Descent mode

[Guest grasgrotto]

Hey all, first post although I have been flying the NG for a while. I searched the forums but could not find a definative answer.I almost exclusively fly the -800 and I have a question about the DES mode, I have never actually seen this mode activated. I have my alt's programmed into the FMC, and the aircraft flies through CLB and CRZ modes correctly up to the altitude specified in the FMC and the MCP. But when at TD, I get a little bell and I change my MCP value to the first waypoint of descent, usually 16k for a STAR, the aircraft descends in VNAV PTH mode, but the EICAS still says CRZ. I know this isn't correct, and it really has no effect on my flying because I usually have to make adjustments based on ATC anyway, but I was wondering if anyone knows a particular reason this is occuring. I couldn't find an answer in the manual. Thanks.Ian GrassoAMD Athlon 64 3200+ATI Radeon 9800 2561 gig DDR SDRAMSoundBlaster AudigyVATSIM: AAL254

[Mats_J 2]

Ian,What you see in the upper DU (the one you call EICAS) is not the phase of flight. This is the thrust mode annunciator. You dont' have a DES thrust mode so you won't see it either. Hope it helps,