I like to hand fly the PMDG 738 until 10,000 feet AGL but have been using TO/GA.  I don't think is the way it's done so I'm checking if anyone knows.  Is it typically avoided, TO/GA at takeoff in this scenario, then autothrottle is engaged when enabling autopilot?

Hi Noel, I’m not 737 rated but have flown the bigger Boeings.

If I’m understanding your question correctly, you’d still want to be hitting toga on the start of take off as it will set the required take off thrust for you using the auto throttle, difficult to get done manually and even more so single pilot in the sim.

After take off you will get the required flight director initial pitch guidance , and after TOGA transitions ,LNAV & VNAV.

You can the take the auto throttle out if you really want to in the climb or just leave auto throttle in and hand fly with the autopilot out.

We used to leave the auto throttle in without engaging the autopilot if we wanted to fly the 747 by hand on the climb out, on the approach we would usually also disconnect the auto throttle at the same time as the autopilot as the 74 used to have a big pitch / power coupling, and you could easily find yourself in an oscillation. 
 

Ironically the 78 has no pitch power coupling, well it obviously does but the FBW takes it away, and on this aircraft we are required to leave the auto throttle in at all times.

Its probably a good idea to climb out with the auto throttle engaged as it gives you an extra layer of speed protection, but in the simulator world you can write your own procedures so completely up to you.

Edited December 18, 20223 yr by jon b

4 hours ago, jon b said:

and on this aircraft we are required to leave the auto throttle in at all times.

Boeing SOPs or company SOPs (or both)?

At my airline, hand flying with TOGA is the required way unless the AT is MELed. There’s honestly no real reason to not use TOGA if it’s available. Once VNAV automatically engages, TOGA is gone and the FMC takes care of the thrust automation.

23 minutes ago, Nixoq said:

Boeing SOPs or company SOPs (or both)?

I believe it’s company thing as the Boeing flight crew training manual mentions flight with tge auto throttle disconnected.

If it were up to me I’d prefer to fly manual approaches with the auto throttle out as I feel more connected to the aircraft and What it’s doing.

That’s why I love simulation , I can do exactly what I want where I want  😀

Which reminds me of the only simulator where apparently the most perfect pitch/power coupling is reproduced - Aerowinx PSX, exactly for the 744s jon b has flown as a captain before that 787 Airboeing / Boeinbus 🙂

I miss PSX at times.

 

Edited December 18, 20223 yr by jcomm

2 minutes ago, jcomm said:

Which reminds me of the only simulator where apparently the most perfect pitch/power coupling is reproduced - Aerowinx PSX, exactly for the 744s jon b has fown as a captain before that 787 Airboeing / Boeingus 🙂

I miss PSX at times.

 

I’m still using PSX with MSFS for scenery, with Gary Oliver’s new PSX.NET.WASM.MSFS software to link the two together. It works really, really well. Absolutely smooth and stutter free.

11 minutes ago, jcomm said:

before that 787 Airboeing / Boeingus 🙂

I miss PSX at times.

😂 It’s neither fish nor foul , as an old English saying goes !

I have a copy of PSX that Hardy kindly gifted me on an old machine, I should really look at putting it on my current sim rig and learning how to link it with MSFS.

As pre 737 FCTM, it's recommended to disconnect AT when not using AP at cruise/descend/approach, but you can use AT at manual TO/Climb

The logic is, thrust will affect pitch quite a lot on non-FBW airplane, so if you use AT when manual flying, they'll interface and make things harder.

But for TO and Climb, you normally lock to rated power anyway, so there won't be much thrust change, and the little change it needed it's actually better to let AT do it with more precise (at least for 737 before NG, without FADEC/EEC).