I have input all the neccessary things into the FMC and while sitting on the runway, I flip the switch for the auto throttle, but the plane just sits there. I also cannot seem to engage lnav and vnav while on the runway. Are these things normal. I was just wondering because while doing a manual takeoff i hear the vpeeds called out and get airborn, but once i can get the autothrottle working while in the air, the plane starts to "porpoise" and stalls. Im almost sure i got the correct data entered into the FMC, so i THINK thrust settings should be right. I am running the plane in the default weight setting. I figured the v-speeds to be based on 152k lbs. also, i havent played this game in awhile, so i have forgotten a few things, such as "N1". i thought n1 data was something that was manually entered, but it seems the fmc figured out what the n1 settings were supposed to be? -Adam Harmon

Adam,I assume you are talking about the NG right? You seem to be doing some procedural errors here. Have you read through the expanded checklists that's in the manual? Flipping the A/T will just ARM it. You need to activate it too. For TO/GA (take-off/go-around) that's done pushing the TO/GA buttons on the throttle levers (magic screw on MCP (mode control panel) in 2D :-)).The A/P on the NG can not be armed on the runway so yor observation that LNAV and VNAV don't 'engage' is correct.The porpoising and the eventual stall is probably due to you trying to fly outside the current flight envelope. Check your weights and altitudes and try again. Also check you have all weights in either metric or imperial units for both FS and PMDG settings. Check the FMA (flight mode annunciator) at the top of the PFD (primary flight display) to understand what your AFDS is doing.Hope it helps,

Not sure whether I "activated" it or not. Im going to guess so because i have made many flights with it working. I was just stumped about whether or not it was something that would control thrust while taking off, AND the fact that I cant seem to learn what speed i should be at, or what alt i should be at, once i CAN get the lnav and vnav engaged so the autothrottle kicks in. Seems im always either oversped or underspeed and maybe that is why the autothrottle is going haywire trying to get to its proper climbing thrust. Not sure if the above makes sense. Im no pilot, and am trying hard to learn this stuff, but its very overwhelming. As far as checkilists go, there are quite a few of them in the manual. cant say i went over each and every one of them, but if your refering to the FMC checklist..that I have done. I think i have that down pretty well. its just getting everythiong into "sync" while climbing and decending that seems to be beyond my grasp.