Flying the magenta line.

[jackpilot]

I was discussing recently with one of our "senior"builders here, and he told me he was loosing interest flying "the magenta line".
Quite understandable.

Here is a way to go around that and renew your skills
I tried it this morning on a series of short hops from Gander to Sydney (N.S.) and St John (N.B).
Rules :
Get maps and approach plates.
No CDU except to get the Take off VSpeeds and landing config.
No MCP active (FD yes)
ND display :NO map setting- limited exclusively to HSI/RMI
EFIS used only to switch from VOR to NDB

All manual flying and navigating from one navaid to the next
Take off , level off at 4000, keep speed under 250 kts, come back over the VOR, intercept an outbound radial to the next one and climb/speed  to cruise. and so on...same for approach and land. Have a coffee and prepare the next leg.

Trust me , you will find out that:
A) you are rusted and overshoot everything
B) you feel extremely good as you improve
c) you want more of it

And finish it with an arc approach !!
Boredom ...OVER!

[Joe Lavery]

Well said Jack, I did exactly that last week. Invited a friend over and we flew a trip around the south of England flying between 4 of Orbx new airfields. We went a stage further and used  the A2A 172. So only the rudimentary NAV aids available. But both agreed a brilliant night, that showed up our degraded flying skills. 
The trip flown on a different computer, not on the pit.

Joe.

[727737Nut]

Very sound point and great advice Jack, but there are some of us who want that extra sensation. 
The look and smell of old school aviation, the roots, the challenge, the excitement of a physical ADI moving, a compass card that makes whining noise as it turns to show you your position, a real bar that moves to center when you are aligned with your intended course. Much more fascinating then a 2d wannabe screen gauge. I could go on and on but I think you get the point.  MY self included fell slave to the Magenta line just like in real life, pilots suffer daily and some airlines fight it and do a great job, some don't and pay the price.   Having built  a couple of full size NG's now, there is no challenge in flying it. Yes, you could do as you said but then why build it in the first place if you don't fly it like it was intended.  You yourself said in another post, learn the AC and fly it by the book.    
So that my fellow builders is what i'm doing.  Building an old schocl jet and I will learn it inside and out and fly it like its 1999.  LOL

Rob

[jackpilot]

I worked countless hours to get my NG where it is now (see pic 1) and for the time being I do not have the energy to start again, and even less to undertake the mamoth task of intefacing all those wonderful steam gauges widely available, but I must say that ( pic 2) has an incredible appeal as it brings me home as far as flying is concerned.!!

[XOrionFE]

I love that second picture also Jack.   And for those of you wondering why I have my mip and overhead on the chopping block...now you know why.

If I am successful Jack you will of course be welcome to come out to Chicago and fly it any time.

Thanks to Rob I too have the old school bug!

Damn you Rob!

[jackpilot]

I certainly will (and pay a visit to Nick)

Actually the  bug started to bite in the early 2000 as  this was my desktop at that time.