Lets say I have set up the FMC for a flight, but I also need to put my initial course, heading, speed, and altitude into the MCP. How do I find out my initial course and heading to put into the MCP after programming the FMC for a flight before takeoff? .. Or what page on the FMC will this tell me after I have already made a route for a flight?Rgds,Brandon Glass

Your initial heading should be the runway heading, the speed should be your V2 speed, and your altitude should be your first cleared altitude from ATC.

Hi Brandon,Adding, you get your initial altitude from the clearance you recieved from atc (clearance delivery... based on your flight plan). Your initial heading is typically given by Tower within your clearance for takeoff instructions.

we not only have to set the heading but hte course too....so i would put the runway heading in BOTH the heading AND course selectors?let me know,BRANDON GLASS

The course should be set to whatever VOR radial you have to intercept first after takeoff. If you're not intercepting a radial after takeoff, I'd set it to the most likely ILS course you'd need to use if you had to make an emergency return to the airport.And as was stated, set speed to V2 from the FMC takeoff page, set the heading to the runway heading or the ATC/SID assigned heading to fly after takeoff, and set the alt to your initial cleared alt. (from ATC Clearance/Delivery)

where on the fmc will it tell me the VOR radial ill nedd to intercept first after takeoff (after making a flight plan and the pre flight process)?rgds,brandon glass--------------------------------------------------------------

Brandon,The FMC won't tell you that, you have to use an IFR Chart like a SID Chart or RNAV Departure (on RNAV Departures it is less likely to intercept radials).Best regards,Markus

I think the tutorial has you align the CRS indicator with the runway, but in my experience, leaving it at 360 (000) doesn't do a whole lot. However, the checklist does have you set the CRS bug and the HDG bug if I remember correctly.Come to think of it, the CRS bug doesn't seem to do a whole lot either for coupled ILS approach if you program the arrival runway in the FMS since it "knows".As far as heading, use whatever departure heading ATC gave you (which should be the runway heading unless ATC says otherwise, or doesn't say anything). This way, once you climb through to the "engage altitude" for the A/P (some 3,000ft AGL), you'll automatically turn to the proper heading.Hope this helps.

I don't mean anything with arrivals....I mean BEFORE takeoff, you set your initial course and heading...which now I know the heading should be the runway your taking off from....but still confused about what to put as course before takeoff????? ......let me know,Brandon Glass

Brandon,Ryan said it correct some postings above: Set the next Radial you're going to intercept according your Departure route, if there is no Radial to intercept, set it to the actual landing runway course (if ILS available) should you have to return immediatly.Regards,Markus

The course selector does'nt do a thing for takeoff that I can see. I never use it until later. Just set the heading bug to your takeoff runway heading.Line up straight on the runway and move the bug so it's lined up with the runway also, press the black button below it when you lift off, retract your gear and press the CMD button,then take care of your flaps. After your up 1000'-1500' or so hit the LNAV button, the heading button will go out. Then press the VNAV button and you will climb to whatever altitude you got set on the MCP. If you look at the display you will see a little green "TC" top of Climb. After that at some point go to the INDEX LSK and press the Aproach LSK it will give you the frequency for Nav1 and the runway heading for the runway you set in the FMC to land on, ( 270/110.50)set your course selector for 270 degrees. If you tune to a different VOR you will see the green radial line will be set to what you set in the cours selector, and it's reciprical like ----270---- X ----90---- where X is the vor. Gives you a relationship with regard to the way your headed and the direction of the runway. BEFORE you get to the FA (final approach fix) remmember to tune Nav1 to 110.50 so when you rollout on final and press VOR/LOC you will track the Glide slope. I dont have a link handy because I bought Simplates software. If you look arround you can find some approach plates. I found that sometimes the course the FMC gives you is a degree or two off or different then the plates say it is. Use the FMC course, it corrects for a crosswind component it seems.Good Luck

What you are doing is entering the ILS frequency assuming there is one and setting the course up so that if you had to make an emergency return to the field it is one less thing that has to be set in the heat of battle and divert attention. Our sim airplanes don't break unless we enable the program. In the real world you are always concerned with failures. Bob K.

I don't mean the ILS runway frequency to set....this is what I meant...Sometimes you have fixes or waypoints in your route that are VOR type. These type of waypoints in a route of course have a heading as well as a frequency since they are VOR type. What I was trying to ask was if I was correct saying that I take the first VOR radial in my route that ill intercept and put its heading in the course selector before takeoff. Then with the same VOR fix that I put in the course selector, now take the frequency instead of the heading for that VOR an put it in NAV 1 and take the last VOR fix in my route and don't do anything with the heading this time but take its frequency and put this in NAV 2 Radio. In this, you can select VOR 1 and VOR 2 in the EFIS panel. I read all of this (not in exact detail as I have given you) in the manul I received in my CD version.Rgds,Brandon Glass

Brandon,You really need to read more documentation first or try some of the tutorial's that are availble before seeking step by step instruction in a forum.Anyway, I'm not really sure what your asking here. This airplane should be flown in the Map mode. Its OK to follow along some of the FMC waypoints with raw data from VOR's but I sure wouldn't get overly envolved with it. Floyd

your right Floyd. thanks for your reply.rgds,Brandon