Quick and straightforward CDU preflight tutorial using a real 737NG.

[serviceceiling 135]

I figured some of you guys might find this helpful, since there are a few quirks for typing in the route. 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_lmOYdYjmc

 

Enjoy! 

 

[scandinavian13 5,192]

 

 

I figured some of you guys might find this helpful, since there are a few quirks for typing in the route.

 

What quirks are you referring to?  Not saying there aren't any, I'm just curious.

 

Also, I actually disagree with the hint that was given.  Avoid entering the runway until it's assigned.  Same goes for the SID/STAR, unless it's part of the filed route.

[serviceceiling 135]

Well, I agree with your disagreeing regarding the STAR but entering the SID is just fine as long as you know yours. And after all there's nothing wrong with entering a STAR either, since you can change the arrival runway and STAR with just a few button pushes. 

 

However, that's just my opinion and as you know the SOP's vary from airline to airline. As for the sim - use what suits you the most. 

[Spin737 102]

 

 

Avoid entering the runway until it's assigned.

That works for some STARS, but not all. SEA, for instance, you will get a clearance to descend via HAWKZ3 landing SOUTH or NORTH from SEA Center. The route and altitudes change for flow and you won't know the actual runway assignment until you're well in to the STAR.

 

I'll brief the basic route and the approach and highlight any major differences between the expected approaches.

[scandinavian13 5,192]

 

 

And after all there's nothing wrong with entering a STAR either, since you can change the arrival runway and STAR with just a few button pushes.

 

Nothing wrong with it, really.  I just disagreed with the method, personally.  I'm mostly opposed to it here because I know a ton of people throw the SID/STAR/Runway in there at the very beginning before calling for clearance, and then throw a fit when I assign them a runway other than what they were expecting.

 

The bane of my VATSIM existence:

"Oh, but the FMC...

...has another runway selected in it."

...told me to [X]."

...messed up the route."

 

Right...

 

 

 

That works for some STARS, but not all. SEA, for instance, you will get a clearance to descend via HAWKZ3 landing SOUTH or NORTH from SEA Center. The route and altitudes change for flow and you won't know the actual runway assignment until you're well in to the STAR.

 

True.  IAD and RDU has similar instructions from ZDC.  Still, with the GIBBZ into IAD, the nomenclature on the STAR selection screen (left side) is GIBBZ.01 and GIBBZ.19, and doesn't require the selection of an approach (right side) to EXEC the selections.  I was mainly going for the actual selection of the approach/[specific] runway isn't required.  Selecting north or south ops shouldn't be too difficult to guess based on current ops, and if you're really unsure, choose the one with the lower alts since it's easier to shallow a descent than steepen it.

 

Some SIDs require runway selection, but it you'd only need to throw that in there prior to starting the TO roll.  You don't need to put it in there earlier than when you'd get the info from either clearance or through ground instruction.

 

There's nothing wrong with it, but I'm just trying to hammer the point home that the whole route doesn't need to be in there prior to push if there are unknowns.  Like I wrote above in response to Bogdan, most of my aversion to the practice is aimed at simmers, and comes from controlling on VATSIM where people slave themselves to the box and often try to avoid changing it when operations change.

[serviceceiling 135]

Nothing wrong with it, really.  I just disagreed with the method, personally.  I'm mostly opposed to it here because I know a ton of people throw the SID/STAR/Runway in there at the very beginning before calling for clearance, and then throw a fit when I assign them a runway other than what they were expecting.

 

The bane of my VATSIM existence:

"Oh, but the FMC...

...has another runway selected in it."

...told me to [X]."

...messed up the route."

 

Right...

 

That's just virtual pilots being over reliant on the flight management stuff, which makes life so "easy".

As you said in one of your tutorial videos on YouTube - if the automation (FMS) get's into your way, leave it alone. 

 

I don't fly on virtual networks but I've been quite a couple of times on the jumpseat of an airliner all the way from A to B and in most cases the pilots had put in the STAR before departure - it may have been because of the relatively short route, though. (40-60min flight).

 

What I do when I fly offline is check the weather at my destination airport and figure out the appropriate runway and the STAR that fits my main route. 

[scandinavian13 5,192]

 

 

That's just virtual pilots being over reliant on the flight management stuff, which makes life so "easy".

 

As you said in one of your tutorial videos on YouTube - if the automation (FMS) get's into your way, leave it alone.

 

Oh yes, I'm painfully aware.  There was a Washington Post article that went up a little while ago I was interviewed for, and I gave her the link to a YouTube video of what vATC looks like.  In that video (0:17 mark), there's a nice scatter because someone was trying to get fancy with the AP, FMC, or both.  Luckily I had them separated by 1000' as well (in addition to standard lateral separation +).

 

 

 

I don't fly on virtual networks but I've been quite a couple of times on the jumpseat of an airliner all the way from A to B and in most cases the pilots had put in the STAR before departure - it may have been because of the relatively short route, though. (40-60min flight).

 

I was about to say "yeah, we do that here, too," but most of our STARs are operation/runway independent, so knowing/guessing the operation for when you finally get there isn't as much of a gamble.  Then again, as mentioned, we also have STARs like the GIBBZ that do have changes by operation.

[serviceceiling 135]

Yes, it really depends on the airport with it's individual procedures. 

[pcubine 143]

Whoever is entering information on/into CDU/FMC skips over Cruise Wind and Temperature at T/C and does not execute the PERF INIT page before going on to N1 LIMIT page. See around 2:28 of the video. Or maybe it is not in the video. Someone should direct him to the Tutorials.

 

Michael Cubine

[scandinavian13 5,192]

 

 

Whoever is entering information on/into CDU/FMC skips over Cruise Wind and Temperature at T/C

 

This is not specifically required information.  It's good to have in there, and helps the plane calculate a better performance profile, but you can certainly fly just fine without it.

 

 

 

and does not execute the PERF INIT page before going on to N1 LIMIT page

 

Since the video is specifically called a "tutorial" in the title, my thought is that the guy didn't want to EXEC it to ensure there wasn't any data hanging out there to interfere with the real flight's data he has to enter before departing.