Holy smokes. I never really thought of the "gradient" approach before. Is that possible with the PMDG product?

>Holy smokes. I never really thought of the "gradient">approach before. Is that possible with the PMDG product?sure is. multiple ways of doing it really, including creating your own descent paths to a runway with NO approaches.

canyonblue how do you guys fuel up planes for the day? Fill it up to cover several stops or last most of your days routes?

>canyonblue how do you guys fuel up planes for the day? Fill>it up to cover several stops or last most of your days routes?80% have fuel only for the next leg. 20% have fuel to cover 2 legs called "tankering."

Well, I cant answer for Dave, but I will let you know that each flight is fueled seperatley. Its all computer generated info, much like the fuel planners we use for FS.Hope that helps.Capn'Oz

How on earth do you fly without VNAV, autothrottles and autobrakes? I can understand the VNAV (substitue heading select) and autobrakes (just push on the toe brakes)...but autothrottles??? That seems kind of hard. Also, why did Southwest decide to get rid of VNAV, autothrottles, and autobrakes?Thank you in advance!Taylor

>How on earth do you fly without VNAV, autothrottles and>autobrakes? I can understand the VNAV (substitue heading>select) and autobrakes (just push on the toe brakes)...but>autothrottles??? That seems kind of hard. Also, why did>Southwest decide to get rid of VNAV, autothrottles, and>autobrakes?>>Thank you in advance!>>TaylorI think you are confusing LNAV with VNAV. We still use LNAV so the airplane flies itself across the country just fine, we just have to control the descents and climbs ourselves although we use the suggestions of the profiles in the FMC. No heading select here.It isn't so much as we got rid of autothrottles and autobrakes as we just never adopted them. Autobrakes are coming soon (this year likely) but autothrottles are something we just don't do, I suppose some feel it keeps us in the loop of "flying" the airplane rather than just sitting back and watching all the time. There is debate but it is far, far above my pay grade. Needless to say I think we are doing something right... it is a fantastic place to work.

>It isn't so much as we got rid of autothrottles and autobrakes>as we just never adopted them.Whats the reason for never adopting autobrakes? Did the -200 not have them?

-200 did not and likely that is a big reason. we have used RTO for several years and it seems autobrakes will make an appearance now that the -200's are gone.