How do you program the FMC to make the plane step climb at a certain waypoint? I'm currently flying from PHNL to CYYJ as flight WJA1899 and on my flightplan it says to step to FL390 from FL370 at N43W130. How do I make it step to cross that waypoint at FL390?

Set your cruise altitude to FL390, add a alongtrack waypoint 2 or 3 minutes before N43W130 and put a FL370 restriction on it. You'll lose a little precision on the mach speed calculation, but no big deal.

 

p.s.: I've actually never tried that. Please let me know if it works.

In the top right of your cruise page there is a 'step to' line. Enter what altitude you want to step to and the FMC will tell you when it is optimal to climb to that altitude. When it's time put the step climb altitude into your cruise altitude and set your MCP altitude to the next altitude and you should start climbing.

Thanks guys!

If you roll your MCP altitude above the programmed cruise altitude, the new altitude will be pre-entered in the CDU scratchpad, making it faster to enter it in the cruise page. :)

Even quicker: Dial in new MCP cruise altitude, hit ALT INTV, good to go.

 

For what it's worth, the aircraft is not set up to automatically climb (like the MD-11 is). I'm not sure if this is Boeing's intention, but I'm assuming it's because you'd have to request it and get it approved through ATC, so it's best to request it, get it approved, and then go make the appropriate change yourself.

 

The last thing you want is to hear:

"Continental 943, you're supposed to be at FL360. You got a pen? I've got a number."

...all because you wanted to let the automagic do the work for you.

For what it's worth, the aircraft is not set up to automatically climb (like the MD-11 is). I'm not sure if this is Boeing's intention, but I'm assuming it's because you'd have to request it and get it approved through ATC, so it's best to request it, get it approved, and then go make the appropriate change yourself.

 

The last thing you want is to hear:

"Continental 943, you're supposed to be at FL360. You got a pen? I've got a number."

...all because you wanted to let the automagic do the work for you.

 

In the real 777 I know all you gotta do is go to the LEGS page and put in say FL390S for step and it will do it automatically when you get to the waypoint. I guess the 737ng doesn't have that feature I guess. But yeah I guess it's made that way for the reason you mentioned.

In any Boeing aircraft, VNAV will not violate the altitude that you have put in the MCP. Even with an "S" "constraint", it will not climb without the MCP altitude set to that new level. Generally, it is good practice to set the MCP altitude to the ATC cleared level, or you will get one of those messages that Kyle mentioned :o

Oh, I thought he wanted to set an "automatic step climb". Of course the right way is to change the cruise altitude as mentioned above.

Yes that is one thing I like on the MD-11 compared to the 737 is that as long as you have a step climb programmed into your FMC and your MCP altitude is set to it, it will climb automatically.

Even quicker: Dial in new MCP cruise altitude, hit ALT INTV, good to go.

 

 

That's what I do in such a case, once clear from ATC to climb.

I also do this in some cases to climb to a more appropriate altitude for

the direction.. Say if I've been heading appx 340 , and then make a turn to

015.. I'll usually want to climb 1000ft or whatever to be at the correct altitude

for the direction. IE: even's west of 000-180, and odd's east of 000-180 in

the US. So if I was at FL380 before the turn, I'll usually ask for FL390 when

I start the turn to the east. Or descend to FL370, if too close to TOD to want to

climb, or I'm too heavy for FL390..

In any Boeing aircraft, VNAV will not violate the altitude that you have put in the MCP. Even with an "S" "constraint", it will not climb without the MCP altitude set to that new level. Generally, it is good practice to set the MCP altitude to the ATC cleared level, or you will get one of those messages that Kyle mentioned :o

 

The S constraint doesn't seem to work. It's an invalid entry on the NGX. I was just wondering of there's a way to program the FMC to do what the S would normally do. Of course you need clearance but it would be easier if you ask for it and once cleared you just set the new ALT and the FMC climbs automatically.

The S constraint doesn't seem to work. It's an invalid entry on the NGX. I was just wondering of there's a way to program the FMC to do what the S would normally do. Of course you need clearance but it would be easier if you ask for it and once cleared you just set the new ALT and the FMC climbs automatically.

It doesn't work because he was referring to the 777, not the 737.

It is definitely not "easier" that way, it's simply more automatic. If you get clearance to climb, unless they say "climb at your discretion to..." they want you to do it now. So, you are more than welcome to attempt to time it so that you request it and get it approved right before the automagic does its thing. It's so much easier to just ask, get it approved, roll the MCP altitude up, go to the CRZ page, select the step altitude, dump it on the cruise altitude, EXEC. Done.

The last thing you want is to hear:

"Continental 943, you're supposed to be at FL360. You got a pen? I've got a number."

 

Kyle, that's a very good point and I will remember it. I think even over the big pond there will be somebody being keen to know where you are.

 

However, I would like to know whether you could principally request a flightplan telling ATC that you want to be cleared in about 1200 NM (or probably 300 NM, south of Greenland?) to climb from FL360 to FL380. At the moment I don't believe that this could work.