Hi,I have just started using the PMDG 737 600/700 add-on and i am having big problems when trying to engage the autopilot.I just want to start of with the introductory flight just to get to grips with the aircraft.Everything goes fine for a start and there i am sitting on the runway ready for takeoff, so i release the parking brake and click the TOGA switch and i go motoring down the runway, i am then told to ROTATE which i do, i climb steadily and retract the landing gear. When reaching 1000 ft i press 'Z' to engage the autopilot then i press LNAV and VNAV and this is where the problems begin.The MCP indicates to me that both LNAV and VNAV are on but then VNAV switches itself off and on comes the 'speed swicth all by itself, i am nosediving, the plane is now not being controlled by A/P and is not on correct heading.i have tried this 3 times and the same has happened every time.What am i doing wrong?Help very much needed and appreciated.Chris

Chris,a few little things to check for :a) did you switch on the Flight Director (FD) ?:( did you switch on the Autothrottle (A/T) ?c) did you set up your Flight Management Computer (FMC) correctly ?d) on the MCP what altitude did you set ? maybe you can give us a screen shot as well so we can verify your settings. If all is set up correctly the Autopilot will fly your planeSteve

Flight director was on.Authothrottle was onI set up everything in the FMC as it tells me in the manualI set 10000 ft on the MCP.i tried this again just now but still no success so heres a step by step of what i do.sitting on the runway after taxi.1)Release parking brake by pressing '.'2)Click the TOGA button3)Guide the aircraft down the runway.4)Rotate to 15 degrees5)Retract landing gear6)Press 'Z' to engage the autopilot7)Press LNAV immediately followed by VNAV8)Retract FlapsThe plane should fly itself then right?instead it just keeps going in the same direction as the magenta line its supposed to be following dissapears out of my ND. Then a few seconds later i get a 'FMC FAULT' yellow message appear VNAV button then is switched off and down we go :-(Im follwing everything it tells me to do in both Fred Clausens Tutorial and the PMDG Manual.Chris

Chris,I think 'Z' is only used to disengage the A/P. You need to know the PMDG key assignment to engage the A/P. Or use the mouse.Would be good with some screenshots of your overhead and the main panel. It sounds like it could also be a setup problem.Hope it helps,

Chris,do you have a light indicating that A/P A or A/P B is activated on the MCP button for the A/P after pressing "Z" ?instead of the "Z" key, try to activate the A/P with the mouse on the MCP, see if that works.Steve

Also, you are getting the orange FMS fault - have you looked at the FMC and seen what it is telling you? It is normally very informative in it's messages - just a shot in the dark, but, I would suggest - not on intercept path - are you turning to the intercept path if that is the message?

I'd recommend starting with the basics. Leave VNAV and LNAV out of it for the time being, and use FLCH and Heading Select. This will at least get you to the point that you can confirm that the autopilot is working correctly, and there's no system foul-ups.After that, try LNAV...it's pretty tough to screw up, for the most part. Then, and only then, try VNAV. Make sure you have all of the appropriate data filled out in the FMC, though!Jon (KSEA)

Well,the Z button doesn't work for me(If I remember correctly),probably,due to the fact that the autopilot system is built by PMDG(therefore not using the default AP system).You should choose either CMDA or B with the mouse,and when you want to fully disconnect the AP click on the flat buttons under the CMD and CWS buttons on the MCP. Good luck.Regards_______________________________Georgios Arkouzis http://www.ivao.org/data/images/flags/waving/small/GR.gif SX077http://www.precisionmanuals.com/images/forum/800driver.jpg_______________________________

Thanks guys,will try everything you suggested tommorrow and if still no success i will post some screenshots.Anyway i can take more than 1 screenshots at a time whilst playing the game?Cheers,Chris

Here goes...tried everything you guys suggested, got further than i had before.It engages AP 1 VNAV and LNAV beautifully just after takeoff but then as the aircraft is turning after reaching the first waypoint...VNAV just disconnects itself. Why it does this i just dont know. I get NO 'FMC fault' alert message eitherBTW, what is the trim? In the manual it says "Also check the displayed value for the correct trim under TRIM. Set the trim"I see the trim value under TRIM but tell me more, how would i set the trim and could this be the catalyst for my problems?Anyway, like i said i have posted some screenshots.Overhead Panel before takeoff and after Taxihttp://www.cmhill.plus.com/overhead_737.bmpMain Panel on runwayhttp://www.cmhill.plus.com/cockpit_737.bmpMain Panel just after passing 1st waypointhttp://www.cmhill.plus.com/takeoff_737.bmpMain Panel just after VNAV disconnectshttp://www.cmhill.plus.com/VNAVdisco_737.bmpHopefully these may shed some light on the situationThanks Chris

Looking at your pictures I am almost certain that you have a controller problem. You are kicked out to CWS P meaning you either touched your joystick/yoke or the controller sent some noise to the software which was interpreted as a movement. Try disconnecting your controllers and do the flight again and see if the problem's still there.Hope it helps,

Chris,I agree with Mats, thats the only thing I could see from the pics as well. If there would be a faulty set up FMC it would tell you so, why it cant continue in VNAVJust out of curiousity, did you configure your joystick before the flight and hopefully you dont have a force feedback joystick.Steve

>Hi,>>I have just started using the PMDG 737 600/700 add-on and i am>having big problems when trying to engage the autopilot.>I just want to start of with the introductory flight just to>get to grips with the aircraft.>>Everything goes fine for a start and there i am sitting on the>runway ready for takeoff, so i release the parking brake and>click the TOGA switch and i go motoring down the runway, i am>then told to ROTATE which i do, i climb steadily and retract>the landing gear. >When reaching 1000 ft i press 'Z' to engage the autopilot then>i press LNAV and VNAV and this is where the problems begin.>>The MCP indicates to me that both LNAV and VNAV are on but>then VNAV switches itself off and on comes the 'speed swicth>all by itself, i am nosediving, the plane is now not being>controlled by A/P and is not on correct heading.>>i have tried this 3 times and the same has happened every>time.>>What am i doing wrong?>>Help very much needed and appreciated.>>>Chris> Have you tried manually turning it to ON? On with "Z" does not turn this A/P ON. To engage a A/P one must engage a CMD -i.e. CMD BUTTON. If anything you would be moving the A/P BAR if that with Z. Try looking in the options for keyboard commands. For LNAV, you will always get something showing you why. Have the CLIMB page up and take a screenie the moment your LNAV disconnects. Esp look at your PFD since this will show any reversions to other lateral modes.[h4]Randy J. Smith[/h4]

>Chris,>>I agree with Mats, thats the only thing I could see from the>pics as well. If there would be a faulty set up FMC it would>tell you so, why it cant continue in VNAV>>Just out of curiousity, did you configure your joystick before>the flight and hopefully you dont have a force feedback>joystick.>>SteveErm....I have a Wingman Force Feedback Joystick.Funny you should say that Mats because when the aircraft takes a turn at a waypoint the joystick actually moves on its own, looks pretty cool but i guess its not good.and yes the joystick was configured AND calibrated before the flight.Would it work it i turned Force Feedback off?I shall try it with my thrustmaster 360 steering wheel + pedals and see if it works with that, if still problems then spose id better use the keys.Thanks for your help, very much appreciated.Chris

Chris, turn off the force feedback feature. That should fix it!