Regardless, when it comes to flying modern planes, there's this overwhelming want to adjust the magenta line to get the FMC to do something that - for it - is complex, but left to other devices is stupidly simple. As such, it's honestly quicker probably to "go old school" and just do it like that. When you get closer to that VOR in your flight plan, line select it to the top and go back into LNAV.

 

Regardless, the examiner issuing your type rating expects you to be able to intercept a radial outbound using the FMC.  If you can't you aren't going to pass the checkride.

Regardless, the examiner issuing your type rating expects you to be able to intercept a radial outbound using the FMC. If you can't you aren't going to pass the checkride.

Man...must've missed the part where he said he needed it for checkride knowledge...

 

...ah, that's right...he didn't.

 

So...

Regardless, use the tools to their strengths. Sure, knowing it might help, but let's be real here: there's a much better way to do it, pedantry aside.

Practically speaking, flying outbound JJS would be flying to something else, if not then you are probably being vectored for traffic in which case you're under radar control on a radar heading. If flying away from a navaid, the clearance could probably be "join the airway UL419" where the airway is the segment between the navaid and the next waypoint in which case you use the same intercept technique as I described above, or you could be cleared direct to the waypoint.

 

I'm not trying for an FMC solution to a problem, just that under some specific circumstances using a higher level of automation can reduce workload and it is up to the pilot to assess the most appropriate solution for the job which means being comfortable with any technique

There's two instances where I can think of this going a little screwy.

 

1. ANC-FAI, departing RWY32. Departure tosses the ANC6 SID out the window and has you "Turn right, heading 330, intercept the ANC 360 outbound, direct FAI." Now you had something totally different in your flight plan, but hey, it's Alaska - and that means Plan? What plan? You were set up for something totally different. So you could do the Direct FAI and int crs 360, but . . .
2. DEN-SEA, departing RWY25. You're cleared to SEA via the Yellowstone 7, YAMMI-LAR-etc. The legs page has you going from RWY25, back to the DEN VOR and then off to YAMMI. That's not what's going to to happen. If you try to "force the course" to YAMMI with the 334 of the SID from DEN, it'll be a few miles off the DEN VOR. (Maybe MAG DEV?) So there's a big error if you just say YAMMI 334 intercept.

My point is, you might be introducing errors if you simply use the int crs with a TO fix. So, back to the ANC-FAI: We'd go back to VOR/LOC. We'd then put in the legs ANC-FAI. Then bring FAI up and then make the course big. Some airlines have a little saying for that. Something like Move it up, move it down, make it big, make it purple. Or something like that.

 

*Disclaimer the ANC-FAI has changed over the years, and I don't remember the specifics, but this is the gist.

 

 

Now you had something totally different in your flight plan, but hey, it's Alaska - and that means Plan? What plan? You were set up for something totally different.

Yeah, the ATC routing changes happen from time to time. We usually just get the first segment input with a discontinuity so that at least we are heading the right direction time is available for a proper entry and confirmation. In that case there is going to be a significant amount of CDU activity so I completely agree with doing stupidly simple first and tidying it up later.

 

 

So there's a big error if you just say YAMMI 334 intercept.

Hmm, if you have DEN - YAMMI already in the FMC, bringing YAMMI up will preload the intercept course with the FMC track already calculated between the two, it just needs a double tap to set the correct intercept. Due to variation over the length of the segment it might be a degree off compared to the radial but, that should be fine.

We will occasionally get clearances to intercept a radial departing DFW.  They will give you an initial heading to intercept the TTT 080 radial outbound or something similar.  Our training center put a lot of emphasis on intercepting a course outbound so it's a pretty familiar drill.  It only takes four steps to set it up in the FMC.  It takes as many steps to tune the VOR, switch the ND to VOR display, set the course and track it so it's really a wash in terms of workload.  I've even seen guys that will simply put the VOR on the FIX page and fly the green line in heading select.  Whatever works.

Yeah, the ATC routing changes happen from time to time. We usually just get the first segment input with a discontinuity so that at least we are heading the right direction time is available for a proper entry and confirmation. In that case there is going to be a significant amount of CDU activity so I completely agree with doing stupidly simple first and tidying it up later.

Hmm, if you have DEN - YAMMI already in the FMC, bringing YAMMI up will preload the intercept course with the FMC track already calculated between the two, it just needs a double tap to set the correct intercept. Due to variation over the length of the segment it might be a degree off compared to the radial but, that should be fine.

I'm heading to DEN this trip and I'll take a few pics to show what I mean. I've tried the usual method like you describe, but it seems to get confused.