FMC Approach

[Guest ivorlm]

I am slowly slowly getting used to the PMDG 737NG. I have gone a long way. However, I am still finding it hard to understand how the arrivals on the FMC work, when you can select ILS approach, because after you have to enter the waypoints, selectable from the FMC buttons. How could I get to know which one/s to select? All I know is that you have to use the maps. Also, which site do you people recommend in order to retrieve maps. Any sort of help will be highly appreciatedThanksIvor

[crvm 0]

This is a big question, maybe you should start out asking on a particular route that you wish to fly and we will tell you a perfered route/rwy etc to practice on. Basically you can choose whatever rwy that can support a 737 NG to land on. You are most likely wanting the ILS rwys so you can autoland? I like to fly from San Jose Ca (KSJC) to Los Angeles (KLAX) and most of the time land on ILS RWY 24R with the DENAY Transition. It's all about connecting the dots oer se ;-) You can get free maps for the aiports and rwys in the USA from www.myairplane.com 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 ivorlm]

I do not have problems with the autoland (second channel of the autopilot). It just telling the FMC to give you the exact way to line you up to the runway. what do I have to look for on the maps. Also, I saw, underneath your name, PMDG'S 747-400, when is that coming out. I am dying for it. RegardsIvor

[Guest bobsk8]

> >> You can get free maps for the aiports and rwys in the USA>from www.myairplane.com>> >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 |What a great link. I can now look up all the approaches, ILS Freqs, etc.. , for free!!!Thanks Randy

[Guest venquessa]

In the UK it's a little easier for me anyway. The www.ais.org.uk site has the plates for all UK airports. I start by choosing a departure airport and runway, then I look at the "STD" Standard Routes Document (on the above site), you find you airport and then choose a destination. The routes doc will tell you what departure path to fly, what airways to fly, altitude restrictions and targets along the way and the arrival route for the airport.One note it to avoid larger airports, like KJFK and heathrow as these almost always use "ATC radar vectors to final", meaning there is seldom published transitions from the IAF to the runway ILS lineup, IRL ATC direct you.Without charts here is a fairly standard approach technique.If you are approaching straight on for the runway, or near enough, then "fly stright in" and line up using HDG hold, then fly the ILS.If you are coming in on the reverse course, over fly the airport, line up on the outbound ILS (fly backwards along it). About 8 miles out, turn left 30 degrees from present course and hold for 1 minute. Keep your height about 2000 AGL. After the minute is up, turn 180 degrees right of you present course and pick up the ILS inbound.If you are arriving on almost any other heading, tune to the VOR at the field, or the ILS and an NDB. You need distance to field and a bearing. Fly with the airport directly off one wing and stay 10nm from it. So you fly a cirle around the field 10nm out. Sooner or later the bearing to field will move towards the runway heading, at this point, turn in for the runway and pick up the ILS. (this is roughly what the ATC vectors will do, but they will alter the shape of the ARC to maintain seperation of aircraft and the like.Hope this helps. The first is a straight in approach. The second is a overhead IAF with procedural turn, very often seen in the UK and all over the world. The last technique is known as a QDM arc and is used a lot here in the UK.You can also do a standard pattern, but in a 737 it's too risky if there is high ground around and/or the weather is poor.