Arming Autothrottle

[Guest Gzr_GreenBean]

As a new user of the -600/700 and now the 800/900, I am very pleased with the NG series. I have lately started to have problems with arming the autothrottle, it just won't work. I have maybe 35 hours with it working perfectly and now i cannot get it turned on, no matter what mode I am in. Any ideas?GB

[Guest wee_davie_2612]

Hey,My first idea would be that you double check that you have connected the engine driven generators. The A/T will not work if these gens aren't connected.This is usually the main cause of this problem.Hope it helps,David

[Guest Gzr_GreenBean]

Thanks Davie, I will try that. I may well have missed a few items on the checklist (blush).GB

[Guest Gzr_GreenBean]

Davie, I had hoped this would work, but No Joy. I also wondered if PMDG had gotten really clever and failed the A/T on the Southwest birds (I hear they don't use it in operations - probably due to standardization issues, their fleet has everything from -200s to -800s).So, I am still wondering. Thanks anyway.GB

[Guest JF737WN]

Hmm, they SHOULD work. Don't forget to double check your checklists!And SWA has retired their 200's, now its just 300's, 500's and 700's.

[Guest Andrea]

After engines started (Ctrl + E or manual) remember to activate generators (low center of overhead panel).Andreahttp://www.precisionmanuals.com/images/forum/800driver.jpghttp://fs2crew.com/linepilot.jpg

[Guest wee_davie_2612]

Hey GB,This has got me confused then! Normally whenever this question shows up that is the answer.I searched through my AOM to find out what would cause this but as far as I can see the only situation that stops the AT from working is a twin generator failure, i.e. your running off the emergency batteries.I then went to test this in FS9 but then found out that any PMDG aircraft I loaded caused FS to crash and die. Had to uninstall all the PMDG and FS2Crew stuff and reinstall it. That fixed it thankfully!Anyways, I found I could engage AT with any of the generators running. I tried the following set ups: Note, when I say port and stab apu gen's there is only one gen on the apu. I'm referring to the left and right gen switches on the overhead which hook up gen power to each of AC transfer Buses.0=off, 1=onPort EDG, Port APU gen, Stab APU gen, Stab EDG, Bus Tie, Result0,0,0,0,1,01,0,0,0,1,10,0,0,1,1,11,0,0,1,1,10,1,0,0,1,10,0,1,0,1,10,1,1,0,1,10,0,0,0,0,01,0,0,0,0,10,0,0,1,0,01,0,0,1,0,10,1,0,0,0,10,0,1,0,0,00,1,1,0,0,1As you can see, there are only four combinations that result in an AT engagment error. They are the obvious two when no generators are supply power to the transfer buses, i.e. your running on batteries, transfer bus has no effect in this situation.The only other way to fail the AT is when the transfer bus is open (off) and there is no power going to AC transfer bus 1 (the port side for simplicity).So from this we can tell that the AT is reliant on power from AC bus 1.It is difficult to get into those situations though. When you fail bus 1 you fail the following:No. 1 tank forward fuel pumpCenter tank right fuel pumpGalley(s) InoperativeLeft forward window heatRight side window heatLeft No. 4 & No. 5 window heatLeft elevator pitot heatSystem B electric pumpLeft outboard landing lightRight inboard landing lightLeft runway turnoff lightNose gear taxi lightEquipment cooling normalYou'd notice this right away 'cause you get a lot of warning lights on!Make sure that the 'Gen Off Bus' lights (the blue ones) above the generator switches are off. That means you have power from them.All I can suggest from here is that youtry starting the sim from the default flight and then switch to the PMDG without touching anything. See if the AT will wok there with a fresh aircraft.Good luck,David

[Mats_J 2]

Andrea,You cheater you! Never start the engines with CTRL+E. There's no such button on the flight deck! ;-)Cheers and TGIF,

[Guest Andrea]

Yes, but it works. To learn faster how to fly PMDG 737 (from takeoff to land), at the beginning I saved as default flight a 737 standard with only engines off. After that I created a new flight with PMDG 737. It was enought to press CTRL + E and afterwards switch engines GENs on to have the aircraft ready... and A/T working.:+ :+ :+ :+ :+ :+ Andreahttp://www.precisionmanuals.com/images/forum/800driver.jpghttp://fs2crew.com/linepilot.jpg