Hey, just want to say that as a real world 737-700 driver, you guys did an excellent job!!! The one thing I do have a question about is the type of descent programmed into the FMC for VNAV descents. My company uses idle thrust descent profiles and it appears this sim uses constant path geometry profiles. Is there a way to trigger/program Idle Thrust Descents or is the FMC hard coded for just constant path descents?Thanks.

I'm sure someone in the know will answer, but I think Ryan said it's hard-coded. It's not in the config files that I could find.

I do not see the problem. I can fly the NGX with IDLE thrust down to the GS any time. No problem for me.And by the way, please sign your full real name to your posts according to the forum rules.

I do not see the problem. I can fly the NGX with IDLE thrust down to the GS any time. No problem for me.And by the way, please sign your full real name to your posts according to the forum rules.

I don't think he's talking about a problem, but merely a question about the descent profile.As far as I know the Idle-Thrust descent is the old way for the FMC to plan a descent. The constant path descent is a little more energy saving.There's no option to change the NGX descent profile, but it would sure be nice for a future update.

Edited February 14, 201214 yr by lassekronborg

Lasse is correct. It's not a "problem." The idle thrust descent is part of a software option when airlines buy the package. One type of descent is energy efficient while the other is fuel efficient. What idle thrust descent profiles do is delay the TOD later such that each crossing restriction is made with a descent at idle thrust, therefore a steeper descent.

Hi PeterSorry I cannot answer your question as most of my landings need a hope and a prayer to get on the ground, however as I noticed this is your first couple of posts would like to welcome you to the forum, and as you are a real world pilot hopefully you will visit regularly and answer some questions that armchair pilots like myself often have as this is how I try to elevate myself to my next level of understanding of aviation matters. For example that simple explanation above gives me knowledge I never had before.Kind regardsJohn Calleja (armchair pilot)

@JohnThanks for the kind "Welcome." I'm sure I'll be lurking and such as time permits.

I do not see the problem. I can fly the NGX with IDLE thrust down to the GS any time. No problem for me.And by the way, please sign your full real name to your posts according to the forum rules.

By the way, his name is there!Bert Van Bulck

So what is the difference between being energy efficient and fuel efficient? Shouldn't that be the same?

A descent normally comes in phases (because of altitude restrictions). What the fmc does is calculating backwards (so from end of descent to top of descent) what the vertical path is that needs to be followed. If the distance between two altitude constraints is such that it can be achieved with an idle descent, the plane will do an idle descent. If not, you will have a geometric descent. Because of this the first descent (from T/D to first constraint) will be idle descent and the remaining descent are (nine out of ten) geometric descents.Regards,Maurice van Kester