Ok I've got a few questions for you NG pros out there.1. On 2 of the last flights I have done, at T/D, the aircraft begins to descend, but at a very low V/S (500 or less), then, it begins to dive toward the ground at as high as 7000 fpm. It eventually goes to a more normal number, around 2200, but the damage has already been done to the passengers stomachs. :) How do I prevent this?2. On occaison the speed tape on the PFD drops to the base 45 IAS. It looks like an icing problem, but probe heat is on. It eventually comes back, but when it does Im now at speeds in excess of 300 IAS and I get an overspeed discon. 3. Is there a way to figure out your arrival runway without relying on a program like ActiveSky to get the winds? Sometimes it works, and sometimes it does'nt. Im thinking of a long rage ATIS message. Maybe the ACARS in the 800/900 will be able to do this :)Ok sorry for the long message. I'll stop before I get carpal tunnel. Thanks!

"1. On 2 of the last flights I have done, at T/D, the aircraft begins to descend, but at a very low V/S (500 or less), then, it begins to dive toward the ground at as high as 7000 fpm. It eventually goes to a more normal number, around 2200, but the damage has already been done to the passengers stomachs. :) How do I prevent this?" I am assuming this is weather related. A few suggestions-A: Try some inputs into DES FORECASTS (Head or tail winds).b: A few miles prior to TOD engage DES NOW (1000 FPM until original path captured). C: Use V/S to establish a steady descent the nre-engage VNAV."2. On occaison the speed tape on the PFD drops to the base 45 IAS. It looks like an icing problem, but probe heat is on. It eventually comes back, but when it does Im now at speeds in excess of 300 IAS and I get an overspeed discon." This is add-on weather related. I suggest you ask in the Active Sky forum or maybe some users of the NG and AS can be of assistence. (Note) this is not an issue that I am aware of with default MS weather."3. Is there a way to figure out your arrival runway without relying on a program like ActiveSky to get the winds? Sometimes it works, and sometimes it does'nt. Im thinking of a long rage ATIS message. Maybe the ACARS in the 800/900 will be able to do this :)" Hum good question, can't you just *tune* the arr airfield from a chart? Even if one does not have a chart you should be able to check "airports farther from you" in the default ATC dialog and locate your arr airfield in plenty of time to see active RNWYS.[h4]Best Wishes,Randy J. Smithhttp://www.precisionmanuals.com/images/forum/betaimg.jpg

I believe that in the real world.. the ATC controllers will tell you to expect runway xx.... and this may change as you get close to the airport. I can never trust the ATIS in FS.. It says landing/departing runway 27... but the tower says runway 16!Hope that explains it a bit better for ya mate.Ryan

1) Perhaps you have the aircraft in VNAV SPD rather than VNAV Path?John http://homepage.eircom.net/~eamonnmca/images/logo_ba.JPGwww.bavirtual.co.uk Senior Captain Simflight.com Staff Reviewer

2. On occaison the speed tape on the PFD drops to the base 45 IAS. It looks like an icing problem, but probe heat is on. It eventually comes back, but when it does Im now at speeds in excess of 300 IAS and I get an overspeed discon.Try cycling your probe heat switches. I think this mostly happens with add on weather engines.There was a post by Tim Metzinger asking about this same thing a while ago, I'll try and find it again :)EDIT: [a href=http://forums.avsim.net/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=136&topic_id=41757&mesg_id=41757&listing_type=search]Here[/a] is the thread about it.CheersDavid

Agree with everyone, my scenario...I plan a flight using FSNavigator. I enter my FMC information, and I leave my arrival runway information empty. Unfortunatley (SP) I don't get runway information for my arrival until about 20 -30 miles out from the arrival runway, then I have to quickly add that portion into my FMC, and hope that i'm not in route DC. It's easy enough to go to manual control at this point, but it would be nice to know what runway you will be landing on prior to those last 20-30 miles out, so you don't have to seach charts, and ILS freqs if necessary. Now you can use the tried and true radio feature if you use FS9 (2004) and select the nearest airport, and runway, but funny, I can be direclty over KSTL, and it not be on the list as the closest, but the farthest is some grass strip in Chicago that I can easily get landing instructions to. And the closest is somewhere in St. Charles (20miles away).

Surely you check the weather conditions of your arrival airport?Why not select the arrival information suiting the weather information at the time of departure? As you get closer, you can easily change this info my going to DEP/ARR?I fly exclusively online, so It's very easy to use the SB ACARS to request weather for my arrival... You should try it out.John http://homepage.eircom.net/~eamonnmca/images/logo_ba.JPGwww.bavirtual.co.uk Senior Captain Simflight.com Staff Reviewer

Just to clarify, in real life we use a thing called VOLMET, we had ACARS but the company took it out so we have to rely on VOLMET now. This is an automated radio transmission which tells you the ATIS reports for a selected number of airfields. For example London North will have weather for Heathrow, Birmingham, Newcastle, Teeside, Leeds, Liverpool Manchester etc, London South will have Heathrow, Gawtick, Southampton, Bournemouth, Southend etc and so on. There are several different VOLMET stations throughout Europe which provide weather broadcasts for most of the major European airfields. Alas FS doesn't have this and in a Jet the ATIS usually comes into range just as you pass 10,000ft and all hell is breaking loose with checks etc. One method I use in FS is to go to the World and Weather menu and select Real world weather again, it will load then give you a map, this can be slewed in much the same way as the main Map but when you put your mouse over an airfield you get the winds and temperatures in a tool-tip type box. Once you know the wind you'll know the runway in use! Hope that helpsKris