Hello all.  Getting back in to FSX now that the steam edition was out and decided to pop for an add on craft and chose the 737 ngx.  Its quite nicely detailed from every aspect and have enjoyed flying it.  Im still in the learning curve with the FMC however and having a bit of an issue.  Typically I kept my flights to just heading navigation and following the stock FSX ATC.  I decided to purchase Pro ATC -X and try my had at the added functionality.  I had an issue on a test flight flying KJFK to KBOS.  I created the plan KJFK DCT MERIT DCT PACER DCT ORW KBOS.  I chose the MERIT3 SID and then I received the discontinuity message in the FMC.  Am I not understanding the concept of choosing SIDs in the FMC?  I would imagine I the route should be departing, fly the SID, then continue on the route.  Any ideas?

Route discontinuity is a common error you get when attaching a SID or STAR to your Direct/Jetway routes.    I file real flight plans all the time when I fly and you get these breaks all the time.  It's no biggy at all.   Just correct it by line selecting the waypoint entry UNDER the break line so it goes into your scratch pad and then click on the line select key that your discontinuity is attached to and select EXEC.  Your SID/STAR will now be connected to your direct routes.

I'm not an expert, but as I understand it when you select either sids or stars the FMC will leave a discontinuity between that and your core route on purpose...forces you to look at how they link up and make an intentional action to clear it. Google "clear discontinuity" for descriptions/tutorials on how to clear it.

If the entered route does not form a continuous path of linked legs (TO entries) a ROUTE DISCONTINUITY will be inserted.

 

A ROUTE DISCONTINUITY will also be inserted if the end of a leg is indeterminate due to impossible geometry of the path ( too tight a turn and / or too high an airspeed), or when an added waypoint is not part of the existing active flight plan.

An occasional discontinuity may occur in a procedure (DP, STAR or approach), due to the way methods used for coding the database

Route discontinuity is a common error you get when attaching a SID or STAR to your Direct/Jetway routes.    I file real flight plans all the time when I fly and you get these breaks all the time.  It's no biggy at all.   Just correct it by line selecting the waypoint entry UNDER the break line so it goes into your scratch pad and then click on the line select key that your discontinuity is attached to and select EXEC.  Your SID/STAR will now be connected to your direct routes.

This seemed to do the trick.  Thanks!

You don't need to close the disco if it's part of a SID or STAR. If its because of an error, then fix it.

 

 

Any ideas?

 

Yes. This is a huge simism: too many simmers think that the whole route needs to be connected in one big, long, magenta line of happiness from departure to destination.

 

In the case of ANY departure out of JFK, you're going to have a DISCO, and it should be left alone. There is not a single pilot-nav SID out of JFK (this means you're not going to LNAV the SID). They're all hybrid SIDs, and they're mostly performance- and altitude-based SIDs rather than point based (again, this means that you're not going to LNAV the SID).

 

It is actually hugely important to check the chart when you can. In the United States, there's really no excuse with sites like AirNav.com. The reason I point this out is that, while the MERIT3 is listed in the FMC nav data, it really does you no good. The FMC will list basic points at best, and will not list the individual climbs. The explanations of the climbs, and when to make the turns to certain points is described on page 2. You are going to need to read these, come to an understanding of them, and hand enter them without the aid of LNAV. For the entire departure until you get to the point where the controller says "when able, proceed direct [fix]," you're going to be hand flying or on HDG SEL.

 

Say you were flying the Canarsie Climb off of the 31s. You would want to:

• Put CRI on the FIX page
  • Add a reference line showing 039/--- (Radial 039)
  • Add another line showing 176/--- (Radial 176)
  • Add a final circle for ---/2 (2nm ring)
• Place 112.3 in NAV1
• Select 176 in your CRS window
• After takeoff, turn left prior to the 039 radial line directly toward CRI (by hand or HDG SEL)
• Just prior to reaching CRI, turn left to fly along radial 176 (by hand or VOR LOC)
• Maintain vigilance that you're above 2500 by the 2nm ring  on the 176 radial
• Continue flying the 176 radial until you've been vectored otherwise
• Upon hearing "proceed direct MERIT," line select the fix, place it at the top, hit EXEC, and then select LNAV

Note that the whole entire departure is essentially side stepping the whole discontinuity issue. The disco is there because there's no way for the FMC to properly fly the departure.

 

Breaks in the magenta line are usually fine (provided you got your route from somewhere reputable), and are usually a prompt for you to check the procedure you just loaded.

Yes. This is a huge simism: too many simmers think that the whole route needs to be connected in one big, long, magenta line of happiness from departure to destination.

 

In the case of ANY departure out of JFK, you're going to have a DISCO, and it should be left alone. There is not a single pilot-nav SID out of JFK (this means you're not going to LNAV the SID). They're all hybrid SIDs, and they're mostly performance- and altitude-based SIDs rather than point based (again, this means that you're not going to LNAV the SID).

 

It is actually hugely important to check the chart when you can. In the United States, there's really no excuse with sites like AirNav.com. The reason I point this out is that, while the MERIT3 is listed in the FMC nav data, it really does you no good. The FMC will list basic points at best, and will not list the individual climbs. The explanations of the climbs, and when to make the turns to certain points is described on page 2. You are going to need to read these, come to an understanding of them, and hand enter them without the aid of LNAV. For the entire departure until you get to the point where the controller says "when able, proceed direct [fix]," you're going to be hand flying or on HDG SEL.

 

Say you were flying the Canarsie Climb off of the 31s. You would want to:

• Put CRI on the FIX page
  • Add a reference line showing 039/--- (Radial 039)
  • Add another line showing 176/--- (Radial 176)
  • Add a final circle for ---/2 (2nm ring)
• Place 112.3 in NAV1
• Select 176 in your CRS window
• After takeoff, turn left prior to the 039 radial line directly toward CRI (by hand or HDG SEL)
• Just prior to reaching CRI, turn left to fly along radial 176 (by hand or VOR LOC)
• Maintain vigilance that you're above 2500 by the 2nm ring  on the 176 radial
• Continue flying the 176 radial until you've been vectored otherwise
• Upon hearing "proceed direct MERIT," line select the fix, place it at the top, hit EXEC, and then select LNAV

Note that the whole entire departure is essentially side stepping the whole discontinuity issue. The disco is there because there's no way for the FMC to properly fly the departure.

 

Breaks in the magenta line are usually fine (provided you got your route from somewhere reputable), and are usually a prompt for you to check the procedure you just loaded.

 

I think I follow - and it certainly makes sense.  Ill have to give this a shot.  Thanks!

I think I follow - and it certainly makes sense. Ill have to give this a shot. Thanks!

Glad to help. NY Area departures are some of the least understood in the community, so if you nail it, then you have a leg up on a good 90% of people, I'd say.

Planing your flights and reading Charts is Key.

Also look for any speed restrictions and on STAR look for a IAF.(initial approach fix the point were you start dropping flaps)

 

If your going to do a lot of flights around the world in the NG Have a look here at this link.

 

You have to pay for a year but over a year it's nothing really! 

 

http://www.navigraph.com/ChartsCloud.aspx

 

Also Kyle does some good Vid's on You tube, don't tell him i said that  :wink:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkW4jYLfruaR5oQF61-DgKA

 

If you have PFPX I would get TOPCAT to go with it, makes all the difference. Tip, compute your flight before useing the takeoff-land first as then it will know your takeoff weight etc. 

Also Kyle does some good Vid's on You tube, don't tell him i said that :wink:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkW4jYLfruaR5oQF61-DgKA.

Yeah. Goes straight to his head and the whole crew has to hear about it all week... =P

A ROUTE DISCONTINUITY can also be caused by adverse wind effects on a conditional waypoint, as shown below. If normal procedures for correcting the discontinuity are unsatisfactory, consider DELeting the wpt or proceding DIRECT TO  or INTERCEPT LEG TO a downpath wpt. This example could occur if you selected a SID and runway with conditional waypoints.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Can anyone kindly explain a conditional waypoint? thanks alot

Vernon,

 

First, nice to chat with you again.

 

There are a few different types of Conditional Waypoints.  Are you asking about "INTC" waypoints? 

 

In general, a Conditional Waypoint is one for which a particular (pre-programmed) event has to take place.  They are non-programmable or editable by the pilot.

 

The most often I've encountered is hitting a certain altitude before the aircraft turns.

 

Hope this is helpful!

Hi dave, you too!

 

Right i don't want to be hijacking this thread lol Thats the problem i'm not too sure about this sort of waypoint.