PFE - trouble with descent/approach

[Pe11e 812]

PFE sometimes is definitely trying to kill me. I tried with VOR-to-VOR and high altitude airways flight plans, and PFE tends to start my descent about 50-60mi from destination airport. Means, I must descent at -2500ft/m, and I end at 6000ft on ILS at best, which is quite high, but I can't descent at 3000ft/m, it's simply to steep. Also yesterday I had a problem where PFE didn't gave me descent instructions at all! I waited  and waited, and at about 30mi from destination airport, when I was at FL260, PFE gave me instruction for ILS and localizer approach, without any descent instruction prior to that! I checked flight plan and waypoint altitudes in PFE after that flight, and found that one waypoint is at FL150, and it's only 25mi away from destination airport.

I was creating VOR-to-VOR flight plans earlier, and always edited last waypoint to be at last 50mi from destination airport, and that functioned good as I can recall. High altitude airways are more realistic, and in addition I can review winds aloft in FSGRW when I import the flight plan. Vor-to-VOR waypoints are not at altitude in FSGRW (for reviewing winds aloft).

 

How do you work with flight plans and PFE? Do you guys edit waypoints altitudes (except crusing altitude) in PFE, especially for descent?



Cheers!

[Daveo 36]

I found if you lower the average rate of descent to about 1500 to 1000 fpm before you compile the flight plan you get a more realistic TOD from ATC.

But I actually gave up on that program. It still has a mind of its own.

[Pe11e 812]

I found if you lower the average rate of descent to about 1500 to 1000 fpm before you compile the flight plan you get a more realistic TOD from ATC.

But I actually gave up on that program. It still has a mind of its own.

 

Hmmmm, how can I lower the average rate of descent? In PF2000, then click on compile, then change altitude for waypoints? you meant to change the altitudes of some waypoints to match lower descent rate? That's complicated.

 

EDIT: Never mind, I found it under aircraft specs. Thank you for the tip!

Edited February 23, 2014 by Pe11e