Hi anybody,I'd like to make a back course approach with the 737 pmdg.But despite I turn the ils frequences (on the two nav buttons), pushloc then app (and the a and b autopilots), the aircraft is not localized by the the ils of the opposite side of the runway.Morover, there is no bc button in the 737 pmdg, so how could I make a backcourse approach please ?jc michel

I think you keep it on loc mode, pushing app will try and set up for a GS and when there is none it shuts off? Not sure though

>Hi anybody,>>I'd like to make a back course approach with the 737 pmdg.>But despite I turn the ils frequences (on the two nav>buttons), push>loc then app (and the a and b autopilots), the aircraft is not>localized by the the ils of the opposite side of the runway.>Morover, there is no bc button in the 737 pmdg, so how could I>make a backcourse approach please ?>>jc michel Back courses in the real aircraft, and the PMDG, are flown in LNAV mode, as the autopilot does not have a mode to track a back course. You load the approach on the FMC first.You still tune the localizer, and monitor the course deviation while flying in LNAV. You can use VNAV, or VS to maintain the vertical profile of the approach.Best wishes,

Tim is correct. Keep in mind that the PNF will maintain MAP mode in his/her ND while the PF must display raw data (VOR). I understand that this may vary from SOP to SOP though.

>Tim is correct. Keep in mind that the PNF will maintain MAP>mode in his/her ND while the PF must display raw data (VOR). >I understand that this may vary from SOP to SOP though.I need to check, but I believe that the raw data can be seen on the CDI on the PFD Attitude indicator.Also, you need to have Service update 3 or the 800/900 (I forget which) for the localizer to display properly. Earlier versions would not display properly - the CDI would go to full deflection one way or another instead of showing incremental deviation.

Thank's for your answers, I'll try that as soon as I can,jc

>>Tim is correct. Keep in mind that the PNF will maintain>MAP>>mode in his/her ND while the PF must display raw data (VOR).>>>I understand that this may vary from SOP to SOP though.>>I need to check, but I believe that the raw data can be seen>on the CDI on the PFD Attitude indicator.>>Also, you need to have Service update 3 or the 800/900 (I>forget which) for the localizer to display properly. Earlier>versions would not display properly - the CDI would go to full>deflection one way or another instead of showing incremental>deviation.tim is correct, the CDI on the PFD will show raw data, not the FMC/LNAV course. we fly the approach from the FAF by hand or HDG mode, LNAV up to that point. make sure to set the CDI to the FRONT COURSE, ie. if the inbound of the back course is 180 you would set the MCP window for the CDI to 000 for proper sensing.

>the FRONT COURSE, ie. if the inbound of the back course is 180>you would set the MCP window for the CDI to 000 for proper>sensing.That makes me wonder. If sensing is correct why wouldn't AP in NAV (or APP) mode fly it as well ?EDIT: I think I can guess the answer. Bot LNAV and APP need the course information (not just sensing) and are not programmed to handle cases where course information would be 180 deg opposite to the desired sensing.Michael J.WinXP-Home SP2,AMD64 3500+,Abit AV8,Radeon X800Pro,36GB Raptor,1GB PC3200,Audigy 2http://www.precisionmanuals.com/images/forum/747400.jpg

>tim is correct, the CDI on the PFD will show raw data, not the>FMC/LNAV course. we fly the approach from the FAF by hand or>HDG mode, LNAV up to that point. make sure to set the CDI to>the FRONT COURSE, ie. if the inbound of the back course is 180>you would set the MCP window for the CDI to 000 for proper>sensing.Hey Dave,Did the standardization folks give you a reason for using HDG mode after the FAF instead of keeping it in LNAV? I know a couple other airlines that keep it in LNAV the whole way - wondered if your airline just doesn't trust the LNAV that much or whether its another way of;Standardizing across all the different 737 models you fly, orKeeping you more in touch with the airplane by requiring more interaction (like tweaking the heading in a crosswind).I find it interesting - not using the automation to it's full capacity certainly keeps the pilots more involved (which is good), but increases their workload (which is generally considered bad). One could find people that would take sides as to which method is "safer", and it sure makes for interesting debates.I've found that when i fly without the autothrottle and in the "dumber" modes (like HDG and VS instead of LNAV and LVL CHG) that my flight path isn't as "perfect" as what the autopilot could acheive, but I'm so much more involved that I catch little things earlier.Would be interesting to take a couple of pilots from two different airlines, one of which doesn't use all the automation, and one that does, and put them through identical normal and abnormal scenarios in the sim, and evaluate the differences in how the crews perform and the flight path of the two airplanes.