Hi all, sorry for my bad english. This afternoon i flew from Innsbruck to Lisbon. The flightplan was made with FSNAV and imported in the PMDG FMC. After the first leg i switched on L - and VNAV + CMD A. As soon i reached cruise level i just played a bit around with the altitude. The FMC was in the "cruise mode". Somehow i wanted to descent 1500 ft, so i adjusted the MCP and clicked on : "Alt Int". at that point, the FMC skipped to the Descent mode but i still had 300 nm to go. Is there a way to step back into the previous FMC mode? Normally its Climb, cruise and descent. But when you are in descent mode, is it possible to go back to cruise?Grtz Boby

Hi all, sorry for my bad english. This afternoon i flew from Innsbruck to Lisbon. The flightplan was made with FSNAV and imported in the PMDG FMC. After the first leg i switched on L - and VNAV + CMD A. As soon i reached cruise level i just played a bit around with the altitude. The FMC was in the "cruise mode". Somehow i wanted to descent 1500 ft, so i adjusted the MCP and clicked on : "Alt Int". at that point, the FMC skipped to the Descent mode but i still had 300 nm to go. Is there a way to step back into the previous FMC mode? Normally its Climb, cruise and descent. But when you are in descent mode, is it possible to go back to cruise?Grtz Boby

Yes, you need to go to the FMC VNAV cruise page and adjust the altitude you would like to cruise at. Then adjust the alt on the the AFDS MCP panel to the same altitude. Next use vnav to climb or descend to that altitude. You also need to watch for any altitude constraints on the legs page because in vnav the constraint that will override what's entered in the AFDS MCP altitude window.

One of the things we did at my airline for a cruise alt change was to count 1-2-3 and point at the FMC, ALT SEL, and Pressurization. Get those three items, and you're good to go.

Yes, you need to go to the FMC VNAV cruise page and adjust the altitude you would like to cruise at. Then adjust the alt on the the AFDS MCP panel to the same altitude. Next use vnav to climb or descend to that altitude. You also need to watch for any altitude constraints on the legs page because in vnav the constraint that will override what's entered in the AFDS MCP altitude window.

Extremely well put George :( That being said, the reason the FMC went into descent mode was because you used the Altitude Intervention, which, while cruising, forces the FMC into descent mode, and will descend at 1000 fpm until reaching the optimum VNAV path or reaching the MCP altitude. The FMC is still constrained by the MCP altitude.

Okay...that's clear to me! Thanks for the answers. I just tried it and yeah i made the mistake about willing to get back into the cruise mode while that is not necessary. Just set the alt on the MCP lower than the initial cruise alt (MCP reset) hit the VNAV button and the plane will follow the MCP alt until the TOD is reached. Then it follows the descent rate marker on the ND and starts to descent by the preprogrammed descent path. Beautiful...i can't wait to buy the new NG at the Aviation store in Holland!!!!Thanks again!Grtz. Boby

One of the things we did at my airline for a cruise alt change was to count 1-2-3 and point at the FMC, ALT SEL, and Pressurization. Get those three items, and you're good to go.

Hi Matt, Is the third step absolutely necessary and what would happen if you forgot it? an alarm?And would it be the same for an alt increase or decrease?Thanks,Bruno