Landing using FMC and ATC

[Guest stevepow]

Ok this is the deal i have no problem with my departure climb or cruise my problem is the decent with ATC i like to use the built in ATC that comes with MSFS 2004 now my problem starts when ATC takes me off of my FMC course by giving me headings. As i was following the heading my Fmc was still tracking the last waypoint i was following And i could do nothjing to make it stop following that waypoint and jump to the ILS rnway heading It never caught the localizer or anything. What can i do to get around this problem.i want to be able to follow the ATC heading and then set the FMC to catch the localizer and ILS approach

[Guest HowardP]

Hi,try using the ditect to function on the Fmc. If you have it on the last waypoint it should capture the ils.Howard

[Guest HowardP]

Sorry DIRECT to function.......

[WAD3 0]

If you follow the the directions of the ATC they will eventually set you on a course to Capture the localizer. You need to have the runway localizer dialed into your 1 and 2 nav radios. When you are given the final direction to capture the localizer press vor/loc button or app and you will start on your way to landing. This is a simplistic overview. What I would do if I were you is that I would read the manual and then find a tutorial so you can fly the approaches the proper way using all the aircraft and FMC have to offer.

[Guest stevepow]

To Andrew,Ok i did that ATC told me the last heading and to stay at FL2600 until established on the localizer. I had the nav 1 set to 109.90but nothing ever happend i hit approche and nothing happend but i noticed that on the FMC it was still tracking ATTIX the last way point and you can see that the miles from that way point were getting higher and not smaller how is it so that i set up the FMC to let me do the approach when i am ready. Also you said in your reply that i needed to set mtNAV 1 and NAV 2 radios but wouldnt that be for an auto landing shouldnt i only have to set my nav 1 radio olease tell me what i should do

[Guest jettjokk]

Sounds like you may have missed one operation. Assuming you were in LNAV mode tracking the last waypoint ATTIX and assuming that was a course that would intercept the ILS, BEFORE reaching the ILS turn on the VOR/LOC button. Leave LNAV or HSG also on, whichever you are using. When the localizer becomes active-that is when the little pink course deviation indicator turns to solid pink and begins to move to the center, then hit APP. If you want autoland you must tune the NAV2 radio to the ILS frequency also. Do this just as the glideslope indicator becomes active. If you choose not to autoland only NAV1 needs to be tuned to the ILS frequency.Hope that helps.DanS

[Guest boxjockey99]

The other posters are correct, ATC will give you headings to intercept the LOC so this is how I would play it:starting in the cruise in LNAV you are given initial descent and then headings:- ONce given a heading you go to HDG SEL mode and set the headings as you get them- You should already have BOTH nav radios set with the ILS frequency, you are correct both are only REQUIRED when doing an autoland but it is good practice to set both so your F/O sees the same picture as you do! - Once on an intercept heading you need to arm VOR/LOC by hotting the VOR/LOC button and this should capture the LOC. - Once captured on the LOC hit the APP button to arm the g/s mode for glide slope capture.Thats the basics now as you say the FMC will be merrilly telling you how far you are from the last waypoint. It should cycle to the next waypoint as they pass behind you but I am not sure if the PMDG system does that. Once on headings I tend to bring up the next sensible waypoint to the top of the legs page, this gives you a sensible track milage on the PROG page to gauge your descent profile. Once you know the FMC (LNAV / VNAV modes) will be of no further use you could also extend the centreline. This is done by bringing up the CF (CentreFix - eg CF32 would be Centrefix for RW 32) waypoint for the approach then type the inbound course in the scratchpad and put it in the INTC CRS box in the bottom right corner. This extends the magenta line on the Nav Display out from the runway on the inbound course giving you a line to aim your intercept at!Not sure if that helps, its a bit difficult to see what the problem is as I don't know what mode you are in when trying to intercept, a pic would help Happy trails Kris

[Guest stevepow]

hey Kris ,What im going to do tonight is take the flight again and take a video and pictures of it the pictures i will post here with information but i can also send you the viseo so you can put it into your simulator and see whats going on first hand and tell me what im doing wrong

[Guest boxjockey99]

Just the piccies will be fine! should be able to see what is going on from that just make sure you are in ZOOM panel so I can see the screen properly, oh and in MAP mode on the nav displayKris

[Guest stevepow]

Ok guys i dont know what the problem was the last time but everything seems to be fine now i made 2 flights and landed safly. now on the third flight i went from Kfnt to klga now the thing is when i took off everything was fine then ATC gave me my first heading of 175. Now the problem was that that was the only heading they gave me all the way to my FL it never told me to go to my plan route everytime i tried to turn towards my planed route ATC would Tell me to turn back to the 175 heading i flew that heading for about 200 NM then i shut down the sim. So whats going on here My passengers want to go home (lol)

[Guest boxjockey99]

Steven glad to hear you seem to havew the landing thing worked out, This new problem is a common one in MSFS ATC so you just have to grit your teeth and bear it, it doesn't happen too often but it is certainly a bug with the sim not the PMDG aircraftKris

[Guest stevepow]

so is this something that i would have to restart the sim or is this something that i wont be able to fly that flight plan

[Guest boxjockey99]

usually it is fine next time you fly, ie go back to the menu and create the flight again. Happens occassinally, FS ATC gets muddled up!Kris

[pbenoit 0]

not advertising here, but you might want to try Radar Contact instead of using MSFS ATC ... a very nice addition!!!

[Guest scottb434]

Hi Kris, Hi Folks, I am new member and this is my first post, I am having much success flying the 737NG and I really enjoy this forum. Thanks to all contributors.The most difficult part of flying the 737NG for me is getting the Vnav descent right. While on a descent Vnav path and getting close to my destination, ATC tells me that I am +/- of my current altitude. This is fine as I can request a decrease in altitude. When I request a larger decrease in altitude while on the descent path, I get ATC telling be to hurry up since the Vnav descent rate is not fast enough.I was wondering what the correct procedure is. What is done in the real world when you are flying a Vnav descent and you are interfacing with ATC. Is it possible to simulate a real Vnav path descent with MSFS?I find your input very enlightening and appreciate you helping out us simmers!Thanks, Scott