I bought the 744 a couple weeks ago and have been struggling ever since. I haven't posted a note, but have been reading (online/manuals)! Lots of info, but I am still climbing the difficult learning curve. With not too much info on tutorials...(I saw the site at smithplanet and that helped) I have been working on the does/don'ts of the 744. Tonight is the first flight I made that kinda worked!!! I am so excited.... But oh my good what a road. I flew from SEA-SFO with a SID/STAR and used the FMC with only 2 problems, over speed on decent that was easily handeled with speed brakes and the TD was posted before my first fix on the SID??? I had to manually put in the ALT on my step downs to the ILS, but the FMC made an ILS capture to SFO ILS28R and made an auto landing!!! This is my first flight out of dozens that the I got the FMC to even attempt VNAV and it never was able to fly an ILS.I wish you could us the NAV radios with out the FMC...??? It is goofy the you have to always use the FMC??? I have had lots of problems with the FMC and could not make an ILS approach because I couldn't put the ILS freg. into the FMC??? The 737 alows for manual radio input! I love the feel of the 744! It flies great, and I really like that it feels like it is heavy when it is!

>I wish you could us the NAV radios with out the FMC...??? It>is goofy the you have to always use the FMC??? I have had lots>of problems with the FMC and could not make an ILS approach>because I couldn't put the ILS freg. into the FMC??? The 737>alows for manual radio input! The real airplane tunes radios only through the FMC and so does this one... If you have the ILS approach selected on the DEP/ARR page the FMC will automatically tune the ILS and course for you when you are within range of the terminal area.

Will I understand what you are saying, it IS a long and hard road, but I an everyone in here promise you, that if you stick to it with out quitting, by your 3-8th flight you will for sure be on top and get a kick out of it!I think the level of dificulty also reflects the level of satisfaction there is to be achieved in the end.Boaz...

>I bought the 744 a couple weeks ago and have been struggling>ever since. I haven't posted a note, but have been reading>(online/manuals)! Lots of info, but I am still climbing the>difficult learning curve. With not too much info on>tutorials...(I saw the site at smithplanet and that helped) I>have been working on the does/don'ts of the 744. Tonight is>the first flight I made that kinda worked!!! I am so>excited.... But oh my good what a road. I flew from SEA-SFO>with a SID/STAR and used the FMC with only 2 problems, over>speed on decent that was easily handeled with speed brakes and>the TD was posted before my first fix on the SID??? I had to>manually put in the ALT on my step downs to the ILS, but the>FMC made an ILS capture to SFO ILS28R and made an auto>landing!!! This is my first flight out of dozens that the I>got the FMC to even attempt VNAV and it never was able to fly>an ILS.>>I wish you could us the NAV radios with out the FMC...??? It>is goofy the you have to always use the FMC??? I have had lots>of problems with the FMC and could not make an ILS approach>because I couldn't put the ILS freg. into the FMC??? The 737>alows for manual radio input! >>I love the feel of the 744! It flies great, and I really like>that it feels like it is heavy when it is! >When you get more than about half way thru your route press the "Init" key on the FMC (upper left corner). You will see "Approach", press it's LSK. You will then see two choices.Flaps- 25/170Flaps- 30/164Blank- --/---Down select whatever flaps setting/speed you want to use,( puts it in scratch pad), then select the blank --/--- LSK and whatever you selected up top will appeare where the balnk entry was.All this providing you setup up the arrivals page as Ryan said.OK, what you just did was un-park the course selector and enterd the flap/speed into the FMC automaticaly. Go the the "LEGS" page where your runway is listed and you will see the VREF +5 speed was entered for you, as well as the correct course.Regards

Thanks, it works when I get the FMC to work properly...

Working on it!!!! Thanks

Thanks.....