Dave,Your questions really has little to do with the topic being discussed here. But I'll answer it here. Though it should be in it's own thread.I can really recommend an advanced search on this forum regarding VNAV PATH descents. It has been discussed over and over and over again. But as I feel like using a few words this morning I'll fill you in briefly. ;-) The descent, as has been stated som many times before on this forum, is the hardest part of the flight planning process in this bird. The aircraft is slippery and will need you to do a careful plan for you getting down.>...if the FMC calculates the top of descent point and the decel >point, then surely you shouldn't get these messages - why doesn't it >start the descent earlier...Well, as with so many machines. The saying "Crap in, crap out" applies to this one as well.The FMC will not do the descent planning for you. You will have to know how the FMC calculates the TOD and DECEL points to fully understand it. And further more you will have to understand how this aircraft descends for you to take appropriate actions when programming the descent.If you on the first descent leg (from TOD) gets a "DRAG REQUIRED" message you didn't enter the correct winds for the descent on the FORECAST page. This is crucial for the FMC to calculate the right time to start the descent.Now, getting the "DRAG REQUIRED" message above 10,000 feet isn't the whole world. The AFDS will happily continue VNAV even if speed builds up to around Vmo/Mmo (the red barber pole). Then it will revert to LVL CHG. But you gotta be more careful with your descent speed below 10,000 as the A/P will disengage VNAV for LVL CHG when speed creeps up above 15 knots above the descent target speed as entered on the DES page.If you get the "DRAG REQUIRED" message on consecutive legs (between hard altitude restrictions) you have created a steep path between two constraints and the FMC is trying to keep the path, and will sacrifice speed as is always the case with VNAV PATH descents. Thus your energy will increase. And you need to use speed brakes to bleed it off.If you give the FMC a too tough task to handle it will kick you in the butt once in a while and tell you it can't achieve what someone told it to do. ;-) For example if the path between two altitude constraints is more than 7

Mats,Thanks for your reply - I think I've mentioned before that the help available here is very very good and much appreciated. Sorry I thought my topic was relevant as it related to VNAV problems but thanks I will search the forum.PS I noticed that you were no help at all with regard to the question about the wife It is your fault I have this problem as your product is so good !!!:-)

>I noticed that you were no help at all with regard to the question >about the wife It is your fault I have this problem as your product >is so good !!!:-) LOL :-)Well, I'm all ears to good solutions to that problem as well. My wife only rolls here eyes when I'm starting up FS. Maybe try to make it work related?Actually before we got married we agreed to two things. She would leave me alone with my computers, and in return I wouldn't complain about her vegetating in front of the TV. Works great so far.Hope it helps,

PMDG,Can you answer to this problem?

Umm... I think they did. See the posts above from Anthony (amerton) regarding this.