I'm slowly getting to grips with all that this aircraft has to offer but some aspects of the FMC (or CDU as it's called) are causing me some concern.There is no option on the Menu page to save a flight plan. How do I do this please? Also, how can I load a flight plan? Please don't tell me there's no option to do either of these vital actions. The last thing I want to do is to have to enter a flight plan manually each time I want to fly.Thanks for any help.

Mr Proudfoot,How are you doing?If I recall correctly: When you have entered a flightplan and activated it, there turns up a save option in the RTE page.The FMC will select a filename (like ESSAEHAM001). Now the next time when you enter ESSAEHAM001 in the 'company route' LSK the flightplan is loaded.I also think (but haven't tried yet) that you can enter your own filename in the scratchpad before pressing the 'save' LSK.Success,Egbert

Hi Ray,Yes, you can save FPs as desribed above, and re-import them via Co RTE.Import : we have elected for day 1 (or 5-6) as it turns out, to be compatible with FSBuild. We had, (due to timing constraints I'm sure you'll understand), one external import choice for release, and we went that way, as we feel (personal opinions, of course) that FSBuild is the best thing out there when it comes to serious flight planning...I realize this choice will not satisfy every user... but if we'd have chose the FS FPlanner or another product, the same would have happened the other way round.Status : Ernie is very near to release his latest that will be compatible with our FMS.cheers,anthonyAnthony MertonPrecision Manuals Developmenthttp://www.precisionmanuals.com

Good evening Mr Drenth! :-wave Nice to hear from you - I'm very well thanks, hope you are too.Thanks for that very useful tip! You obviously have a lot of knowledge on how the FMC works in a 737. I'm so used to the PIC 767 it's taking me a while to readjust.Are you having any problems with the autothrottle? I can't get it to stay on and it's causing havoc with my flights. There's a flashing character to the left of the airspeed in the MCP. Not sure what that's warning me of but I suspect it's connected to the A/T problem.Thanks for your help.

Hi Anthony,Thanks for chipping in on what must be an exhausting day for you. I can now save and load flight plans thanks to Egbert. I understand your reasons for choosing FSBuild but would that be Ernie's new payware version or the older but free version 2?Given the PMDG flight plans are in plain text I wouldn't be surprised if someone came up with a program to convert FS2002/2004 flight plans to that format. It would be very useful as I tend to use FSNav to create them. Then again it might be worthwhile having a word with Helge and see if he can do it in FSNav.Thanks once again.

you're welcome !Ernie made a statement tonight in the forum in reply to another post that he will support the NG in both his 1.4 (freeware) and his 2.1 (payware) versions.cheers,anthonyAnthony MertonPrecision Manuals Developmenthttp://www.precisionmanuals.com

the flashing char is the underspeed indicator (you're below stall speed for current flaps config.) or the overspeed indocator.hope this helps,anthonyAnthony MertonPrecision Manuals Developmenthttp://www.precisionmanuals.com

Hi Anthony,Thanks for the tip on the flashing character in the MCP and for the news on FSBuild :-)I'm getting there slowly. Although I still have many questions I can wait until the manuals are published with one exception which is causing a problem with my flights. I can't engage the autothrottle arm. Consequently I cannot control the aircraft properly with VNav. In fact, I'm getting a frequent message on the FMC that VNav has disengaged. Any clues please? :-hmmm Cheers,

OK, 2 different things there :- AT problem : the AT is coupled to the GENs on the overhead panel. if they're off, then you won't be able to arm AT. More specifically, I think the AT relies on the left transfer bus. Make sure the GENs are on, and you'll be able to arm the AT.- "VNAV disconnect" occurs most frequently when it calculates the top of descent to be *before* the top of climb. Try lowering your cruize alt.hope this helpsanthonyAnthony MertonPrecision Manuals Developmenthttp://www.precisionmanuals.com

I have FSBuild 2 and I don't see an export option for the PMDG 737. The 777 and 757 are there but no 737. So would you care to go into more detail on how we use FSbuild to export a flightplan to the PMDG 737 FMC?

>would you care to go into more detail on how we use FSbuild to >export a flightplan to the PMDG 737 FMC?He was speaking of the near future. the export option is in the FSB 2.01 update. Its beta now, so since you're a registered FSB user, send me an email and I will send it to you.Regards.Ernie.

Thanks Ernie I just sent you an email. :-)

Hi Anthony,Once again, thanks for your help. Once the A/T problem is resolved I think this will also resolve the VNav disconnected issue.All the problems I've had could probably have been answered by a user manual. I'm reasonably experienced with the 767PIC and its FMC but for new people trying to get to grips with the 737 the minimal startup help must be causing them a lot of headaches.The documentation needs to be issued as soon as possible.Regards,

I'll did also :-)Andr

Hi Ernie,I have justz send you a e-mail. I guess you still sleep after the party last nite if you are an US guy and cannot reply sooo early. But if you are a european... In your own forum I found your compuserve e-mail addy. I'd love to try out your beta and report if and what doesnt work as should. I was already a beta-tester for ACLoader4. Maybe there is a way how FSBuild and ACLoader could exchange data to each other directly? Exporting a flightplan to ACLoader or importing the aircraft data for comuting the flightplan more accuratly? Just a thought...>>would you care to go into more detail on how we use FSbuild>to >export a flightplan to the PMDG 737 FMC?>>He was speaking of the near future. the export option is in>the FSB 2.01 update. >>Its beta now, so since you're a registered FSB user, send me>an email and I will send it to you.>>Regards.>>Ernie.>