Hello kind simmers and PMDG,I seriously need a FMC tutorial for dummies, or a complete idiot's guide to FMC.I have been reading the ultra short tutorial provided by PMDG. Can somebody explain how to do the following:"Enter your current position into the RSK5. If you are unaware of the coordinates, use the reference airport function by entering the ICAO code of the airport and then copying/pasting the line of coordinates that appears. Now press RSK6 to get to the route."How in the world do I copy/paste, and from where??? I really don't understand it at all. And I never gets anything that even comes close to the illustration next to the tutorial text.Where can I find a more detailed explaination of the FMC for complete newbies? Maybe I am plain dumb, but I am really stuck.Nico

Hi Nico,Download 737tngadvtut.zip from the AvSim library. It's an excellent tutorial by Timothy Metzinger on all aspects of the 737NG including programming the FMC.Cheers,

Thank you for drawing my attention to this file, which I have now downloaded.It is much better.And thanks to Timothy Metzinger for writing it.Kind regards,Nico

Nico, A manual is coming from PMDG, I do not have a release date yet but will not be too long and will cover all aspects ;), stay tuned...[h4]Best Wishes,Randy J. Smithhttp://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-5/196432/winglets_lg.jpg

Randy,This surprises me. It was required the day the product was launched and given the excellence of Timothy's manual I wonder how much attention it will receive. Hopefully when the 800/900 series is released this omission will not be repeated.I wonder what aspects the PMDG manual will cover that Timothy's missed.Cheers,

Hi All,One should say better late than never. Well, given some of the questions we see I guess a new manual by PMDG's authors will definitively be a plus. I also think there are enough improvements annouced in SU2 to justify a manual. Guess the Sids and Stars grammar could be part of such manual.Remember the PIC FMC manual? 120+ pages if I count well.So in my opinion it will be more than welcome by newbies and seasoned pilots.Michael

Well, I've been through the user contributed tutorials and dug around the Internet and yes, I can now use the FMC (sort of) where once I didn't know a PERF INIT from a POS INIT. And I'm VERY thankful to those who put in the efforts to make the tutorials!Still, it would be very helpful to have a manual that explains IN DEPTH each and every FMC page and does not just 'hand-hold' you through a specific flight. Yes, you can apply many things to other flights, but because the tutorials are focused on ONE route, it seems like I only understand part of what the FMC can do and I don't have a 'well-rounded' understanding of how it works.Anxiously awaiting,JOE

Well no use is being critical about past mistakes Ray ;) All one can do is learn from their mistakes and rectify them which PMDG have and continue to do. I assume that the manual will be more a operational manual than a tutorial type although it might include one? [h4]Best Wishes,Randy J. Smithhttp://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-5/196432/winglets_lg.jpg

Not to put you down Joe, but in my (most humble) opinion there is a fine line in how much in-depth a company that produces MSFS addons can get while still being commercially sound. I do understand where you

Actually Tord I agree with you. I'm not expecting a 'super in depth' manual, just an 'in depth' one. MS included a 'Learning Center' with FS9, which includes a 40+ page 'in depth' manual on the Garmin GPS. I don't think I'm out of line to expect something similar from PMDG on the systems they include with their commercial products.If I wanted to learn more about the Garmin than what MS provides, I'd buy the manual. However, MS did a good job covering the aspects of how the Garmin works without doing 'hand-holding'... they just explain how each page works. I don't like MS default aircraft, but their documentation is pretty good. With PMDG their aircraft are superior to everyone, but the manuals...-JOE

Joe, as SAS very nicely points out above, there really is no substitute for the Bulfer FMS User Guides (there is one specifically for the 6/7/8/900) or for a copy of an NG AOM which will have the same info, in the same depth.The Bulfer FMS guides cost $45 or so ... so you can see the level of effort and detail costs a few dollars/Euros/yen. I would certainly NOT expect PMDG to provide this level of detail in their product ... You can d/l the FMS guide for PIC 767 and for the DF737 and between the two will have 99% of the details you cound ever want to know ... the FMS features differ slightly from model to model and from Smith's to Honeywell products .. but the details are there for you for free.If, however, you REALLY are interested in the truly GOREY details I would spend the money on an NG AOM first, then on the Bulfer FMC Guide ... I have had the Bulfer Guide(S) (737 and 74/5/6/77)for years and recommend them very highly. I have yet to see a paper based NG AOM that I could buy yet, but ESSCO once had a 3/500 AOM (UAL) and a -400 AOM (Piedmont -- remember them?) which I bought a while back ... As an educator for the past 35 years, I truly believe that Tim Metzinger's approach to leaning the NG (including the FMS) is very sound and well done ... the tutorial walks you through what you need to be successful ... from there you can fine tune your knowledge and experience simply by trial and error, using the available for free materials, or if you are "crazed" like I am, by purchasing whatever "REAL WORLD" things you can find and afford, ex. Bulfer.O well ... just my $.02.Happy Flying!!! and

Randy,I wasn't being critical - I was making an observation. There is a difference you know ;-) Anyway, as a paying customer aren't I allowed to say if I'm not happy about something?Cheers,

Paul - I don't disagree with you. I'm just saying that if PMDG wants to provide us with a FMC/FMS user's guide, I will be one of the first to download it. I see no reason to discourage them from wanting to help their customers better understand, and therefore better enjoy, their products. If PMDG says, "hey you want manuals go download them from our competitors" I guess they have that right, I certainly can live with that, but I just think it would be helpful and 'classy' of them to provide user guides for their products, much like Microsoft has done with their simulation of the Garmin GPS. Please understand, I'm NOT saying they should write something equal to Bulfer, that would be asking too much.-JOE

>>>>>Not to put you down Joe, but in my (most humble) opinion there is a fine line in how much in-depth a company that produces MSFS addons can get while still being commercially sound. I do understand where you

No my friend, I wasn