I've got several questions about the 744 cockpit.1. When I turn off F/D I also lose the LNAV and ALT indications on the left CRT. Is this supposed to happen? Are you supposed to leave F/D on all the time? I ask this because of the issues with the SPEED indicator vanishing that have been posted here.2. Are the fire handles for engines still supposed to be in darkness? I thought the patch was supposed to make them easier to see.Easy questions I hope.

well, if you are doing a complete automated flight, then yes, the flight directors should be turned on. remember, your FMA should annunciate the thrust mode if you are using A/T. if it is blank, then auto throttle isn't engaged.fire handles are not supposed to be in darkness. mine aren't. hmmm.

The autopilot gives commands to the flight director - if the flight director is off, the autopilot can't give any commands, thus the blank FMA.

That answers the F/D question clearly... what about the dark fire handles on the overhead console? I've patched 744 but they are still completely dark.

I think I have lost the plot with this thread. My understanding is that there is no requirement to have the FD on for the autopilot to be active. Furthermore the FMA should be working with the FD's off.Not sure whether this has been fixed in the F.Its worth having aread of Janov's two excellent test flights one of which is here - see the 6th paragraph.http://forums.avsim.net/dcboard.php?az=sho...ing_type=searchGreat aeroplane anyway.

>The autopilot gives commands to the flight director - if the>flight director is off, the autopilot can't give any commands,>thus the blank FMA.Ryan,It is my understanding that in 747 the whole AP/FD stuff (logic) resides in 3 FCC boxes. If you look at the schematics in the big Boeing manual the information flows from MCP (or FMC) to those 3 FCCs (Flight Control Computers). FD is just the display so flipping it off doesn't deprive autopilot of any information what to do. I see the point Howard is making and Janov (real 744 driver) once made in his long post that in 747 autopilot will work fine with FD being off (blank FMA). Maybe it is another one of those customer options. Not being real 747 driver I don't know for sure but I see the point Howard and Janov are making.Michael J.http://www.precisionmanuals.com/images/forum/pmdg_744F.jpghttp://sales.hifisim.com/pub-download/asv6-banner-beta.jpg

The AP does fine without the FD, but they should remain on when engaged. The FD should always be on before AP engagement. Also,it has to be on before LNAV and VNAV can be selected.