FMC routes w/ Navigraph nDAC charts...help please!

[Guest SkoalFyfan]

Hi,This is a general question related to the use of FSBuild and nDAC w/ the 747X FMC. I've pre-planned my flight from CYYZ (TORONTO) to KORD(Chicago) and used a set route in FSBuild. I also selected the SAYERS2 approach with the FLINT transition.Now looking at this approach it leads to the PAPPI marker and ILS-RWY22R makes the most sense for landing. Straight-in approach from PAPPI. The thing is - how do you know what the active runway at KORD is before leaving CYYZ? I generally fly VFR based on my flight plan and select a transition in the plan that makes the most sense. When I contact FSX ATC though they told me to head to ILS-27L?So how do I fix my route in flight? The SAYRS 2 approach w/ FLINT transition to PAPPI instructs me to take the 221 radial directly over KORD from PAPPI. If I receive notice before arriving at PAPPI that I am to land at ILS-27L should I look up this chart and plot to LAIRD (outer marker for ILS27) quickly ??This is the main area where I get confused when doing approaches. Especially this SAYRS2 approach since it leads to flying directly over KORD. I have no idea how to program the FMC for ILS after flying over the airport?The Type Course Lesson 4 from KPHX to KLAX was rather simple to follow since the PDZ4 approach lead directly to the runway. Any help is greatly appreciated!Regards,Paul

[downscc 1,327]

In the real world, ATC vectors the arrivals for the approaches. The typical sequence of events is first during preflight you look at the terminal forecast for KORD to get a clue on direction of traffic at the time of arrival; secondly you listen to ATIS which gives approaches in use. Then, the enroute center clears you to the approach gate via the STAR route (probably SAYRS at 18,000 cross GHOST at 10,000). Enroute hands you off to approach at GHOST, and they tell you which approach to expect with vectors to the final.In the sim world, ignoring the horrible default MSFS AI ATC, you can determine the landing direction from whatever weather you have available. At PAPPI, you can self-navigate to the approach, use VATSIM or RadarContact, or use my SIDSTARS which provide connections between the STAR and approach.For example, my SAYRS procedure provides routing to ILS9R, ILS22R, ILS27L, ILS32R and the "as published" route to the ORD VOR in the event you are using VATSIM. Simply pick the arrival and approach that makes sense based on arrival direction and winds.My SIDSTARS are available for 66 locations, including KORD, in the AVSIM FS2004-Flight Plans library (hint: use extended search, author=dan downs, sort by date). I also include custom departure routes, especially nice at KORD which only has a vectors departure.The MSFS ATC is ignorant of STARS and DPs, so either you use it or you use the published procedures but not both.Hope this helps.

[Guest SkoalFyfan]

How do you program the FMC to fly arc based approaches?I've that some approach plates to airports I want to fly have certain ARC based approaches. You make an approach based on a transition and it leads to a DXX.X ARC approach to the next waypoint. (Eg. Montegoy Bay, or Tallinn, Estonia).Is it a matter of creating FIXES XX NM away from the airport VOR and manually using the HDG BUG to fly the arc ?thanks in advance!Paul

[downscc 1,327]

Yeah, the DME arc is problematic for the leg-fix construct in the PMDG FMC. I've heard NGX is going to use ARINC convention which includes arc-fix and so forth.Both Terry Yingling (planepath.com) and I build DME arc transitions from pseudo-waypoints to get around (I also do procedure turns), but these have to be hand-built in the sidstar file. However, Terry covers the US & UK and I've only done US locations.You could learn how to create a sidstar file.. it's not that hard. Terry has an excellent tutorial at his site.You could fly it the old fashion way that instrument rating students are taught, not hard with the RMI... just keep the needle pointing to the station and make 10-deg turns as you progress.