Before a 737 type rating course begins, a clear systems map can make the difference between memorizing panel positions and understanding the airplane. The 737 NG integrates flight controls, hydraulics, electrical power, pneumatics, and navigation into systems that must be understood together. You will apply that understanding when you work through failures and abnormal procedures in the simulator.
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A 737 systems overview connects each major system to its operational purpose. Hydraulic pressure moves the primary flight controls. Electrical sources power and distribute aircraft functions. Bleed air supports conditioning and engine start. The FMS combines navigation and performance data for flight guidance. Reviewing those relationships before arrival gives type rating students a stronger foundation for ground school and Level D simulator work.
At LVFA, this preparation supports focused training in Level D Boeing 737-800 Full Flight Simulators. Start with the control system, where pilot inputs, hydraulic power, and aerodynamic surfaces meet.
How the 737 Flight Control System Works
The 737 NG flight control system connects pilot inputs, aerodynamic surfaces, hydraulic power, and feedback mechanisms into one coordinated control system. The primary flight controls include two elevators, two ailerons, one rudder, and eight flight spoilers. Hydraulic systems A and B provide the force needed to move these surfaces through Power Control Units (PCUs). These PCUs convert control commands into surface movement, so the pilot does not move the flight surfaces directly.
System A supplies the primary hydraulic power for the flight controls, while system B supports secondary loads and provides redundancy. The systems can also be interconnected, which is important when studying how the aircraft retains control capability across different failure scenarios. For students preparing for a 737 type rating, the key is to understand the relationship between the surface, the PCU, and the hydraulic source rather than memorizing isolated component names.
What each flight control surface contributes
- Elevators: The two elevators control pitch about the lateral axis. The elevator feel and centering unit helps provide realistic control-column forces. It calculates those forces using inputs that include pitot pressure, hydraulic system status, horizontal stabilizer position, and the elevator feel shift module.
- Ailerons: The two ailerons provide primary roll control. Their movement changes lift between the left and right wings, allowing the aircraft to bank.
- Rudder: The single rudder provides yaw control and supports directional control. It is also one of the surfaces supported by the standby hydraulic system when backup power is required.
- Flight spoilers: The eight spoilers act as secondary flight controls. They can assist roll control, increase the descent rate, and improve ground braking by disrupting lift after touchdown.
The spoilers are especially useful because the same general surface can support several phases of operation. In flight, selected spoiler panels can supplement aileron input or increase drag during a descent. On the ground, spoiler deployment reduces lift, transfers more weight to the wheels, and supports braking performance. This makes spoiler logic a practical systems-training topic, not just a component description.
At higher speed, Mach Trim contributes to longitudinal stability. Above Mach 0.615, the system adjusts elevator position relative to the horizontal stabilizer. That relationship matters because pitch control is not independent of aircraft speed or stabilizer position. A type rating student should be able to describe why Mach Trim changes the elevator relationship. What information the system depends on, and how the resulting control forces are represented to the pilot.
In simulator preparation, trace each control input through the surface, PCU, hydraulic source, and associated feedback or trim function. That systems view makes flight-control indications easier to interpret when practicing abnormal procedures and helps connect cockpit actions to the aircraft response.
How Do the 737 Hydraulic Systems A, B, and Standby Work?
Hydraulics are central to the 737 flight control architecture because they convert cockpit control inputs into the force needed to move the aerodynamic surfaces. Systems A and B provide power to the Power Control Units (PCUs) that actuate the flight controls. The two systems can be interconnected when the operating configuration requires it. This arrangement gives the aircraft multiple ways to preserve useful control authority after a component, pump, or system problem. The system description from the 737 aircraft systems reference is a useful pre-training study source, but type rating students must learn how those relationships appear on the actual aircraft panels and indications.
In normal operation, hydraulic system A provides primary power to the flight controls, while system B supports secondary loads and adds redundancy. The distinction matters during abnormal procedures. A pilot should not treat a hydraulic caution as an isolated switch action. The correct response involves identifying which system is affected, determining what equipment remains powered, and applying the checklist while preserving aircraft control. Reviewing the system schematic alongside the overhead panel helps connect pressure, quantity, pump status, and flight control response into one mental model.
What happens when hydraulic power is lost?
The standby hydraulic system supplies backup power for the rudder and the leading-edge devices. It is not simply a third full-capacity replacement for systems A and B. Its function is targeted, supporting the controls and high-lift devices needed to retain essential handling capability when normal hydraulic power is degraded. Students should understand both what the standby system can do and what it cannot do, then make that distinction quickly under workload.
The 737 also includes manual reversion. If a complete hydraulic failure occurs, cables and linkages allow the pilots to control the flight surfaces mechanically. Manual reversion does not preserve normal control feel or response. It changes the physical demands of flying and requires deliberate, measured inputs. In a simulator, the important lesson is not memorizing the phrase. It is recognizing the failure, controlling attitude and flight path, configuring the aircraft appropriately, and managing the resulting control forces without overcontrolling.
Landing gear operation provides another clear example of layered protection. Hydraulic power normally drives gear extension and retraction, while a gravity-assisted free-fall method provides a backup for extension if normal hydraulic operation is unavailable. The sequence belongs in the same systems picture as the flight controls: identify the source of power. Identify the alternate means, confirm the result through the available indications, and continue with the applicable checklist.
These failure modes are practiced in the Level D simulator rather than learned only from a diagram. During a 737 initial type rating, instructors can introduce failures progressively, allowing you to see how system redundancy affects handling, indications, configuration choices, and crew coordination. That practical repetition is what turns a 737 systems overview into usable knowledge when the airplane does not behave as expected.
How Does the 737 Electrical System Manage Power?
For type rating students, the 737 electrical system is best understood as a managed power network rather than a collection of isolated switches. The normal source is engine-driven generation. While the APU and ground power unit (GPU) provide alternate sources when the engines are not supplying electrical power or when the aircraft is being serviced on the ground. This source hierarchy gives the crew multiple ways to power the airplane across start, taxi, flight, and abnormal operating conditions.
In normal flight, each engine-driven generator supplies electrical power to the aircraft distribution system. The APU can provide an additional source when required, including during ground operations and situations where engine-generated power is unavailable. The GPU serves as an external ground source, allowing the aircraft to operate systems without relying on its engines or APU. A useful study habit is to identify the available source first, then trace how that source reaches the bus or equipment you are evaluating.
How AC and DC buses organize power
Electrical distribution on the 737 is managed through main alternating-current (AC) and direct-current (DC) buses. The buses divide and route power to the aircraft systems, while switching and protection logic support source selection and isolation when a fault occurs. Rather than memorizing overhead-panel switch positions as disconnected actions, connect each switch to three questions: What is the power source? Which bus is being energized? What equipment or function depends on that bus?
This approach is especially valuable in the simulator. A generator or bus abnormality is not only a checklist exercise. It tests whether you can recognize the remaining power configuration, interpret indications, and prioritize the equipment that remains available. The 737 overhead and aft overhead panels are where most aircraft systems are controlled and monitored. So students should become comfortable tracing indications from the panel to the system effect. The same mental model supports electrical fault scenarios in the Level D simulator, where the objective is disciplined systems management rather than switch memorization.
The battery provides emergency power to essential buses. It is not the normal primary source for the entire aircraft. Instead, its role is to preserve selected essential functions when normal generation and distribution are no longer available. During study, distinguish between the full electrical network and the essential-bus concept. Ask which equipment must remain powered, how long the available source is expected to support it, and what indications would confirm the configuration.
These design principles reflect the safety expectations applied to transport category airplanes. FAA AC 25.1353-1A addresses electrical equipment and installations in transport category airplanes. For a type rating student, the practical takeaway is that redundancy, protected distribution, alternate generation, and emergency battery power are connected parts of one safety strategy. Study the electrical system as a flow from source to bus to essential load, then validate that model through indications and procedures in the simulator.
How 737 Pneumatics and Bleed Air Power the Aircraft
The pneumatic system is one of the clearest examples of how a 737 NG turns engine energy into several aircraft functions. During systems study, do not treat bleed air as an isolated engine topic. Trace its path from the engine compressor, through the pneumatic ducting and control valves, to the systems that need a dependable supply of conditioned, pressurized air. The same basic source supports environmental control, engine start, and ice protection, but each application has its own controls, indications, and operating considerations.
Where the bleed air goes
On the 737, pneumatic bleed air supplies air conditioning, engine starting, and wing anti-ice operations. That makes the system relevant from the gate through the climb, cruise, descent, and landing phases. Before a simulator session, identify the pneumatic controls on the overhead panel and understand what each indication is telling you about the system’s source, pressure, temperature, and availability. Most aircraft systems are controlled and monitored from the overhead and aft overhead panels, so this is where your system trace should begin. Review the 737 system descriptions as a reference, then connect each control to the flight phase in which you would use it.
For engine start, pneumatic air is routed to the starter so the engine can accelerate toward light-off and stable operation. The source may be an operating engine, the APU, or an external pneumatic source, depending on the aircraft configuration and the ground or flight situation. In training, the important skill is not memorizing a single switch sequence. It is recognizing the relationship between available bleed sources, the engine start sequence, and the indications that confirm the system is doing what you expect.
Air conditioning is another major consumer. Bleed air must be managed and conditioned before it is delivered to the cabin, which means pneumatic system status is connected to comfort, pressurization, and overall aircraft configuration. A change in bleed availability can therefore affect more than one cockpit indication. Build the habit of asking what downstream systems depend on the air source, rather than troubleshooting each alert as an unrelated event.
Wing anti-ice uses hot bleed air taken from the engine compressor. The high temperature of this air is directed to protected wing leading-edge areas to prevent or remove ice accumulation. The 737 ice protection system also heats the engine inlets to help prevent ice ingestion. These are distinct protected areas, but they belong in the same mental model: engine bleed air is being used as thermal protection where cold. Moist conditions can threaten aerodynamic performance or engine operation. The source and destination matter when you interpret overhead indications and evaluate system effects.
Finally, each 737 engine is equipped with an electronic engine control, or EEC, which manages engine power and protection. The EEC is not the pneumatic system itself, but it is part of the engine-system picture you are building when you trace bleed air and engine performance. In a Level D session, practice following the chain from the engine and its controls to the pneumatic indications, then to the affected aircraft function. That systems-thinking approach is more useful than memorizing isolated panel labels.
What Does the 737 Flight Management System Do?
The Flight Management System is where navigation data, aircraft performance, and flight guidance come together. For a type rating student, the important point is not simply learning which buttons to press. It is understanding what information the FMS uses, what the system is calculating, and how the displayed guidance relates to the aircraft’s actual position and energy state.
The 737 FMS assists the crew with navigation, performance calculations, and guidance. That makes it a central tool during route planning and flight execution, but it does not replace disciplined cross-checking. The crew still needs to confirm the active route, constraints, performance assumptions, and the mode being commanded by the automation. A correct entry can produce useful guidance only when the underlying data and selected modes match the clearance and the aircraft’s situation. The FMS reference material identifies these three functions as core parts of the system.
How the FMS uses air data and navigation sources
The FMS depends on several aircraft systems rather than operating as an isolated computer. The 737 navigation system includes inertial reference systems, GPS, and radio navigation aids for positioning. Each source contributes to the aircraft’s overall navigation picture, and the crew must understand how those sources support the position shown to them. In systems study, this is the difference between memorizing a display and understanding the system architecture behind it. The navigation source matters when assessing whether the indicated position and resulting guidance are credible.
The Air Data Inertial Reference Unit, or ADIRU, is equally important because it supplies air data such as Mach number. That information is essential to systems including Mach Trim, which improves stability above Mach 0.615 by adjusting elevator position relative to the horizontal stabilizer. This relationship is useful to trace during ground school: air data is sensed, processed, and then used by another aircraft system to support control and stability. A malfunction or unreliable input is therefore not just an isolated instrument issue. It can affect the behavior or availability of systems that depend on that data.
On the flight deck, the FMS should be studied alongside the mode control panel, flight directors, and autopilot guidance. The goal is to recognize what the aircraft is being asked to do, what it is actually doing, and which indications confirm that the intended mode is active. When practicing in the simulator, verbalize the connection between the programmed route, the navigation source, the selected modes, and the flight path. Then challenge the setup with realistic changes, such as a revised clearance, a discontinuity, or a change in performance assumptions.
This systems approach also makes cockpit procedures easier to retain. Pilots preparing for a how to fly a 737 lesson can use the FMS as a framework for reviewing navigation inputs, guidance modes, and cross-checks before moving into simulator scenarios. The objective is not to follow the box blindly. It is to understand how the FMS, ADIRU, IRS, GPS, and radio aids cooperate. In that way the crew can use automation accurately while staying able to recognize and manage an unexpected result.
Discuss your 737 type rating goals with a Las Vegas Flight Academy advisor.
A 737 Systems Overview Is the Best Pre-Training Study Aid
The most productive simulator sessions begin before a pilot arrives at the training center. A focused review of the 737 NG systems gives you a working mental model of the aircraft. So ground school can build on familiar relationships instead of introducing every component in isolation. The goal is not to memorize every switch position before day one. It is to understand what each system does, where it is controlled, and how the aircraft responds when normal operation changes.
Start with the overhead panel. At Las Vegas Flight Academy, most 737 systems are controlled and monitored from the overhead and aft overhead panels. Before training, learn the logic of those panels and group the controls by function: electrical power, hydraulics, fuel, pneumatics, air conditioning, anti-ice, pressurization, and fire protection. This organization makes cockpit scan patterns easier to establish. It also helps you connect an indication to a likely system state instead of treating each light or gauge as an isolated memorization item.
Build the system picture before studying failures
A useful pre-training study aid should answer three questions for every major system. What powers it? What does it control or support? What backup or alternate mode is available if normal operation is lost? Apply that framework to the flight controls, hydraulic systems, electrical buses, bleed air, and the flight management system. Then trace how those systems interact. For example, a hydraulic issue is not only a pressure indication. It can affect flight-control authority, high-lift devices, landing gear operation, or the procedures you will practice in the simulator.
| System | Primary source | What it controls or supports | Backup or alternate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flight controls | Hydraulic systems A and B via Power Control Units | Elevators, ailerons, rudder, flight spoilers | Standby system, manual reversion via cables |
| Hydraulics | Engine-driven pumps, systems A and B | Flight control surfaces, landing gear, high-lift devices | Standby hydraulic system, gravity free-fall gear |
| Electrical | Engine-driven generators | AC and DC buses that distribute power | APU, ground power unit, battery for essential buses |
| Pneumatics | Engine bleed air | Air conditioning, engine start, wing and inlet anti-ice | APU bleed and alternate air sources |
| Flight management | ADIRU, IRS, GPS, and radio navigation aids | Navigation, performance, and flight guidance | Cross-checked navigation sources and manual entries |
This approach makes abnormal and emergency training more valuable. When an instructor introduces a failure, you can focus on recognizing the cues, prioritizing the airplane, and applying the procedure. You are not spending the entire exercise trying to reconstruct the system architecture from memory. Pre-reading also gives you better questions to ask during ground school, particularly when a schematic, panel indication, or checklist item does not match your initial expectation.
Use the simulator to apply the model
LVFA trains pilots in Level D Boeing 737-800 Full Flight Simulators, including FAA #1168 and FAA #2104. The Henderson facility covers 40,000 square feet and includes eight simulator bays. That environment is designed for practice, not passive observation. The more familiar you are with the underlying systems, the more deliberately you can use a session to connect indications, switch actions, flight-path changes, and checklist responses.
Instructors at LVFA average more than 20,000 flight hours, so arrive prepared to learn from their operational experience. Read the 737-800 type rating material before training, organize your notes by system, and mark areas that need clarification. A concise systems overview will not replace instruction or cockpit practice. It will shorten the learning curve, improve your preparation for Level D sessions, and make each simulator failure exercise more productive.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why should I study a 737 systems overview before type rating training?
Building a mental map of the flight controls, hydraulics, electrical, pneumatic, and navigation systems shortens the learning curve in ground school. It also makes Level D simulator sessions more productive. Most 737 systems are controlled and monitored from the overhead and aft overhead panels. Knowing how each system is powered and which failures are possible helps you interpret indications and learn abnormal procedures faster.
What should a new 737 type rating student learn first?
Start with system relationships rather than isolated switch positions. Build a basic map of how hydraulic, electrical, pneumatic, flight control, and navigation systems support one another. Then use the overhead panel to connect indications and controls to the system they manage. This approach makes later memory items and simulator procedures easier to understand.
How does manual reversion work on the 737-800?
Manual reversion provides a means of controlling the flight surfaces through cables and linkages if the aircraft loses hydraulic power. It is an abnormal operating mode, not the normal method of moving the controls. Study it alongside the aircraft procedures and limitations in the flight crew operating manual. Technical reference: 737 aircraft systems descriptions.
Why are hydraulic systems A and B important to flight controls?
Systems A and B supply hydraulic pressure to the Power Control Units that actuate the primary flight controls. They can also be interconnected, while the standby hydraulic system provides backup power for functions including the rudder and leading-edge devices. Understanding which system powers each function helps students interpret overhead-panel indications and failure scenarios. Technical reference: 737 aircraft systems descriptions.
What information does the ADIRU provide to the 737 systems?
The Air Data Inertial Reference Unit provides air data such as Mach number, along with inertial reference information used by aircraft systems and the crew. That data supports functions such as Mach Trim, which adjusts elevator position relative to the horizontal stabilizer above Mach 0.615. Technical reference: 737 aircraft systems descriptions.
Contact us to book your 737 type rating
A focused systems review can give you a stronger foundation before formal ground school and simulator training begin. If you are ready to discuss the next step, contact Las Vegas Flight Academy to book a 737 type rating. Share your training goals and current experience so the team can point you toward the appropriate program and preparation path.