737 speed

[406pilot]

hi fellows..
i used to be a 406pilot cruising along at 200kts,with approach speeds sitting anywhere between 110-125 depending on a lot of factors occasionally id approach at 140kias just to get a feel of wht the 737 ground rush feels like..anyways i will be moving to the right seat of a 737 soon and was wondering how long does it take to get used to 420+ knots,any tricks of the trade would be appreciated.

ps:did some jump seat rides pretty awesome although the plane took off,but my brain was still on the ground..

406pilot

[scroggs]

The only difference between your 406 and a 737, from a pilot's point of view with reference to speed, is that the rules of thumb that you currently use to anticipate changes of vector are no longer valid, so you must learn new ones. There is no greater sensation of speed at 420kts TAS at FL350 than there is at 200kts TAS at FL100 - in fact, there is less.

The pattern you will fly when setting up for an approach will be larger, and the distances covered per minute are greater, but it's only numbers. There is no greater difficulty simply because it is faster. The first aeroplane I (and all RAF pilots of my generation) ever flew was capable of similar speeds to the 737, and had a similar approach speed etc, but it was quite docile enough for my first ever solo in an aeroplane. The 737 is more complex, but you'll get used to it soon enough. In comparison with your 406 it is more high-speed coach than sports car!

Scroggs