How to circle at 10 nm from VOR in PMDG 737?

[henri5 16]

How do you go about flying in a circle in the PMDG 737 at a fixed distance (10 nm)? In a small plane, one keeps the tail of the VOR2 arrow perpendicular to the flight path while making small corrections to the distance as explained in a video I found on Youtube. I can do it without any problems in small airplanes. Since one is on a circle centered on the VOR, one's trajectory is always perpendicular to the VOR bearing.

 

However as far as I know in the  737 there is no VOR2 arrow, so one only has the distance from the VOR as a guide. As a result, I find myself oscillating between 7 and 13 nm from the VOR as I attempt to correct my path, because I have no indication of my path relative to the bearing of the VOR. Since some airports have arc approaches that require flying in a circle at 10 nm, I must be missing something. So how exactly does one go about in the PMDG 737 maintaining a distance of 10 nm from a VOR i.e. flying a circular path around the VOR (or NDB)? I tried it at 200 knots around EKGG (Gatwick), but coud not maintain my distance within 3 nm. I was using the autopilot to maintain the altitude, and the autopilot heading bug to make corrections, so overwork was not the issue.

 

Henri

[willywonka 36]

Go to FIX page, enter your VOR ident, and enter "10" into the field and it'll draw a 10nm ring around the VOR.

[Spin737 102]

You probably would simply select a transition that would encompass the 10DME arc, if you were doing an approach. You'd then fly it via LNAV.

 

You could also follow WillyWonka's advice. There is a VOR2 pointer available on the EFIS control panel, if you want to do it the way you initially describe.

 

If you want to do it the airline pilot way, simply select the correct transition and use LNAV for the approach.

[henri5 16]

Would you be kind enough to tell me exactly which button I need to press or rotate to get an arrow pointing to the VOR? When I turn the button to "VOR" on the panel, there is no arrow, whether I turn the switch to VOR1 or VOR2 or both. As a matter of fact, all this seems to do is to give me the distance to the VOR. I have spent over an hour trying every combination of settings I could think off, but never so far have I seen an arrow pointing to the VOR.

 

I agree that for  landing this is not necessary, but how about if a pilot just wants to circle a VOR at a given distance (10 nm) for a while?  OK, the law gives me a leeway of 4 nm, but that is almost halfway to the VOR, which is not exactly accurate flying...

 

I checked the Airbus, and it has the arrow pointing to the VOR when VOR is set. But the 737 has me befuddled.

 

Henri

[neos63 0]

Hi

 

In the appropriate nautical charts are the procedures for approaches, with the all rilevant data.

[derekflightsim 0]

How do i back course a VOR other than presing ctrl B. Flying the PMDG 737-800

[henri5 16]

I don't want to do an approach, I want to know how to get an arrow on the PFD that points to  a VOR or NDB!...

[Spin737 102]

There is an arrow. Maybe it would be easier to see if you were in Center mode. Do you have a VOR tuned?

[neos63 0]

Enter the frequency  of the VOR in NAV1 or NAV2 and magically arrow appears in the navigation display, so for NDB.

[ivota 1]

[James Bennett 52]

You have to select VOR1 or VOR2 on the bit left of the MCP.

 

 

See where thecourse selector is on the MCP? To the left of that is the section that handles pilots settings for the ND. There are two switches that centre on OFF and flicking them to the UP position displays a green arrow on the ND pointing to the VOR.

[henri5 16]

Duh...(kicks own butt) I was trying to fly a circle around an ILS emitter (which emits only in a narrow beam around the glideslope - I knew that...). So no signal, no arrow (bangs head with keyboard :unsure: ). So problem solved, and thanks to all who tried to help me. And if there are others as stupid as I, to see the tail of the VOR2 arrow, one has to click on the center of the distance knob to get the aircraft centered in the middle of the screen.

 

Henri