So I have the fmc programmed for the whole flight. I'm on the last waypoint of the STAR and want to go to manual flight for the landing. The aircraft if configured for an RNAV landing (do I have this right?) and I now want an ILS landing. What do I do? I can input the ILS frequency into the FMC but how do I input the course? When I turn off the autopilot I have control over pitch and yaw but I have to control the speed using the speed indicator. How do I turn that off?

 

This is my first time using an FMC and I'm having some fun at it. What a great aircraft!!!

how do I input the course?

 

Just enter "FFF.FF/CCC" (frequency/course) on the NAV RAD page.

 

When I turn off the autopilot I have control over pitch and yaw but I have to control the speed using the speed indicator.

 

You should control speed through a combination of pitch and use of the thrust levers. You can use the speed selector to control the flight director.

 

What do I do?

 

If the ILS frequency and course are entered on the NAV RAD page the G/S and localizer indicators should be on the PFD. Follow those down to the runway. Or you can set the FMS up for an ILS approach and manually fly that.

Have a look at the tutorial flight. It helps to explain a lot of what you're asking. If not the first one (which is included with the plane), there's an Advanced Tutorial either on PMDG's site or on AVSIM's file library.

 

By the way, there are a few terms being misused here:

It's an RNAV approach. RNAV approaches do not terminate with landings via automation (autopilot), currently. You'll note that if you look at any of the approach plates, none of them have a solid line all the way down to the runway.

 

If you'd like to switch to an ILS approach, you can easily change it by going in and selecting an ILS approach the same way you selected the RNAV approach. While there are certain facilities and airlines/cargolines that have certified equipment for landings via automation, it's still an ILS approach.

 

The corrections are being provided in an effort to separate the terms 'approach' and 'landing' for you and anyone else who happens to pass by this thread. There are way too many simmers who believe that aircraft land via automation routinely, and that's simply not the case.

 

 

 

To disconnect the autoflight (autopilot in MD terms), it's best to assign a key command via the PMDG Options menu in the sim. I think I used CTRL+SHIFT+1 for autoflight, and CTRL+SHIFT+2 for the autothrottle. From there, I linked my joystick buttons to those key commands and I can do it all with my hands at the ready.

 

Also, just a little side note here:

McDonnell Douglas's standard procedure for the MD-11 is to leave the autothrottle on through the approach and landing, regardless of the autoflight being engaged or not (also mentioned in the tutorials, which, again, are very helpful in figuring this whole thing out).

To disconnect the autoflight (autopilot in MD terms), it's best to assign a key command via the PMDG Options menu in the sim. I think I used CTRL+SHIFT+1 for autoflight, and CTRL+SHIFT+2 for the autothrottle. From there, I linked my joystick buttons to those key commands and I can do it all with my hands at the ready.

 

Kyle

 

Why would it be best to assign a key commabd via the PMDG Options menu? I use the FSX default key Z. I press it twice. The first press disconnects the autopilot and the second press stops aural warning.

 

Michael Cubine

Michael,

 

If I remember correctly, I used the PMDG Options option because it specified a "soft disconnect" (that may have been the 744, and I just followed the same procedure with the MD-11 - I did it so long ago, I forget). I'm not sure how the 'Z' key interacts exactly, so I figured it was better through the options. That's all.

Kyle

 

Why would it be best to assign a key commabd via the PMDG Options menu? I use the FSX default key Z. I press it twice. The first press disconnects the autopilot and the second press stops aural warning.

 

Michael Cubine

 

works for me too pressing the z key twice