Sorry, the picture quality is very bad, I was not able to use a flash due to all flying being done at dusk/twilight and low visibility.
Well what can I report, well, this about sums it up:
[smiley=laugh.gif] [smiley=laugh.gif] [smiley=laugh.gif] [smiley=laugh.gif] [smiley=laugh.gif] [smiley=laugh.gif] [smiley=laugh.gif] As my dad would say, I was as happy as a dog who had found out he has two dicks and some spare time on his paws.
The day started with a normal briefing, just as it would. In fact the only difference to the whole day was we never left the ground, but that became academic. From the briefing we went to the Sim. The pilots did their normal checks, then they strapped themselves in and started the "flight". The instructor played the part of OP's, tug driver, and ATC. The flight started normally, takeoff and departure. We "flew" from Tegal to Copenhagen. Once on route, we had to avoid some weather and then we had a traffic conflict that required avoiding action. Once on approach to Copenhagen the gear was lowered and we had a main gear unlocked indication. At this point I have to say that if I had closed my eyes, I would not have known that I was in a simulator. The sound, the feeling through my feet to my inner ear was incredible. Turbulence, climb dive, it felt as it should, I would loved to have seen an external monitor of the simulator motion. I swear that you could feel sight "G" when the Sim climbed sharply for the traffic avoidance. A missed approach was the carried out and we went into a holding pattern. Then the crew went through the emergency check list and had to make their decisions just as they would normally. A manual gear extension was made but the unlocked indication was still present. A May Day was declared and we made an approach with the left main gear still up. The touch down and subsequent motion and sound made the hair on my neck stand up. I also had to hold on quite tight!
Next we went for coffee and then the standard drill list was performed. It started with engine failure before V1, and stopping on the runway , followed by an engine failure just after rotation. Again all the senses fooled the brain into thinking it was real. After that it was CAT III approaches where something went wrong each time and a go around that involved strict pattern adherence due to mountains etc. I can report that the crew sweated well during this time. They earned their money just as they would have for real and as far as they were concerned it was.
The last thing was more of experience training than anything else. It was landing with a frozen elevator. Unlikely thing to happen because you can always fall back on elevator disconnect which means each of the pilots has control over the elevator on his side of the aircraft, basically you end up with tailerons. However in this case both froze and we had to land using elevator trim tab. Well, the first two attempts we died in a spectacular ball of flames, the third go, the landing was not pretty, but we lived. Then it was my turn.
I was set for finals at about 5 miles and had to fly the needles. All was going well, and then just before touch down, the hand of god behind at the control panel gave me fog that was so thick, you could have knitted with it and I had to go around. Then another miracle, it cleared. I had to fly the pattern and then line up again. It was not pretty, but I kept my altitude and speed. I can't tell you enough about the feeling that the Sim gives you all the time. I was really working hard. I work on these aircraft daily, I know where to look for various things, reaching out for switches, levers, and well, it is not pressing a keyboard I can tell you. The approach went well, the landing, I think I did that three times before I came to a stop.
Now the big question. The pilots have both eaten the fish and now have food poisoning and can't fly, could I land the aircraft. Taking into account two things, a Simulator is not real life and I did not have the pucker factor and I know my way around a 737 cockpit and what the switches etc do, I would say there was a good chance that I could, but it would not be a pretty thing to witness and what ever was left of the aircraft after would be fit for a museum or as training aids in an aviation school. Lastly, I was/am very fortunate to have been able to do this because of my job. It cost me no more than the fuel to drive to the Sim. Ladies, gentlemen, boys and girls, save your pennies, and pay for a 30 minute session in a real simulator. As much fun as we have here with FS2000, 2004 and FSX, we are a bunch of 6 year olds and FS is our invisible friend. As real as it gets, as I have said, save the pennies and go for a 30 minute Sim session.
Matt
People Eating Tasty Animals.
