FlySimWare LearJet 35A for MSFS2020: Full Flight Tutorial

This is a full-flight tutorial of the early release version of the FlySimWare LearJet 35A. While Autopilot functions ARE covered, please note that GPS use is NOT COVERED in this demo as only the analog VOR radial tracking method of navigation was used in this flight. In fact, anything purely navigational or otherwise not essential to aircraft systems has been trimmed for brevity. Please also take note of the additional caveats enumerated within the first section of the video. Primarily, note that no performance charts ship with the early release version, and as I do not have rights to reproduce any publications including performance data for this aircraft, users must locate performance charts on their own.
Version number used for the recording was early release version 1.0.7. As of this writing, no major changes to the functionality shown herein have occurred with subsequent updates.
The flight used in the demo is from San Diego Lindbergh Field (KSAN) to Hayward Executive (KHWD).
WARNING: during preflight, when I set the altitude alerter to our initial altitude given in our IFR clearance, I neglected to "ARM" the Altitude Select ("ALT SEL") mode. Fortunately I caught this before climbing through that altitude. But, a best practice in this aircraft is to arm that mode ANYTIME you set a new altitude in that alerter, if you intend to level off there.
I'm also aware that speed on the approach wasn't well-managed. Typically you maintain a higher speed until around a five-mile final before slowing to V-approach or V-ref.
0:00 Introduction and Caveats
4:41 Initial Cold and Dark Setup
6:18 Power-Up Begins
8:39 Fuel Configuration
11:00 Flight Route
13:24 Payload Configuration and Cabin Tour
14:35 Weather Briefing
17:47 Clearance and Departure Procedure
22:08 Power Settings and V-Speeds
26:40 Pushback and Startup
28:57 Sound Options
29:55 Startup and Sound Options Continued
32:50 Taxi-Out
34:25 Takeoff
37:41 Sound Options Revisited
37:55 Initial Climbout
38:38 Altitude Alerter and Arming ALT SEL
40:00 Climb to Cruise
40:28 NAV Mode and Radial Intercept
41:05 Mach Hold Workaround
42:46 Arrival at Cruise
45:10 Fuel Re-Balancing
45:59 Descent Planning
50:07 Fuel Re-Balancing Conclusion
50:33 Top-of-Descent Preparation
53:10 Top-of-Descent
53:49 Destination Weather Briefing
55:05 Approach Prep Part One
55:50 Descent Adjustment
58:00 Approach Prep Part Two
1:01:23 Approach Briefing Reviewed
1:02:41 Descent Monitoring
1:03:43 Arrival in Terminal Area
1:05:14 Commencing Approach
1:10:17 Landing Checks
1:12:50 Flare and Touchdown
1:14:02 Taxi-In
1:14:47 Arrival at Ramp and Shutdown
Watch live at / slantalphaadventures

[@billcox5217]

Excellent explanation of not just the Lear 35A, but IFR procedures and approaches. I’ve been simming since FS9, and learned more in this video than any other than I can think of. Also, from a former broadcaster, you have an excellent voice!

[@SlantAlphaAdventures]

Thank you on both counts! I'm a former broadcaster myself. My fifteen minutes of fame is long over!

[@yams900]

You’re my kind of guy ! I prefer flying old school radios only, on any aircraft where possible. It’s the most rewarding way of enjoying aviation, in my opinion :) Thank you for sharing, I’ve subscribed to your channel and put thumbs up 👍🏻 for this tutorial

[@SlantAlphaAdventures]

Thanks for the kind words! The live broadcasts happen on Twitch.TV -- twitch.tv/slantalphaadventures -- hope to see you!

[@BtcSimmer]

Thank you for this Tutorial! Myself as well I've been a Flight simulator enthusiast for over 2 decades! I did have a short stint in real world training few years back... it's nice to learn from fellow Flightsimmers! Thanks again! Liked & Subscribed!

[@ellisturner9618]

Picking this aircraft up soon. Excellent tutorial. Thanks.

[@stevenpeterson2752]

Great video! I fly the jet for work and enjoy flying it on the sim. Let me know if you have any questions!

[@davidsappenfield1880]

I did and that worked. I appreciate it. Thanks and this baby is fun to fly!

[@Hoggs74]

Great video and great instruction

[@Starsnu1]

Hey /A Great video. I picked up some great "nuggets" from your video for flying this excellent airplane. See ya in Vegas, baby!

[@huigsnellenburg6144]

This must be the most indepth and complete tutorial on how to fly "old school radio nav" and like "@yams900" stated in his remark; it is the only way I like to fly too. That's why I fly the DC-3 and DC-6 in MSFS, I really don't like to fly the modern A3xx's or Boeings. The only disadvantage with the DC-3 and DC-6 are the long ... long flight times if you want to get somewhere. The possibility with the LearJet 35A to navigate with just the radios in combination with speed, have changed my interpretation of "modern air-frames" I was looking for another airplane to store in my hangar, and by watching this excelent video I know now what it's going to be. Thank you. BTW; I have the Virpil T-50 CM3 throttle and base i.c.w. the Virpil Constelation Alpha stick and I'm pretty sure it can map the "barrel" And BTW: I have found my channel to watch ... ;)

[@SlantAlphaAdventures]

This video actually cuts past a lot of the flight which was purely navigational, but, hopefully there's enough left there to work it out. I agree with you on the DC-3 and DC-6 but I do a fair amount of flying those on my livestream. Here's a tip -- fly with the wind, not against it, lol!

[@huigsnellenburg6144]

I will try to convince my flight-planner and ATC to consider that too ;)@@SlantAlphaAdventures

[@musefan12345]

Awesome video and very well explained. But I can't seem to get any pitch control once I have engaged the autopilot. If I don't have IAS or VS mode selected, I should be able to control pitch with my trim, right? And if I do have VS mode engaged, how do control the pitch? Is there a hidden control somewhere?

[@SlantAlphaAdventures]

basically yes... you'll need to set one control to the standard trim, and one to the default bindings for "autopilot pitch reference up / down" or whatever it's called. it's two separate controls. with the dual switch on the Honeycomb I use the left half for manual trim and the right half for autopilot pitch. but the real airplane has what they call the "barrel" which is a combo button / knob on the yoke. it's kinda funky, but, I doubt there's any sim hardware on the market which replicates it, lol...

[@musefan12345]

@@SlantAlphaAdventures thanks for the info. I’ll give it a try later today

[@musefan12345]

@@SlantAlphaAdventures That worked perfect, thanks mate.

[@siae260tube]

Great video for a great plane. I have one difficulty though. I have a Honeycomb Bravo and I can't set the reverses and cut off on the device. I just can't. Can you help me? Thank you very much

[@SlantAlphaAdventures]

I will have to check but I believe I bound the lower detent on the left-hand throttle to press and repeat F2, with releasing the lower detent bound to send F3. I do the same thing for the PMDG 737 and the Kuro 787. It's a hack-y solution, but it seems to work.

[@jimallison117]

@siae260tube, I use this setup: Reverser 1 Lever (On Press): Throttle 1 Decrease Reverser 2 Lever (On Press): Throttle 2 Decrease Then (assuming "Arm" is selected for both reversers at the top of the panel) I can pull the levers to extend the reversers and push the levers and push the throttle forward just a bit to stow the reversers.

[@TBMPilot736]

Hey man, great video!! How do you check for updates for the Lear?

[@SlantAlphaAdventures]

Thank you for the kind words! When you purchase it, FlySimWare will send automatic email notices when updates are released.

[@TBMPilot736]

@@SlantAlphaAdventures ok, yeah, I,ve gotten a couple of those, but couldn’t find the download link 🙈🙈 to stupid 🙈

[@yams900]

Great video ! Is there anything I read up upon ?

[@SlantAlphaAdventures]

I'm not sure what you're asking, but, to reiterate -- there are no official manuals with this product yet. However, any resources you find online regarding the real-world Lear 35A should prove useful, because this version is a very faithful representation of it.

[@davidsappenfield1880]

I am having problems steering. Can you help what I am missing. It is very hard to turn and adding full power on the right and idle left and barley moves. I have no other issues with any other aircraft. I clicked on the nws button and to no avail.

[@SlantAlphaAdventures]

Referrence 32:20 in the video -- when pressing the button for nosewheel steering, make sure the green indicator on the glareshield illuminates, just as mine does. If yours doesn't, there may be a keybind interfering with the button. I'd check the FlySimWare Discord about that because I do remember there being some discussion wherein if you bind that button to a joystick input, pressing it with the mouse in the cockpit won't register. Either way -- if that green indicator is on up top, you should be good. If it isn't, that's where you need to spend your troubleshooting efforts. Best of luck.

[@MrCeklund]

Where do you get the V-speeds? Just got this aircraft an trying to learn

[@SlantAlphaAdventures]

This was specifically discussed from 0:01:42-0:03:00 in the video (and mentioned in the video description too). Until there is an actual full release with a manual and tutorials from FlySimWare, you're pretty much on your own to find performance charts. Google is your friend. Some decent resources have been posted in the FlySimWare Discord server, also.

[@arthbespa]

Hey guys, i have a Lot of difficulty taxing this plane , i cant do 90 dregrees turns or 180. Is there any thing i can do to turn better?

[@SlantAlphaAdventures]

look at the comment from one month ago which starts "I am having problems steering." the solution is in there

[@kenmercermusic]

Center column between the seats you will see a 'Steering lock' button. You can either press it or assign a button on your controllers.

[@JohnVanderbeck]

Anyone have the mentioned link to AVSim from a pilot of the lear?

[@SlantAlphaAdventures]

Yes, sorry! I should have included it! www.avsim.com/forums/topic/557412-learjet-operation-explained-from-a-rw-lear-pilots-perspective/

[@JohnVanderbeck]

@@SlantAlphaAdventures Thanks!

[@mr.futurestrader2115]

Is there a way to get the plane to load with all the covers on when you start at the gate / ramp

[@SlantAlphaAdventures]

Not presently-- or if there is, it's beyond my abilities to know how. But I think one of the things they are working toward in the full release version is "state saving" meaning it loads up in the state it was last left. Fingers crossed!

[@mr.futurestrader2115]

@@SlantAlphaAdventures indeed! Thanks!

[@SlantAlphaAdventures]

I just got back onto their Discord and found a statement from the developer that they are NOT planning to incorporate "state saving" but DO plan on incorporating a bootup option that would include the covers. There is also some conversation in there about editing the ".FLT files" to suit your taste -- but I imagine one would do so at their own risk of introducing bugs and other odd behaviors. I may or may not try this myself at some point. As it stands now, for my livestreams I simply keep a list of things I immediately switch upon booting into the plane, before starting the stream and the flight. It includes putting the covers on and throwing a few switches in the cockpit, basically.

[@SlantAlphaAdventures]

Dangit! I'm wrong again. As of version 1.1.1 a LIMITED list of state-saves HAS been added to the plane, according to the changelog. This includes fuel quantity, altimeter setting, chocks and covers, and interior tables and curtains. He says he does not plan to include any OTHER items in state saving because that can cause bugs with spawning on the runway, etcetera. So your prayer might be answered!

[@mr.futurestrader2115]

@@SlantAlphaAdventures you went above and beyond helping out a fellow simmer! Thanks my friend! I finally got the workflow down. Taking some short hops out of Miami in her today. Excited about this project!

[@indianrockstrat]

What's likely to happen if you buy this and then move on to flight simulator 2024?

[@SlantAlphaAdventures]

good question and the answer is I have no idea. might be a good question to take up directly with them on their Discord. if you do, I'd love to get a report back of what they say! link : discord.gg/FeZwg7bXRj

[@soviet_salsa2983]

what do you use to calculate V speeds?

[@SlantAlphaAdventures]

This was specifically discussed from 0:01:42-0:03:00 in the video (and mentioned in the video description too). Until there is an actual full release with a manual and tutorials from FlySimWare, you're pretty much on your own to find performance charts. Google is your friend. Some decent resources have been posted in the FlySimWare Discord server, also.

[@AvrgAvGeek01]

Will this be coming to xbox

[@SlantAlphaAdventures]

I don't know. I'm not the developer. They're called FlySimWare.