Enroute Activities

[beaky]

That's a good idea, perusing the FS9pages... then there's the kneeboard web browser program; I've been thinking of trying that.
The first time I made a long flight w/autopilot, I did it in real time over a period of several days, but quickly got bored with that. I'll confess I speed up the sim now, saving the real-time experience for key parts of the trip (of course, all one has to do is speed up, and ATC calls you! ). At airliner altitudes, especially over water, especially at night, it's pretty boring. Plus, I don't have an awful lot of free time for simming...
For hand-flown trips, even pretty long ones, I tend to stick to real time, and try to do the same stuff that  I do in RL light single flights: track my position with various methods; look around, etc.

[MattNW]

If you go to sleep or whatnot how do you get around ATC switching your towers or frequencies every 10 to 20 minutes during the flight? It kicks out my flightplan if I don't stay on top of that...

Just wait until you get handed off then don't contact the next controller. When you get close to the destination and hit the ATC menu you will get the current controller without having to worry about all the handoffs in between.

[t_alexander21]

Just wait until you get handed off then don't contact the next controller. When you get close to the destination and hit the ATC menu you will get the current controller without having to worry about all the handoffs in between.

Yeah, that's fine if you are flying offline but personally I do probably 95% of my flying on VATSIM so it is a little different.

[Rocket_Bird]

I fly with online ATC as well.  And I mean, ive heard on the radio when people fall asleep, sometimes after calling a million times they do close up the flight plans!  ;D

[t_alexander21]

I don't really advocate sleeping while flying through N. America during the day when there are a decent amount of VATSIM controllers on but on a nighttime haul across the Atlanic, Pacific, or into S. America who cares? There are never any controllers on anyways.

[BFMF]

Some of you guys feel guilty about speeding time up, but not if you go sleep???

I do ALL my flying real time, next to my computer. Even my 10+ hour flights i've done were all real time, awake, and sitting at my computer.

You might think it's boring, but not if you do it right.

I rarely fly with a GPS, (Actually, I've been flying the flightsim for about a year and a half since I stopped using the gps) nor do I couple the autopilot to it. I use charts, my compass, and my nav radios to navigate. So When flying, I spend my time navigating, cross referencing my radios and my charts with my position, looking outside, also monotoring aircraft systems, power settings, fuel status, radios, ect. It keeps me busy most of the time

[beefhole]

Some of you guys feel guilty about speeding time up, but not if you go sleep???

Real pilots DO sleep on long hauls.

It's the same as not feeling guilty about using spot or ctrl+s to taxi up to the gate, because in RL there would be someone to help you do it, etc.

[t_alexander21]

^ Yeah, crews do rotate during the long ones, so it is hard for me to feel guilty...

[DC-3]

Hey! New here!:D But what I usually do during a flight, is sit back and watch some TV, occasionally surfing the web, and the occasional get up to get something to eat, etc.

[BFMF]

^ Yeah, crews do rotate during the long ones, so it is hard for me to feel guilty...

The key word is 'rotate'. There's always someone at the controlls

[t_alexander21]

^ I don't know if you do, but I don't have friends that come over to act as co-pilots...

...the point is flying long hauls is mentally and physically draining so it shouldn't be held against sim pilots if they leave the flight deck to take a snooze over the Atlantic.

[beefhole]

Hey! New here!:D But what I usually do during a flight, is sit back and watch some TV, occasionally surfing the web, and the occasional get up to get something to eat, etc.

Welcome to SimV Douglas!

Sounds like you've nailed the proper itinerary for in-cruise activities; that's exactly what I do!

[exnihilo]

I wish I could run the sim at normal speed all the time, but I'm just too busy.  I have a 5-year-old son, and lots of responsibilities around the house, and work a lot of overtime at my job.  I simply CAN'T let the sim run at real-time speed all the time or the only flying I'm able to do is touch-and-gos (which get boring after a while).  Believe me, I would love to be able to have the luxury of flying at real-time speed all the time.

[Triple_7]

Just landed a trans con a little while ago.  Paris to Miami.

Flying for the VA its always real time.  But its not required to fly online so I dont have the ATC problem.  I usualy level off and stay with things till over the Atlantic.  Depending on the time I usualy start a flight before bed or work.  The majority of my long hauls are over 9 hours.  If heading to work then I try to choose a 10+ hour flight.  Gives time to get up in the air, level off, put in 7-8 hours at work, then come home with time to spare...But there has been a couple times where something has went wrong and by the time I get home its eather crashed or on its 40th circle around the airport  Hate it when things break :-/  ::)

[JBaymore]

Another "relief crew" on a trans-oceanic flight idea is to look at the GPS as "Gerry P. Smith... the FO" who takes over while the Captian grabs a few winks .

Load your flight plan into the GPS.  File the flight IFR.  Take off following all procedures and so on.  Once established at cruising altitude and well over the ocaen....... use the ATC menu to cancel the flight plan.  

Then use the GPS to follow the next steps in the plan following the airways over the ocean.  As you wake up and get back to the cockpit, open the ATC window and get a "pop up" IFR clearance for the remainder of the flight to your destination.  You can then let "Gerry P. Smith" get some rest.

On flights from KJFK to RJAA this is what I do.  It is bad enough when I have to be on that plane for real..........  ;).


best,

.....................john