (part of the visual display set-up), air-conditioning ducting & about 600km of wiring! We (my 12 year old son accompanied me & was to sit in the jump seat) entered the cockpit & were immediately struck by the impressive overhead panel, console & main panel. It was to be a cold, dark scenario with the start-up procedure to take about 20 minutes. I took my start-up place in the left hand seat with Dean in the right hand to act as co-pilot & call out the checklists. Bill retired to the kitchen as it was a bit cramped & the air-conditioning not meant for 4 bodies on a warm summers evening. Firstly we started up the APU & got the airpacks running - this actually starts the air conditioning into the cockpit! We then proceeded through the checklists as I tried to become familiar with the layout of the panels. Dean uses a small laser pointer to indicate the location of troublesome buttons & switches, other wise we would still be there now! We had no problems in setting up the radios, pushing back & starting up. I was grateful for all those hours I spent learning the voluminous B767 PIC manuals. Even though the cockpit layout was different, Dean was happy for me to use many B767 procedures with which I was already familiar. We obtained out clearances (read my January PIREP to see where we went). Dean uses FS2004 as the main platform so I was at least familiar with the ATC. Dean has disabled the aircraft crew voices so that while we hear ATC talking to us, the simulator doesn't reply like it does in FS2002/4. We actually have to reply as if we were really talking to ATC on the radio. Now I don't know about you, but that bit was just a little too far left of field for me, so I left it to Dean! We needed about 45% N1 to get moving & I found the rudder pedals & brakes (CH pro I think) very 'spongy' & difficult to get the hang of. In the end I kept about 45-50% N1 & used differential engine power to turn & we got to the end of the runway without running off the taxiway. My son gave directions using the airport chart & the taxi clearance we received from ATC (Dean refuses to use Progressive Taxi). We obtained our takeoff clearance, lined up & opened the throttles. We rotated at 150 knots & the 777 slipped gently into the air. It was very docile during the early climb as we cleaned up & tried to hear the ATC vectors over the air-conditioning. Once established on climb, I had a chance to become a bit more familiar with the HSI controls & realised that they were almost identical to the B767, & so I navigated by VOR. I flew the 777 manually all the way to our cruise altitude, having to make some rather large heading changes to allow for the 90 knot crosswind! (Real Weather of course.) When Dean said how well I was doing my head nearly swelled so much we had to evacuate the cockpit! (It was deflated later on in the flight!) Just as we got to our cruise altitude, Bill arrived at the back of the cockpit with coffee! Wow - this sim is very realistic! I suggested to Dean that he fit a Steward Call button to the sim that rings a bell in the kitchen! I engaged the autothrottles & autopilot, but still continued to navigate manually using the VOR's/HSI.

	Our cruise time was to be about an hour, so in between navigating, we discussed flight simming - naturally, & took some pictures. I don't think they will really be able to convey the atmosphere in the cockpit though. The glow of the instruments & panels were very realistic & it wasn't difficult to imagine yourself in a real jet cockpit. The visuals out the front windscreen gave us a view of the coastline & the cumulus cloud that dotted our flight path. Before too long we were cleared to start our descent. I kept the autopilot on so I could review the approach. Even though the cloud cover was down to 3000 feet, the haze would ensure we would be required to do an ILS approach. As we were vectored onto a long base leg to intercept the ILS, I confidently switched off the autopilot & autothrottles. We discussed some of the procedures & completed some checklists as we were cleared to 1200 feet! I may look stupid but there was no way I was going to take a B777 down to 1200 feet in haze without an autopilot, so I leveled off around 2000 feet for the final vectors to the ILS. Bill had been lurking in the back of the cockpit for some time now - waiting for the inevitable disaster! He was certainly smirking now that since disengaging the autopilot my speed & attitude control was 'loose'! I turned onto the intercept heading for the ILS, trying to keep just above 2000 feet until I could intercept the glideslope. I didn't realise it until it was too late, but I was slowly turning left so that my intercept heading was being eroded. I had now intercepted the glideslope & so started a shallow descent. I was so preoccupied keeping up with ATC & maintaining my descent, that I didn't realise the problem with my heading until I was quite close in. Still flying manually in decreasing visibility, I made a large change in my heading to intercept the localiser. Now B777's don't turn in a real hurry & so by the time the localiser became active & I turned back to track it - I had overshot the localiser path. It was all becoming a blur when the runway VASIS lights became visible through the gloom. I went visual but didn't react quickly enough when the sim started to descend below the glideslope. By the time I put on power & was regaining the approach path I was drifting off the centreline due to the 16-knot crosswind. Aghh!! Despite Dean's calls of "Go round!!” I persisted & was perfectly happy to put it down next to the runway - besides my bladder was bursting! His protests got louder (Dean takes this all very seriously) so I pushed the throttles forward & executed a missed approach! As soon as we were vectored away from the airport I re-engaged the autopilot & autothrottles so I could get some circulation back into my hands! A decision was made (by Dean & Bill) that I should maybe make a coupled approach this time. The fuel state was getting low, Dean looked a little pale & Bill smug. Ok then, I'll do a coupled approach. I suggested using 'time accelerate' to hurry things along a little… Dean pointed to the cockpit door! Mmm, he really does take this seriously! The second approach went a little better. At least we intercepted the ILS smoothly & at about 500 feet I disengaged the autopilot & autothrottles again. Immediately we started getting under the glideslope, then above it, then below it, then to the left, then to the right, the speed a bit high, then a bit low.... (You get the idea). A sense of deja vous? By the time I cut the throttles we were a little high & a bit to the right. I persisted, as it was a very long runway. I finally touched down on the runway & after a brief battle with the crosswind engaged the reversers (I just couldn't get the hang of those rudder pedals!). The autobrakes slowed us quickly & I was able to take a high-speed taxiway at about 35 knots. It was now getting late, Dean paler then ever, my bladder fuller than ever (what did Bill put in that coffee?) so we quickly taxied to the nearest available parking bay & started the shutdown procedure. Phew! What a hoot! It was certainly different to flying on a PC. It was my first experience at flying with a CH Pro pedals/column & I guess it would be nice to have a bit more 'tactile' response. Maybe some bigger springs would do it! I loved the cockpit management side of it & the navigation using the HSI plan view. The most challenging bit by far was the slow speed handling during the approach. Maybe it is easier with better visibility, but in haze & gloom it was very difficult. Maybe one day Bill & I can do a leg together - now that would be something to write about! Peter Stark January 2004 wizard@toomuchfs.com Thanks Bill for arranging the visit! I am sure he will be scrutinising this story to make any necessary corrections!! Thanks to Amy for feeding my family (Bill, please tell her we went via Kongs & have stocked up on a shopping trolley full of vermicelli, mock chicken, fermented mustard greens etc.!) Discuss this commentary in Flight Talk