I set it to V2+20 on the MCP as part of my pre-takeoff preps.
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Do you manually spool up the engines with your throttle before you push the TOGA button?
There is a setting in the FMC that your physical throttles can override the aircraft system always, never or in Arm mode only. If it’s not set to never it could be that your throttles axis spikes and the throttle comes back for that reason.
To understand in which mode your aircraft is you need to look at the FMA (the fields above the artificial horizon within the PFD), not the MCP. You talk TO the aircraft via the MCP but it talks to you via the FMA (flight mode anounciator)
Will also try set v2+20 next flight. I have mostly used +10 because i found that as a procedure a real pilot had. Is that personal preferences or is there a standard procedure for that? I often use ref+5kts while landing. But what is the correct for that? I bet it depends on gust rate? Without gusts 5kts should be used? If gusts i increase with half gust rate factor?
Well it is a weird one, I’ve just done the exact same flight again and programmed it identically and this time there was a little white bug on the speed tape set to v2+20 and the AT flew at the white bug speed and not the 138 I had programmed in, it then accelerated away to 250 after a few seconds.
I suppose it could be the throttle levers themselves, I’ve got both a X52 joystick/throttle and the Logitech yoke/throttle both connected up so either one of them works and if you accidentally knock the one you’re not using it throws everything into chaos.
For anyone interested in go-arounds and how they are handled operationally in real life, I highly recommend a site or app like LiveATC in combination with a flight-tracking site where you can listen to comms and watch traffic at a busy airport, preferably during periods of active weather. We are having heavy rain and active thunderstorms around middle Tennessee today, so I just listened to/watched a Southwest -700 do a go-around from the ILS on runway 31 because he never got the field in sight down to minimums, which is only 200’ AGL. What makes this more significant is this is a current medical emergency with priority to land. Meanwhile the winds have shifted as the active line of weather is passing, and all the traffic is now being rotated around to the 21 runways … the controllers working a situation like this are rock stars, man.
(EDIT: Not meant directly for FormerSnail, just posting for general info for anyone interested in this stuff who, like me, doesn’t work in it full-time).
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Any chance you might be willing to enlighten us on the windshear escape maneuver? Does it differ depending on whether windshear is encountered on approach versus departure? If there is a potential for windshear do you brief the actual maneuver or just call it out as a threat? Thanks again for your willingness to share the details of real-world operations.
Keep in mind what the intention is. On departure your intention is to create the best angle to climb out and then accelerate. Flaps 5 provides that angle and tail strike protection. When you land the goal is to quickly decelerate so flaps 25/30 provides the greatest drag and disrupts the airflow. Speeds are marginally the same because at liftoff and touchdown, it’s basically the same point, speed wise.
Yes, when there’s a potential for windshear we do include a mention of the procedure during the TEM part of our briefing before descent (Threat and Error Management). We discuss the differences between predictive windshear (weather radar) and reactive windshear (EGPWS) and we review the manoeuvre.
It goes basically like this.
IN MANUAL FLIGHT
-Disengage autopilot
-Push TO/GA (AFDS enters windshear mode)
-Aggressively apply maximum thrust (levers full forward)
-Disengage auto throttle
-Roll wings level and pitch initially to 15º nose up
-Retract Speedbrakes
-Follow flight director guidance
-Do not change flaps and do not raise the landing gear until windshear is no longer a factor.
If flying a dual channel approach the autopilot/autothrottle can fly the manoeuvre automatically almost like a standard dual channel go around (unless it’s severe). Just make sure it doesn’t level off at the missed approach altitude, so roll that altitude selector up.
When the windshear is no longer a factor, revert to a standard go around (Go around Flaps 15, gear up, Positive rate, LNAV, bug up, clean up, blabla). Finish with re-engaging automatics and after take off checklist.
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It‘s a pleasure to have you in this thread, captain!
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Regarding the discussion on manually entering V2+20 in the MCP prior to take off, I’m confused. I clearly remember someone in authority (a current pilot) stating that you just enter the V2 speed and the speed automatically increases to V2+20 shortly after rotation. Did I misunderstand this? I’ve always gone with just entering V2 and my speeds increase normally, never got close to seeing stall warnings.
YES. Having RL pilots take the time to explain things to the unwashed masses really makes this forum something special.
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Well, you went and made me curious so I did a quick search through a copy of the FCTM that I found online some months ago. Here’s what Boeing said, at least as of 2005 or so (could be different today).
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Yes, that confused me too. I always set V2 on the MCP, after seeing a couple of tutorial videos by IRL 737 pilots. After take-off I just follow the flight director, bug up at acceleration point and start retracting flaps above the white airspeed bug.
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We always put V2 on the MCP. Initial rotation to 15º nose up (at a rate of 2º-2.5º per second). Once the gear is up follow flight director but try not to exceed 20º nose up even if flight director commands more.
At acceleration height you will start accelerating to UP speed while cleaning up (about 8º nose up but follow flight director). If you took of in VNAV, the bug will move to the UP speed automatically at the height specified in page TAKEOFF REF 2/2 under ACCEL HT). If you didn’t take off in VNAV, you’ll roll the bug to the UP speed yourself.
Acceleration height is 1000ft AAL during NADP2 departures and 3000ft AAL on NADP1 departures.
As the airplane accelerates retract flaps on schedule.
Passing the V2+15 mark (white bug) with positive green speed trend vector select flaps 1. Passing the green 1 mark with positive green speed trend vector, select flaps up.
Once flaps are up with no lights select or verify VNAV, set your altimeter as required and do the after take off checklist.
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Think it’s time to start looking into getting one of these, maybe the -800.
I remember when I first got interested (or more like re-interested) in flight sim when I saw the teaser trailer for MSFS. I was blown away by how far we’d come.
So I got immersed in Twitch streams (anyone remember Pilot_H?) and it was all PMDG 737. That was going to be my favourite, decision made.
Got x-plane, got the Zibo, then MSFS released. Ditched x-plane, and been here ever since.
I’ve turned out to be mainly a GA 414 guy, and also have the Fenix, but now want to reconnect with that initial feeling, that initial buzz and excitement I got when watching streams of the 737.
Wish me luck 
EDIT: One Day Later… that’s the -800 purchased, no turning back now.
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Just watched a live stream with flightdeck2sim. A 6,000hr 737 Captain. First he flew the Zibo 737 in X-Plane 12 and after that flight flew the PMDG 737. Notable negatives for the PMDG 737 is trim control is still not that great (better on Zibo). PMDG VNAV is rubbish. Auto-throttle is bad on the PMDG (dropping 10 kts below bug speed). Positives were the visuals of MSFS and PMDG overall polished systems-wise. Apart from the approach flight model behavior in the Zibo, the rest of the flight handling was better than PMDG. PMDG really need to improve Trim and sort out for once and for all the VNAV and Auto-Throttle in the 737. Especially if this is going to be used for 777 and 747 development. I thought PMDG was a lot more polished but it appears it is more eye candy.
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The A/T issue has been fixed from what it was before and it works just fine. In which ways are you talking about VNAV being rubbish? 737NGDriver is also a 737 pilot and is part of the PMDG tech team. His reviews are always straight forward and informative. Not to pick favorites but someone being on the tech team and a pilot is more believable than someone who is also a pilot but not involved in the development process, just my take.
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Apples to oranges…
These are two different sims. If the pmdg 737 can’t do correctly a few things, does not mean it is definately pmdg’s fault, it may be sim’s fault.
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Elias, when other planes such as the Fenix or the A310 can do said things without fault that indicates this is not a sim limitation. However, I do believe PMDG’s 737 are gettint better and better with every patch, I would not worry about the realism of the 777 and 747, I am sure they are going to benefit from the experience the team has acquired during this initial release.
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As George Martin so aptly puts it, “Words are wind.” And for YouTube content producers, strong words are strong winds that bring clicks, views and monetization. 
PMDG products are excellent and improving constantly. Nice 90 minute cargo ops flight from PAKT to KSEA yesterday, descending through blustery weather into the Puget Sound area. VNAV, autothrottle and manual trim during landing all worked perfectly. YMMV.
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