Here is my problem. I fly online all the time. I love it....but everyone knows that from time to time your flight does not have ATC at the airport when you are landing. It either never did, or the controller signed off mid-flight. Here is where I run into problems. Im using the PMDG 737 with the STAR programmed into the FMC. From the last point on the STAR, how do I vector myself to the right point of the runway I am landing at. Do I need some sort of DME arc? I dont know how to do these. I figure if I knew how to do these, it would save me some agony of a long good flight then a landing without the proper procedures. Are there any good tutorials or web pages that can give me tips, or tips on reading an approach chart, especially for the 737 to be able to get into position to land at airports with no ATC?Thanks........ALSO---I want to get a good Video Card under $180 with 128mb RAM to run PMDG 737 and FS9....is this possible, if so what is it?Brad

Brad,I know the feeling, but this is where it can get interesting.You will not only need the charts providing STARS but also the approach plates!From the final points in the star, you should be near your IAF(Initial Appraoch Fix). You'll most likely need to combine the information from both charts into the FMC concerning Speeds and Altitudes constraints.From the IAF, you'll need to follow the published approach for the desired runway, this is pretty much always possible by entering the WAYPOINT.RADIAL/Distance(Without the "." between WPT and RAD)For example:Flying into EGKK(Gatwick 26Left from the North) requires the Willo.2B STAR.I observe on the approach plate that the IAF for 26Left is HOLLY but the ending point for the STAR is WILLO.So I consult the FMC and delete WILLO, and I edit the SPD/ALT constrains for HOLLY to conform with the publshed approach for 26Left.After Willo, I see that I must fly direct MAY vor and descend to 3000ft,I adjust the FMC accordingly.After MAY, the approach chart states that I fly outbound from May to a point 8.5 miles from MAY.The exact reading it outbound MAY on a heading of 004 to 8.5 miles.How do I enter this into the FMC? I simply enter MAY004/8.5.Done!After May004/8.5(Which will show up as MAY01) I should turn left to intercept the localiser, it is now that I enter my arrival Runway in the DEP/ARR page,it will ask me the distance for finals, I usually state 7 NM.I can consult and compare my routing on the PLAN page to that of the approach plate. It looks real similar!I hope this helps, this part of FMC programming is not only interesting, but also fun and very realistic!If you have any other questions, send me a PM and I'll reply As soon as I can ;)JohnP 2.53 GHZ512 RAMWINXPGFORCE 4 128MB Ti4600http://homepage.eircom.net/~eamonnmca/images/logo_ba.JPGwww.bavirtual.co.uk Senior Captain Simflight.com Staff Reviewerhttp://vatsim.pilotmedia.fi/statusindicato...tor=OD1&a=a.jpg

Hi Brad,I generally do as John suggested and use the approach plates for the given runway/approach I want to fly. The other way, which I think is a little less technical, is just to fly a standard traffic pattern. Let's use KATL as an example because I am most familiar with it.KATL has 4 runways, all parallel on an east/west heading. Say, for example we want to land on 9R and we are approaching from the North (heading South). As you approach the airport (3-5 miles North), turn the aircraft to fly a right downwind, i.e. turn to a reciprocal course from the runway...in this case, change heading to 272 degreess (since runway heading is 092 degrees). At this point you should be flying directly way from the airport on a parallel course to the runway you are planning to land on. When you are approx. 10 miles out (insert whatever distance you want there...10 is just a nice round number), turn left 90 degrees (heading 182)to fly the base leg. You should now be flying perpendicular to the runway extension kindly provided via the FMC.As you approach the runway extension, turn inbound to intercept the localizer -- usually use a 30 degree localizer intercept course (heading 122). Arm VOR/LOC (make sure ILS is tuned into the NAV radio) and you should be pretty much set. As you intercept the localizer the plane will turn to fly inbound towards the runway, and now YOU have to decide how to get it on the ground ;) .Two points I didn't address are altitude and speed. A good rule of thumb for determineing a good intercept altittude is to multiply the distance to the runway (DME reading) * 3... i.e. if you are on a 7 mile final, then the G/S should be somewhere around 2100 feet ABOVE GROUND LEVEL :). Speed -- I generally will fly the downwind @ 210kts, the base/intercept leg 180kts, and then drop to VRef + 5 at the Outer Marker (usually around 5 miles -- at this point I am well established on the localizer/glideslope). You can adjust these however you see fit though.I hope this didn't confuse you too much. I am the first to understand that there is a lot to learn.Let me know if you have any further questions.Jeff