747 radial tracking?

[IMAGRANDPA2 0]

Hi Gents,Well as usual I can't figure things out for myself, even with the help of the manual! This is an unlikely scenario I think but if for some reason I needed the aircraft to track a particular VOR radial, how do I configure the FMC and /or the MCP to get the job done? Apologies for being so dense on something that is likely very simple for others.Thank you,Eric Olson

[yos233 1]

<VOR><RADIAL (3 digits)>/<DISTANCE>

[Matt2218 4]

Hi Gents,Well as usual I can't figure things out for myself, even with the help of the manual! This is an unlikely scenario I think but if for some reason I needed the aircraft to track a particular VOR radial, how do I configure the FMC and /or the MCP to get the job done? Apologies for being so dense on something that is likely very simple for others.Thank you,Eric Olson

Eric (Olson);Page 12-36 of the FMC users manual talks about how to fly DIRECT to a waypoint by intercepting and following a given radial from wherever you happen to be.But I think Eric Vander's idea is a lot easier. It's kind of confusing so I'll use an example. Let's say you want to fly to the CASANOVA VOR from the South (on the 180 radial), starting at 10 miles out. You could make two waypoints in your flightplan that look like this:-CSN180/10-CSNSo, from the previous waypoint in your plan it should fly to the new spot 10 miles south of CSN, then fly directly up to CSN on that radial (Northward).Make sense? I haven't tried this exact scenario so if it doesn't work let me know! Matt Smith

[MrPlaneDriver 41]

Hi Gents,Well as usual I can't figure things out for myself, even with the help of the manual! This is an unlikely scenario I think but if for some reason I needed the aircraft to track a particular VOR radial, how do I configure the FMC and /or the MCP to get the job done? Apologies for being so dense on something that is likely very simple for others.Thank you,Eric Olson

As you may have noticed, there isn't a NAV frequency selector in the centre pedestal, where the radios are located, and there isn't also a course selector on the MCP. In the 747, the only way to use this functions is by the FMC. I'll tell you how. On the FMS, click the NAV/RAD button and the NAV RADIO page will open. Right below the title, in the first line, is written VOR L and VOR R. Generally, there is a frequency already set with the letter "A" beside it. This "A" means 'automatic', cause the NAV frequency is automaticaly set by the flight computers, but you can set them manually. Just type the frequency of the VOR you want to find below the VOR L or VOR R line, and that "A" I told you will turn into a "M" of 'manual'. Under the frequency line is written CRS, what means course. Type the course you want to follow below the frequency you've set. A line in the ND display will show the course you selected before, I just don't remember if this line is dashed or not, but there will be a line. Now it's done. Just intercept that course and arm the LOC button on the MCP to follw the track. By the way, you only need to set one of the two frequency selectors, the frequency should be typed in the format XXX.XX or you can type the VOR iddentifier, that usually is a 3-letter code, and the course format is XXX.

[Matt2218 4]

Sorry - operator error.

[IMAGRANDPA2 0]

Thanks everyone. I think that I have it now and will give it a try.Eric Olson

[TwnFlyBoy747 0]

well, say you want to track inbound to TTT VOR via 088 radial:1. Go to FMC CDU Leg page, and type in TTT in scratch pad area2. Select TTT and put on top of the leg page (TTT appear on top of the page, also create ROUTE DISCONUITY directly under)3. INTC CRS TO appears on the lower right-hand corner(next to 6R key), type in 268 in the boxes and press the CDU 6R key to indicate the course you want to intercept and track inbound 4. Press Execute button, now you'll see a magenta line on your ND to indicate the course5. Press HDG select sw on you MCP and verify HDG SEL PFD roll flight mode annunciated to give an intercept angle, say 280, or 240 depends on which side of the radial you're trying intercept this radial6. Press LNAV switch on MCP panel to arm LNAV as PFD roll flight mode on the MCP panel once you're closed to the radial.7. Remember to observe the interception, verify LNAV on PFD roll flight mode be annunciated from the prior PFD HDG SEL roll flight mode.Secondly, when intent to track TTT VOR radial outbound:1. Go to FMC CDU Leg page, and type in TTT088/50 in scratch pad area. (This is to create an imaginary waypoint outbound from TTT VOR radial to a waypoint 50NM out from TTT)2. Select this new waypoint from CDU scratch pad and put on top(1L key) of the leg page3. INTC CRS TO appears on the lower right-hand corner(next to 6R key), type 088 in the boxes and press the CDU 6R key to indicate the course you want to intercept and track inbound to the NEW WAYPOINT.4. Execute button, now you'll see a magenta line on your ND to indicate the course5. Press HDG select sw on you MCP to give an intercept angle, say 100, or 060 depends on which side of the radial you're trying intercept this radial6. Press LNAV sw on the MCP panel to arm the PFD roll flight mode once you're closed to the radial.7. Observe the interception, LNAV should be annuniciated from the prior PFD HDG SEL roll flight mode.THIS IS HOW I WOULD'VE DONE IT IN THE AIRPLANE, LET ME KNOW HOW IT WORKS FOR YOU IN THE SIM, GOOD LUCK!!

[pfsantos7777 0]

On 7/16/2010 at 6:16 PM, MrPlaneDriver said:

IMAGRANDPA2 said:

Hi Gents,Well as usual I can't figure things out for myself, even with the help of the manual! This is an unlikely scenario I think but if for some reason I needed the aircraft to track a particular VOR radial, how do I configure the FMC and /or the MCP to get the job done? Apologies for being so dense on something that is likely very simple for others.Thank you,Eric Olson

As you may have noticed, there isn't a NAV frequency selector in the centre pedestal, where the radios are located, and there isn't also a course selector on the MCP. In the 747, the only way to use this functions is by the FMC. I'll tell you how. On the FMS, click the NAV/RAD button and the NAV RADIO page will open. Right below the title, in the first line, is written VOR L and VOR R. Generally, there is a frequency already set with the letter "A" beside it. This "A" means 'automatic', cause the NAV frequency is automaticaly set by the flight computers, but you can set them manually. Just type the frequency of the VOR you want to find below the VOR L or VOR R line, and that "A" I told you will turn into a "M" of 'manual'. Under the frequency line is written CRS, what means course. Type the course you want to follow below the frequency you've set. A line in the ND display will show the course you selected before, I just don't remember if this line is dashed or not, but there will be a line. Now it's done. Just intercept that course and arm the LOC button on the MCP to follw the track. By the way, you only need to set one of the two frequency selectors, the frequency should be typed in the format XXX.XX or you can type the VOR iddentifier, that usually is a 3-letter code, and the course format is XXX.

Gonna try this out.  Didn't know about the "arm the LOC button".  Yes, thread resurrection after over 10.5 years.  But had to say thanks in advance.