Where to begin if all i want is to fly a Boeing Airliner-class plane?

Okay I'm absolutely inexperienced. Installed FSX about 3 days back. If I start the tutorial missions, it places me on an ultralight and asks me to follow waypoints and stuff- but all I want to do is to learn to fly a Boeing airliner-class plane, perhaps the 747 that came free with FSX.

The game is installed and is working fine (on a GeForce GTX 850M/ i7 5500u), but I cannot really fly it like it's meant to fly- when I'm flying it, it feels like a game, not realistic. I want to fly it like this guy here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPFG9ir5Umw&t=1814s

How do I learn to fly like him? And what "view" is that? My 747 doesn't allow that view (in "cockpit" mode) and the overhead panel doesn't look realistic like in this video. Plus most of the buttons don't work. He's using that Flight Computer to plan routes and stuff, but my 747 isn't allowing me to click on anything on that panel- instead I have to "plan" the flight before the simulation starts, using the "Free Flight" route planner before I click on "Fly"- not realistic at all...

How do you learn to fly? I strongly suggest that you start by following the tutorial. Flying is a complex skill, even in the sim, and it takes a lot of time and experience to fly well, so you'll need patience and perseverance to work your way into it. The FAA requires a real world student to have a minimum of 40 hours of flight training, much of it with the instructor on board, plus a number of hours of ground school, just to get a private license, which doesn't get into the complexities of larger aircraft, nor into the skills of flying by instruments and much else. Granted that you don't need all of that to fly whatever you want in the sim, but even there it's not something you learn in an hour, or even ten hours.

So in the smaller aircraft is a good way to start, if for no other reason than that the airliners are much faster, heavier, and more complex, and things happen much more quickly yet that extra weight causes the aircraft to not respond quite as quickly, and the need to operate so many different systems can get in the way of learning to fly, so you'll progress much faster in a simpler, lighter aircraft.

Besides the tutorial, I'd suggest you look below at the Real Aviation Tutorials & FAQs section of the forum, under Basic Aircraft Control, Maneuvers, and Takeoff and Landing, which will explain much of what you want to know and even offers simple exercises you can do yourself in something like the Cessna to help yourself progress.

All that being said, if you don't want to really learn what you're doing, you're welcome to play around with the sim to your heart's content, and be frustrated with a lot of things along the way.

Good luck.

Qualitywings 757, I think about 25 bucks.

Except the OP wants to fly a 747. Have you checked out PMDG's prices lately? The video showed "How" he wants to fly, not "What" he wants to fly. I agree with Larry. Start out with the Tutorials, Missions, and go from there.

Hi mistghilf,

If you would like a Boeing 757 nearly like the quality and functionality of the QualityWings 757, there is a JustFlight 757 Jetliner- Freemium here at this link: https://www.justflight.com/product/757-jetliner-freemium (Freeware from JustFlight).

Of course the Livery packs are payware (Noted on the linked page) but you should be able to make your decision based on the Freeware (Freemium 757) Note also it has a working FMC just like the QualityWings version. The view cycles are pretty much the same.

The things that will be missing are the cabin announcements, background chatter and Ground Services. These are likely part of another payware addon that the video maker is using.

Be aware that the more complex the cockpit and detail of an aircraft the more work and learning you will need to get your skills around. If I was just starting out with heavies, the Default Boeing 737 is a great level to start. Trust me, there is plenty to learn when handling the default Boeing 737, when you think you've mastered or at least become reasonably familiar with the cockpit and instruments and how she flies your ready for something a little more advanced. Watching a YT video may give the impression that it is easy to fly a large jetliner (even virtually), but they are complex machines. The simmer in the video has probably clocked up some serious hours making his quick settings and procedures look seamless to the watcher, it may be an end to end video but it may also have some edited bloopers left out of the sequence. (They say practice makes perfect)

The 757 Jetliner Freemium is a nicely detailed aircraft which should keep you busy for a little while.

It's the "Introduction to Jets" Flying a CRJ-700 from Glasgow to Aberdeen, Scotland. Try that one and put some lead in your pencil!;)

"Yeah, Baby!" :rolleyes:

Rick :cool:

Okay I'm absolutely inexperienced. Installed FSX about 3 days back. If I start the tutorial missions, it places me on an ultralight and asks me to follow waypoints and stuff- but all I want to do is to learn to fly a Boeing airliner-class plane, perhaps the 747 that came free with FSX.

 

The game is installed and is working fine (on a GeForce GTX 850M/ i7 5500u), but I cannot really fly it like it's meant to fly- when I'm flying it, it feels like a game, not realistic. I want to fly it like this guy here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPFG9ir5Umw&t=1814s

 

How do I learn to fly like him? And what "view" is that? My 747 doesn't allow that view (in "cockpit" mode) and the overhead panel doesn't look realistic like in this video. Plus most of the buttons don't work. He's using that Flight Computer to plan routes and stuff, but my 747 isn't allowing me to click on anything on that panel- instead I have to "plan" the flight before the simulation starts, using the "Free Flight" route planner before I click on "Fly"- not realistic at all...

No shortcuts, but you can do it quite quickly thanks to the integrated Learning Center in FSX.

Each step explains things you NEED to know, so don't be in rush to complete the piston-engine basics and go straight to the jets. There are even videos by actual instructors adapted to the specifics of the sim aircraft.

I have seen the Learning Center used to get a student to advanced aircraft from scratch in little more than three weeks - but they were helped by real instructors and pilots.

Except the OP wants to fly a 747. Have you checked out PMDG's prices lately? The video showed "How" he wants to fly, not "What" he wants to fly. I agree with Larry. Start out with the Tutorials, Missions, and go from there.

I was just pointing out that the plane in the video was the QW757.

This guy is using lots of 'auto' flying using FMC and auto pilot plus SIDS/STARS (waypoints) and of course air traffic control on a relatively short/low level flight. Not too hard to learn. Flight plan, weather, ATC, etc. He went over his CHECK LIST the night before ('..put lead in your pencil..') and took notes, etc. If you flew this flight using what he is using you could repeat the flight until you got it down pat, learning as you go. That will take weeks not days of practice. And as far as flying skills is concerned - there are no shortcuts- you have to practice, practice, practice. That simple.

This guy is a good (payware ac) pilot but he could NOT make a decent landing of a P-51 Mustang to save his life. (He even made a video where this was 'deomonstrated' - hehe). Learn what to do, what not to do, and when to do it and you are all set. At first you might even crash the Trike or the Cessna. No bigge - we all did THAT (don't let them fool you). Just keep at it. Soon you will be flying 'in style'.

Chuck B

Napamule