Auto Step Climb ? is not really "auto" : help !

[Michel Van Ginneken 0]

Just kidding ! 

 

 

Let me start by congratulating the entire PMDG team, you guys are the best ! 

 

I feel honoured to be allowed to fly your products.

 

 

Being an active member of the Birmingham virtual airline takes me frequently on longhaul flights on vatsim.

 

Here comes my my problem: because the (auto) step climbs require a pilot intervention I have to get out of bed every 2 hours. 

 

I know that this is perfectly correct: in real life the boeings require a pilot intervention to execute the step climb.

 

The only plane (as far as I know) performing an automatic step climb is the MD-11.

 

 

Here comes my problem: 

 

having to get out of bed every 2 hours is ruining my sleep, my health and recently my wife told me she was going to divorce me :-) and my boss was going to fire me for falling asleep at work, we haven't seen our cat in 2 weeks ....

 

 

In order to be able to continue living a regular,normal live I wanted to ask you the following :

 

 

- Could you please include an option for performing a automatic step climb witout pilot intervention ? Please ??? 

 

 

You can keep the pilot-intervention step climb for reality cases and the real diehards.

 

But please consider the poor devils that have to ruin their lives for FS reality purposes.

 

 

I already thank you for considering to include this optional setting in a next update.

 

(PS I have already told my wife there is no need to divorce me because you are going to solve our problem :-) )

 

 

Kind Regards,

 

 

Michel Van Ginneken

 

Antwerp / Belgum / Europe

 

BVA856 (Birmingham virtual airline)

 

michel.van.ginneken @ removed by Administrator

Edited December 4, 2014 by Daveo
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[redwood320 0]

Hi Michel!

 

The 777 does have the auto step climb feature. It's buried in the aircraft setup function within the MCDU.

[Michel Van Ginneken 0]

Hi Redwood,

 

I know the auto step climb feature is to be activated in the MCDU.

I know the windspeeds have to be loaded in de legs page.

I can see the CDU calculating the step climb time and location in the CDU. (marked SC)

I have set the altitude selection button HIGHER than the proposed new flight level of the proposed step climb.

The only thing that happens is the warning signs indicating "pilot intervention required" lighting upon reaching the step climb location.

 

Having gone 3x over the fligh tmanual instructions I do not seem able to get this step climb to wotk without pilot intervention.

Did I miss something ?

 

Kind Regards,

Michel Van Ginneken

[scandinavian13 5,192]

 

 

I have set the altitude selection button HIGHER than the proposed new flight level of the proposed step climb.

 

There's the problem. Leave it set at your current flight level. Act as if you weren't using the auto step feature and it'll take care of the rest.

 

This isn't the MD-11 (and even that feature isn't supposed to be used the way a lot of simmers use it - clearances are required prior to stepping, so it isn't a mindless "set and forget" like a lot of people assume).

 

 

 

The only thing that happens is the warning signs indicating "pilot intervention required" lighting upon reaching the step climb location.

 

This is a completely different function. This function is actually there (in the real plane too) to ensure the crew stays awake. As part of a normal work flow, the crew should be occasionally keeping the heading bug in sync with the current heading. If that action (or many other normal flight deck duties) is not accomplished, the aircraft assumes you're not awake and sets off a cascade of alarms, as you're seeing.

 

The option in the PMDG SETUP> menus is called "Crew Alertness Monitor." If you turn it off, it won't trigger this alarm.

[kevinh 409]

 

Just kidding !

I sincerely hope so.

[Michel Van Ginneken 0]

Hello Kyle,

 

Thx for your feedback, I'll give it a try.

If this solves my sleep issue I shall give you a big "thank you" on behalve of my wife, our cat and myself  :rolleyes:

 

Regards,

 

Michel

[Michel Van Ginneken 0]

Hello Kyle,

 

I made the settings like you described in your above mail and ..... IT WORKS !   :rolleyes:

Thanks a lot for your help, I really appreciate your input.

Happy landings !

 

Kind Regards,

 

Michel Van Ginneken

bva856

[scandinavian13 5,192]

 

 

Thanks a lot for your help, I really appreciate your input.

 

You're welcome. All the best to your wife, cat, and health.  :wink: