Hi all,

 

I am slowly getting to grips with the FMC now and can plan basic routes. I just have a few, probably easy questions...

 

First, if (as a hypothetical) I am departing London Gatwick EGKK to Paris Charles De Gaulle, where the first waypoint on my FP is Hardy (as per my VA's allocated plan), then presumably I need to follow this SID:

 

http://www.ead.eurocontrol.int/eadbasic/pamslight-12B1840E7453D3F4221DC0D69006EF40/7FE5QZZF3FXUS/EN/Charts/AD/AIRAC/EG_AD_2_EGKK_6-4_en_2011-07-28.pdf

 

So my question is, what happens if I am forced to depart Runway 8? I tried using other Sids but they each gave me a route discontinuity, so how would I go about taking off the opposite direction and getting to where I need to go?

 

My second question is, when I'm setting up the FMC perf inf when setting up take off, derate etc, there is a section that asks for CRZ/wind speed and heading. When I tried to input FL021 it tells me that I can't do that as there is an altitude restriction at (insert every single WP with an alt restriction below 19k) - how do I fix it?

 

Third question - does a STAR work exactly the same way as a SID, in as much as I get to my final Waypoint on my (presumably logical flightplan which should put me within range of a STAR), and there will be a STAR which I can click on which will not result in a route discontinuity?

 

Final question (promise!) - just now when I was setting up the FMC in the same manner I always do, the 'initiate' light didn't illuminate so I couldn't get predicted speeds for the VNAV - is this a common error and can you guys guess what it actually was I was doing wrong?

 

Slowwwwly getting there with this incredible addon :)

 

Thank you

to clear the disco all you need to do after you select the departure is click the side key to the left of the first waypoint after the disco ( the boxes) this will enter the waypoint in the scratchpad. then you want to click the side key on the left ( LSK) of the disco and then hit EXEC

 

 

As far as finding the right departure. If you can not find a procedure for the active runway that has a transition that matches the first waypoint in your route then you can always go to a website like flightaware.com and find a RW route being used that day and copy the flight plan procedures and all. This is what I do, my VA does not force us to fly the route assigned by our acars.

 

 

The crZ/windspeed is where you would input actual cruise winds. this is used by the FMC for fuel burn calculations and for a more accurate VNAV. I use active sky 2012 and you can enter the route in there and use the average ( it's listed at the bottom in the route section of AS2012..

 

If you do not have a weather program leave this blank.

First point of your route should be the end of the SID. Last point of your rout should be the start of the STAR. Sometimes you also need a transition.

 

Bert Van Bulck

Thank you guys that has cleared things up nicely. Do I enter the actual cruise winds on the ground? I'm unsure of how to override the issue of "altitude restriction at ****" - I would have thought the FMC would know 15 seconds after takeoff it won't be at cruise altitude?

 

Nevermind guys, just found the weather tutorial at the end of tutorial 2 :)

 

Many thanks

Thank you guys that has cleared things up nicely. Do I enter the actual cruise winds on the ground? I'm unsure of how to override the issue of "altitude restriction at ****" - I would have thought the FMC would know 15 seconds after takeoff it won't be at cruise altitude?

 

Nevermind guys, just found the weather tutorial at the end of tutorial 2 :)

 

Many thanks

 

the cruise winds are the winds aloft.. And yes if you have a weather program that can give you the cruise winds then yes you can put them in on the ground.