Well I disengage/engage the auto-pilot once I feel comfortable, depending on weather. For example I know a real life captain who disengaged auto pilot at 8000 ft(weather was very good, clear skies....)

It sounds to me like you should turn on failures. One of the most overlooked features of PMDG. Get out your QRH and go to town....

Mike I was trying an lnav & vnav flight and it was not adhering to the speeds an altitude in the fmc (this was cs777) I put on AP was this why it was not working ? thank you
 

Hi, Richard,

 

I had no trouble understanding your question.  A 777 made by CS should fly the same as one made by PMDG or PSS.  Possibly you need to fly the takeoff differently, but possibly the CS 777 isn’t behaving properly.  For takeoff, as I understand it VNAV and LNAV are almost always armed.  But VNAV does not kick in until 400 ft AGL.  The autothrottle (which should be turned on during the takeoff roll) will set a steady thrust – it should maintain a preselected takeoff thrust until reaching the thrust reduction altitude and then a preselected climb thrust.  The autothrottle does not change thrust to control speed during takeoff and climb; you have to do that by pitching up to decrease speed and pitching down to increase speed.  The FD will give you guidance on this.  Once you engage the autopilot it should do the same thing automatically.  Until it reaches the first altitude limit (often in your STAR, or else the altitude set in the ALT window of your autopilot) the autopilot will continue to control speed by changing pitch and the autothrottle will maintain a steady thrust.  At a level altitude, the autothrottle will control speed by changing the thrust.  In all further climbs the autothrottle will set a steady climb thrust and the autopilot, in VNAV, will control speed by changing the pitch.  Once it passes a STAR altitude constraint it should start climbing again.  If it is at the altitude set in the ALT window and you raise the altitude setting, it should start climbing again.  You will probably need to click on the center of the altitude nob on the autopilot to start the climb. 

If the CS 777 is not doing this, then it may not be operating properly.  I have not been near my FS computer since version 1.4 was released.   In earlier versions the autothrottle did not switch from takeoff thrust to climb thrust when it should have, and the PFD did not accurately display the target speed the autopilot (or you, if hand flying and using the FD) were pitching for (magenta number upper left).  There were other issues as well.  Perhaps all of this has been fixed.  Also the CS 777 did not come with a very detailed manual or tutorial – I don’t know if this has been fixed either.  

Please let us know if this helps!

Mike
 

A 777 made by CS should fly the same as one made by PMDG or PSS.

If the FDE was exactly the same for all three, perhaps. But how can you expect it to fly the same if different people are designing the FDEs for all three 777s. In an ideal world, all three would fly the same, but then again, this isn't an ideal world, so it doesn't quite work like that.

 

 

If the FDE was exactly the same for all three, perhaps. But how can you expect it to fly the same if different people are designing the FDEs for all three 777s. In an ideal world, all three would fly the same, but then again, this isn't an ideal world, so it doesn't quite work like that.

 

Hi, Kevin,

 

I did not mean that they will or should fly exactly the same.  But what I described is correct operation of VNAV and the autothrottle, which should be the same for any complex version of the 777, even if there are major differences in how they fly.     What I described is how the PSS 777 operates. as far as I can remember, as well as how the PMDG version operates.

 

Mike

I like to do the clean up manually and then maybe one or two turns.

Usually after take off you only have one or two tight turns.

Those are fun to do.

Once the SID (or an ATC direct) goes straight out for more than 10nm I get bored and engage the AP :-)

Also, the AP flies more efficient/accurate than most of us, so you save some fuel by not manually climbing all the way to cruise FL (but who cares in flightsim right).

 

For approach the same thing.

It is fun to be flying manually while extending flaps and re-trimming the airplane while slowing down.

But as we know, the problem is that we have to wait for SP1 for realistic trim behavior.

So as it stands, I dont take the PMDG over manually untill I have gear down/flaps 30.

Other than that I think it is good practice to at least try to manually intercept the ILS/GS once and in a while.

Hi, Kevin,

 

I did not mean that they will or should fly exactly the same.  But what I described is correct operation of VNAV and the autothrottle, which should be the same for any complex version of the 777, even if there are major differences in how they fly.     What I described is how the PSS 777 operates. as far as I can remember, as well as how the PMDG version operates.

 

Mike

Sure, they should be the same. Key word being should. What should happen and what actually happens are two completely different things, and again, that comes down to the coding of the aircraft. In my experience with the PSS 777, when I'm running either VNAV or FLCH during the climb, initially, it'll maintain something like 92% N1 during the climb, and at a certain altitude, around the upper flight level 300 or so, I don't remember exact values, it somehow pegs the N1 up to 101% or so. I've never come across a plane that did that, and I'd be surprised if the PMDG 777 actually did that (I don't own the PMDG 777, so I can't comment on that). A gradual increase in thrust is one thing, but it was something that suddenly happened with the PSS 777.

Hi all,

 

Thank you very much for the feedback on your hand flying practice.

 

It does answer to my question and highlight what I should do.

 

Since last april, I've learned a lot here  B)

 

 

In my experience with the PSS 777, when I'm running either VNAV or FLCH during the climb, initially, it'll maintain something like 92% N1 during the climb, and at a certain altitude, around the upper flight level 300 or so, I don't remember exact values, it somehow pegs the N1 up to 101% or so. I've never come across a plane that did that, and I'd be surprised if the PMDG 777 actually did that (I don't own the PMDG 777, so I can't comment on that). A gradual increase in thrust is one thing, but it was something that suddenly happened with the PSS 777.

 

There is a "washout" altitude at which the 777 switches from a derated climb (if selected) to full climb thrust.  It is selectable in the PMDG version, don't recall the PSS  or CS versions.  But FL300 seems much too high.

 

Mike

In the day, B52 autopilot on after reaching cruise altitude.  Autopilot off from descent to landing.

There is a "washout" altitude at which the 777 switches from a derated climb (if selected) to full climb thrust.  It is selectable in the PMDG version, don't recall the PSS  or CS versions.  But FL300 seems much too high

 

Company options for derate washout are 12000ft or 30000ft. The 12000ft option saves more fuel

I tend to activate AP/AT after takeoff then AP/AT off on final approach.

I turn everything off auto throttle and all during takeoff, climb, descent and, landing. I like to have total control of the plane and I don't need no computer to tell me how to fly lol

Sometimes on takeoff, when I engage the autopilot the plane starts descending instead of climbing. I disconnect the vnav and climb using the v/s. What's that about?

Sometimes on takeoff, when I engage the autopilot the plane starts descending instead of climbing. I disconnect the vnav and climb using the v/s. What's that about?

 

Hi, aerhead1,

 

A couple of questions:

 

1) Does this happen after a previous flight?  If so you have to clear out the approach modes by turning off the FDs.  You should look at the active modes displayed at the top of the PFD in green.

 

2) What speed is set in the MCP speed window?  It should be approximately V2.  If it is much higher, in  VNAV the plane may stop climbing and nose down to attain the higher speed (though it shouldn't actually descend).

 

3) What altitude is set in the MCP ALT window?  What is the altitude constraint at the first waypoint?

 

Mike

 

 

I tend to activate AP/AT after takeoff then AP/AT off on final approach.

 

Hi, Imran,

 

It is not standard procedure to turn on the AT only after takeoff and turn it off before landing.  On takeoff, you lose thrust control particularly if you want to do a derated takeoff.  You also lose the automatic shift from takeoff to climb thrust.  On landing, you add work for the pilot that the AT is perfectly capable of doing.  Unlike some Boeings, leaving the autothrottle on does not lock in the approach speed (thus preventing engine spool-down) during flare and roll-out, even w/out an autoland.

 

Mike