I tried searching the documentation and this site for an answer, I couldn't find a clear one.How do you program a transition from Descent to Approach on the FMC without using STARs?I'm trying to enter a flight on the FMC and preselect a RWY with an ILS approach but I guess there should be some lateral transition entered so that the aircraft can break off the direct routing to the airport and commence vector-like intercept for the ILS. Is it possible to do that, or do we have to always put in a STAR?If anyone can point me to a detailed explanation of programming and executing an approach from the FMC would be greatly appreciated.Thanks in advance,Rob

>I tried searching the documentation and this site for an>answer, I couldn't find a clear one.>>How do you program a transition from Descent to Approach on>the FMC without using STARs?>>I'm trying to enter a flight on the FMC and preselect a RWY>with an ILS approach but I guess there should be some lateral>transition entered so that the aircraft can break off the>direct routing to the airport and commence vector-like>intercept for the ILS. Is it possible to do that, or do we>have to always put in a STAR?>>If anyone can point me to a detailed explanation of>programming and executing an approach from the FMC would be>greatly appreciated.>>Thanks in advance,>>RobRob,STARS are not always available at or used at some airports. You put in a STAR if ATC clears you for a STAR arrival. ATC prefers you to use a STAR because it simplifies your clearance to that airport.Instead of STAR's the other options are ATC radar vectors to the final approach course or just build a route yourself in the FMC using transition fix's and custom waypoints.To find out more information go to the PMDG website, Downloads, Documentation, Flight Management Computer (FMC), page 8-24 Arrival/Departure Procedures. This chapter should answer a lot of your questions.If this doesn't help, come on back.Floyd

Thanks,I'll read that chapter again. I may have missed some info the first time.I tried a flight where there was no STAR, and although a runway (ILS) was selected on the FMC, it was missing some kind of transition I suspect, because the plane kept going direct for the airport, and the ILS was showing as white dashes.I gather I need to make up a point (a transition) so that the FMC can get from the flight Route to the runway used for landing. Can someone just make up a transition? I guess it would have to be located somewhere to able to facilitate an ILS intercept.I will keep trying.Thanks for the post.Rob

If you chose a rwy (not an ILS) then you can extend a rwy ext point at 10 miles for a FAF. [h4]Randy J. Smith[/h4]

Rob,The White Dashes extend on the runway centerline 14.2nm. If there wasn't a magenta line with waypoints extending from the runway center line then I don't think you even had an ILS approach selected. Maybe a screen shot would help?But yes, you can make up a Transition of your own. Connect it to the first ILS waypoint to get rid of the ROUTE DISCONTINUITY.Just wondering, do you know how to do an INTERCEPT COURSE TO using an ILS waypoint in the FMC LEGs page?Floyd

I'll try to post a screen shot.There are some white dashes extending from the centre line but the magenta line goes straight from the aircraft to the centre of the airport. I guess that's the Route Discontinuity that you speak of.I don't think I know how to do an Intercept Course To using an ILS waypoint on the FMC.Is it easy to do? :-) Thanks for all the help so far.Rob

I haven't worked out how to do a screen shot but I did go a little further.Under the Arrival page for airports, for example CYYC (Calgary), I see a whole bunch of NDB and VOR approaches associated with the Runways there, but no ILS. Is that normal? I know for a fact that Calgary has at least 3 ILS approaches. Thats why I can't seem to be able to select ILS for an approach on the FMC.I did figure out how to create a fix extending from the centre line of the runway so the FMC can follow it. That makes it easy to intercept the LOC manually. But I just can't see ILS approaches under the Arrival page.Rob

Hi Rob,would these links be of help to you:http://stoenworks.com/Tutorials/IFR%2C%20V...Approaches.htmlhttp://stoenworks.com/Tutorials/IFR%2C%20V...Approaches.htmlhttp://stoenworks.com/Tutorials/IFR%2C%20N...Approaches.htmland some additional litterature:http://av-info.faa.gov/data/traininghandbo...083-15-1of2.pdfhttp://av-info.faa.gov/data/traininghandbo...083-15-2of2.pdfOK these links will explain a lot about VOR?DME approaches where no ILS is available but it may put you on the right track.Hope this helpsPS.: I just realized that the same links were posted on the MSFS General forum a few days ago. My apologies if this is nothing new to you.Michael

Thanks for the information Michael.I am familiar with all that info already. I got my IFR ticket about eight years ago. I'm just having problems with the FMC on the 737NG/800 in that I cannot seem to be able to find any ILS approaches on the FMC for Canada. For example; Calgary, Vancouver and Toronto, nothing other than NDB and VOR approaches.I read almost all the documentation and some tutorials with no luck. I've been searching here for the past couple of days on past posts but that hasn't really come up with anything other than hints.I downloaded the 0501 AIRAC and procedures. I'm beginning to realise that they may be just missing from the database. There is no ILS info there for Canada, at least not that I can find. So I'm just fiddling around crudely with creating a point from a rwy extention so that the FMC will at least get me there to be able to intercept a manual ILS. I think that

Rob,Your right, there might be some approaches missing from the FMC data base. There is a way to permanently construct your own SID's, STAR's and APP's and that can be found in the documentation. If you go to other airports such as KSFO, you will find plenty of ILS approaches in the FMC.To fly the ILS simulating ATC radar vector's to the final approach course use the INTERCEPT COURSE TO method. -ARR/ Depp page, select the ILS approach you want to fly-LEGs page, copy the ILS FAF waypoint to the scratchpad-LEGs page, push line 1L to copy ILS FAF waypoint to line 1L-LEGS page, type the ILS course into the scratchpad,for Example, 081 -LEGs page, push line 6R (INTC CRS ), should now show 081, ExecuteNow, on the ND, you should see a magenta line extending from the ILS runway to infinity. This is the ILS final approach course.Vector the airplane around yourself to any point beyond the active waypoint and intercept the ILS final approach course using HDG mode and a 30 degree angle. Set the ILS course in the MCP course window, set the ILS frequency in the #1 NAV radio. Push the APP button on the MCP.Good luck,Floyd

Thanks alot Floyd,I'm slowly starting to get it. It only took 5 days. :) Its funny because I've done a lot of flying, commercially and privately in Canada and Australia and now work in ATC yet I feel like I know the least here, by far.But thanks for everyone for being so patient and I gotta say what a wonderful product this PMDG is.Cheers.:-beerchug