2 FMC question(s)

[Guest glassb]

I have just purchased the PMDG 737NG and I just learned how to work the FMC but I'm stuck with a few questions here. Anybodys imput on this matter would not go overlooked!Q#1: Where do you find waypoint fixes to input into the FMC as LEGS to make a flight? Is there some way that I can simply type in the departure and arrival airport desired somewhere (not the FMC of course) and it would show me the available 'VIA' and 'TO' fixes? -FS Build ???, ______.Q#2: I understand that the FMC provides predicted altitude and speed values for each navigation fix that you enter but the crew can of course manually enter constraint values into the flight plan to adhere to "published approach procedures". For example, lets say one of the waypoints 'LBE' had a predicted speed and altitude by the FMC of 240/10000 but according to the standard approach procedure, 'LBE' needs to be overflown in 4000ft so we would overwrite 240/10000 in the FMC to 240/4000. ---- I understand all of this, but MY QUESTION IS, how would you know that the standard approach procedure must be overflown by 4000ft? Does it say that somewhere in the FMC or do you have to look it up somewhere? If so, where would this be?Anybodys help on these matters of mine would be a delight!thanks,glassb

[crvm 0]

Hello and welcome, It is a requirement of PMDG that you saign with your real name on this forum, thank and please take a moment to look over the fourm rules here http://forums.avsim.net/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=136&topic_id=2402&mesg_id=2402&page=>Q#1: Where do you find waypoint fixes to input into the FMC as>LEGS to make a flight? Is there some way that I can simply>type in the departure and arrival airport desired somewhere>(not the FMC of course) and it would show me the available>'VIA' and 'TO' fixes? -FS Build ???, ______. To have a valid flight route, the FMC needs at least one wpt between Arrivial and Destination. Finding just one should be easy enough. You can simply push the WPT button on the EFIS control panel which will display wpts on your Navigation Display and then choose one and add it into your route. This of course is not the way folks do it but if you want to make it simple this is the way that works >Q#2: I understand that the FMC provides predicted altitude and>speed values for each navigation fix that you enter but the>crew can of course manually enter constraint values into the>flight plan to adhere to "published approach procedures". For>example, lets say one of the waypoints 'LBE' had a predicted>speed and altitude by the FMC of 240/10000 but according to>the standard approach procedure, 'LBE' needs to be overflown>in 4000ft so we would overwrite 240/10000 in the FMC to>240/4000. ---- I understand all of this, but MY QUESTION IS,>how would you know that the standard approach procedure must>be overflown by 4000ft? Does it say that somewhere in the FMC>or do you have to look it up somewhere? If so, where would>this be? If you need to fly at or above 4000 at LBE you will need to input both the speed and this altitude like this 240/4000A. The answer for your questions is located herehttp://www.myairplane.com/databases/approach/index.php Where you simply input the airport identifier (called ICAO) and you will have every chart availible for that particular airfield. Best Wishes,[h4]Randy J. Smith[/h4][h3]P M D G's 747-400[/h3][h4]coming to a runway near you[/h4][/font color]Caution! Not a real pilot, but do play one on TV ;-)AMD 64 3200+ | ASUS KV8 DELUXE | GFORCE 5700 ULTRA @535/1000 | Maxtor 6Y080M0 SATA 80 GIG | 512 DDR 400 | Windows Xp Pro | Windows Xp Pro 64 |

[Guest glassb]

Randy, thanks for your reply. You told me that to have a valid flight route, the FMC needs at least one wpt between Arrivial and Destination and that finding just one should be easy enough. You can simply push the WPT button on the EFIS control panel which will display wpts on your Navigation Display and then choose one and add it into your route. You also told me that this is not the way folks do it but if i want to make it simple this is the way that works.what is the way folks do it? (I'm not trying to do everything the easy way....how do airline pilots today get their waypoints? From the airline? Where could I get them, somehting like FS biuld that will not only show me the waypoint fixes (TO), but how to get to these fixes (VIA) that you input into the RTE (route) page on the pre-flight process on the FMC? Please let me know.thanks,Brandon Glass

[crvm 0]

Yes they get them from a "Dispatch Sheet" which contains all relevent information for their flight, this also contains fuel, VSPDS etc. There are places that you can get flight plans for a particualr route. If can ask for a real world FP in Avsim's flight plan forum or ask here in this forum. Many flight simmers are part of Virtual Airlines that publish perfered routes for the airlines they represent. VIA line is for AIRWAYS, TO line is DIRECT entries. If you have some charts you can locate airways. One route that I fly often is KSJC-KLAX It looks like this KSJC-RWY 12R (MOONY2.AVE-SADDE6.AVE-COVIN-DENAY) RWY 24R KLAX. Best Wishes,[h4]Randy J. Smith[/h4][h3]P M D G's 747-400[/h3][h4]coming to a runway near you[/h4][/font color]Caution! Not a real pilot, but do play one on TV ;-)AMD 64 3200+ | ASUS KV8 DELUXE | GFORCE 5700 ULTRA @535/1000 | Maxtor 6Y080M0 SATA 80 GIG | 512 DDR 400 | Windows Xp Pro | Windows Xp Pro 64 |

[Guest ColdBear]

Here is a good little link....all you need is you departure and arrival airports ICAO identifier. http://rfinder.asalink.net/free/rgds,Martin

[Guest glassb]

Randy,thanks for your second reply! Im sure as i continually use the FMS, i'll get better. So basically, when entering legs (waypoint fixes) you most of the time use DIRECT in the VIA Column as for meaning the way to get to the other waypoint fix in the 'TO' Column? thanks,Brandon Glass

[Guest glassb]

Thanks Martin!Your help really makes my day!Regards,Brandon Glass