FELIS 747-200F: first flight - step-by-step instructions

What you need to know before your first flight

FELIS 747-200F is not a modern airliner with FMC and an autopilot that does everything for you. This is a cargo Boeing from the late 70s: analog instruments, INS instead of GPS, a flight engineer on the back and three sets of throttles instead of two. If you have flown on a ZIBO 737 or ToLiSS, forget half of your habits. Everything is different here, and that’s the whole thrill.

Before the first start, make sure that:

• X-Plane 12 has been updated to the latest version
• addon installed in X-Plane 12/Aircraft/Heavy Metal (or any Aircraft subfolder)
• activated via your key on first launch
• X-Plane settings have enough RAM for textures (at least 8 GB of video memory is recommended)

Step 1. Preparing the route

For your first flight, take something short and familiar. Good options:

• EHAM → EDDF(Amsterdam - Frankfurt): ~45 minutes, simple SID/STAR
• KJFK → KBOS(New York - Boston): ~50 minutes, ocean approach
• UUEE → ULLI (Moscow - St. Petersburg): native spaces, minimum surprises

Load the plan into SimBrief, upload it in the format .fms or use the built-in X-Plane scheduler. The INS on the 747-200 receives coordinates manually - this is part of the process, don't be alarmed.

Step 2. Cold & Dark - cold start

Select Cold & Dark from the X-Plane menu. The cabin must be completely de-energized: all screens are dead, throttles are in IDLE, the parking brake is set.

Inclusion order:

1. Battery Switch - ON (flight engineer panel, top row)
2. Standby Power - AUTO
3. External Poweror APU - your choice

For APU:

• APU Master - ON
• APU Start - press and hold until RUN lights up
• APU Generator - ON after stabilization

The lights in the cockpit will turn on and the instruments will come to life. This is your moment of truth - the flight begins from here.

Step 3. Briefing and FMS/INS

747-200F does not have the usual FMC. Instead, there are three Inertial Navigation System (INS) blocks. Enter the coordinates of your waypoints manually:

1. INS switch - STBY → ALIGN
2. Enter the coordinates of the current position (take it from the map or sign at the gate)
3. Wait until ready (ALIGN → NAV, takes 5-10 minutes of real time, can be accelerated in the sim)
4. Enter waypoints via INS keyboard

While the INS is leveling, do the rest of the preparation. This is not a bug, this is an era.

Step 4. Starting engines

Pratt & Whitney JT9D - four pieces, launched one at a time.

Sequence for each engine:

1. Bleed Air from APU - ON
2. Engine Start Switch (required engine) - GRD
3. Wait N2 25%
4. Fuel Control Switch - RUN
5. Keep an eye on EGT - it shouldn’t go off scale
6. After stabilization of N1/N2 - Start Switch → OFF

Launch 4 → 3 → 2 → 1 or in reverse order - a classic scheme for long-range Boeings. The flight engineer (if you use an assistant) controls the parameters.

Step 5. Taxiing

Parking brake - remove. Thrust forward carefully: the 747 is heavy and will start to roll even at low revs. Taxiing speed - no higher than 20 knots on a straight line, 10 knots in turns.

Set the flaps to 10°or 20° depending on the weight and length of the runway. Stabilizer trim - according to the take-off weight map (usually 4–6 units nose up).

Step 6. Takeoff

On the runway:

1. ORES synchronously forward up to ~70% N1
2. Wait for parameters to stabilize
3. ORES in TO/GA (full takeoff thrust)
4. V1 → Vr → V2 (values are taken from the performance table or SimBrief)
5. On Vr - smoothly pull the steering wheel, pitch ~12–15°
6. Positive climb → Gear Up
7. At 1000 ft AGL - you retract the flaps in stages

The 747-200F takes off powerfully, but requires attention to pitch. If you overextend, you will lose speed; if you underextend, you will not gain altitude.

Step 7. Climb and cruise

After retracting the flaps:

• Climb Thrust (according to the EPR table, usually ~1.45–1.55)
• Speed: 250 KIAS up to 10,000 ft, then 290 KIAS / .82 Mach
• Turn on autopilot (CMD A/B), HDG SEL + IAS + ALT HLD modes

INS now guides the aircraft along waypoints. NAV/INS switch on autopilot panel - INS.

Step 8. Descent and approach

About 120 NM before the descent start point, prepare:

• Destination ATIS
• landing weight and Vref
• approach flaps: 10° → 20° → 25° → 30°

On glide path:

• launch landing gear at ~2500 ft AGL
• 30° flaps - final configuration (for FELIS you can use flaps 25 at light weight)
• Vref + 5 knots at runway threshold

Step 9. Landing

747 sits down “like an adult.” The main thing:

• don’t turn up your nose before touching - minimal flare, ~3–5° pitch up
• main stance touch first
• ORES in reverse immediately after touching
• front strut - soft, don’t drop the steering wheel
• spoilers should come out automatically (check armed on the ground)

Step 10. Release of the runway and shutdown

After the convention:

• flaps 0°
• spoilers - disarm
• APU - START → ON Bus
• taxiing to the parking lot with 2 engines is possible (idle thrust)
• parked: engines → CUTOFF (one at a time)
• Beacon → OFF
• electrics → on batt

Done. The first flight of the FELIS 747-200F is closed.

What's next

When the basic procedure has been worked out, go deeper:

• manual V-speeds via performance manual
• ETOPS planning for the transatlantic
• failures-training (engine out, hydraulic failure)
• night cargo flights - a separate atmosphere

Classic Queen reveals itself in layers. Every flight brings new details.