I have been using the PFPX flight planner and it works well but was wondering if there was a place where we can get flight plans made by other pilots to use in the FMC. Kinda the lazy way to go flying. Thanks

 

Elton Hyland

Fyi, this was posted about 4 times. Not sure if you meant to or not, just letting you know. 

 

Also, you mean like plans you can automatically pre-load? If you go to FlightAware, the routes are all there (for the US at least), and they aren't exactly hard to type in and get set up.

I'm struggling to work out why you would want this? It's so easy in PFPX it takes minutes, if you want to be lazy and not validate the route etc. Some VA's to give you suggested routes though which you can put in PFPX and use, which is quicker and maybe more realistic for that airline

There's also a "quick find route" option.

Sorry for the multi post. AVSIM kept telling me that "I can't do that" so I tried multiple times. Secondly, I am just learning the FMC and PFPX. My thought was that If I had a couple of flight plans that were "tried and true", I could load them into the FMC and get a better idea about how SIDS and STARS work while flying. I will give flightaware a look an see what I can come up with. Thanks.

Scaninavian13... where is the "QUICK FIND" option locate? Are you talking about in PFPX or Flightaware?

 

 

Scaninavian13... where is the "QUICK FIND" option locate? Are you talking about in PFPX or Flightaware?

 

It's up on the "Next Step Bar," which is shown in this picture right under the Ribbon (Microsoft term for all of the options up at the top), and above the planning options (aircraft, passenger count, and so on):

 

One thing I think that I am getting confused on is the SID and STAR insertion. When I generate a route through PFPX, it shows a SID/STAR. When I load it into the 737NGX FMC, do I still nee to manual select the SID/STAR in the FMC?

 

Secondly, in the FMC it wants me to select a TRANSISTION. I have the trans altitude set at 18,000 for the U.S. Is there a set fix that I need to be at when I hit that transition altitude? Sometimes, there is already a fix listed there or do I need to check the plate for this fix? A bit confused on this part as you can see. Thanks very much for any input or help.

Yes you still need to choose the departure when taking off and before TOD select the arrival, or whenever you find out what the arrival will be (it's rarely before TOD on vatsim I find). That being said, I set my PFPX it get the weather from ASN, however the runways listed and not always the ones in use, this is more especially true when there are L and R versions, so it's possible, if you fly online, that the SID or STAR may change. It's usually pretty close though, if not correct. Just don't take it as a given.

 

In Europe we have different transition levels depending on the airport, and even then this could change, hence needing to tune in to ATIS before arrival. However, the STAR will have speed and hight restrictions or expectations, which you need to ensure the FMC has, and if not program in. Again, online this can change very easily. But, whatever you do, always make sure you check the STAR charts, they will tell you what is either needed or expected at certain points for the arrival

 

 

do I still nee to manual select the SID/STAR in the FMC?

 

You need to manually select the SID/STAR, yes.

 

 

 

Secondly, in the FMC it wants me to select a TRANSISTION.

 

This is different from a TRANSITION LEVEL/ALTITUDE. The TRANSITION for the SID/STAR is an optional transition fix after/before the core part of the SID/STAR in order to better transition from the procedure onto your route (or from your route onto your STAR). Note that the EXEC button will light up before selecting a TRANSITION.

Thank you both for the great info. Now, on to the next question as I want to get this in my head correctly. I get a lot of errors on the FMC that states something like "Cant make altitude" ( I don't remember the exact words ).What its telling me is that the aircraft cannot descend or climb at a rate that will enable me to be at that altitude in that short of a time or distance.

  How do I get around this as the transition is listed on the FMC. In that case, is it OK to NOT put in a transition?

 

Second question, when setting up the FMC, there are speed / Alt to the right of the waypoint / fix. Should I leave those there or do they nbeed changed also?

 

 

Thank you both for the great info. Now, on to the next question as I want to get this in my head correctly. I get a lot of errors on the FMC that states something like "Cant make altitude" ( I don't remember the exact words ).What its telling me is that the aircraft cannot descend or climb at a rate that will enable me to be at that altitude in that short of a time or distance.
  How do I get around this as the transition is listed on the FMC. In that case, is it OK to NOT put in a transition?

 

I think you're confusing the two terms again...

 

TRANSITION LEVELS/ALTITUDES are simply telling the FMC when you're in the flight levels, and that's it. It will not aim to hit these altitudes, ever. The altitudes listed on the LEGS page are simply altitude restrictions, though these are usually associated with SIDs and STARs (which usually have transitions), these are not transition levels/altitudes.

 

If it cannot meet an altitude, you're either too heavy, flying the wrong SID/STAR, or it's something to ignore (the LENDY arrival into New York is an example - the FMC assumes you will fly direct to JFK after crossing LGA, which will throw an error, as the descent is impossible - it doesn't know you'll be on vectors, so the message can be ignored).

 

It all depends on the situation.

 

 

 

Second question, when setting up the FMC, there are speed / Alt to the right of the waypoint / fix. Should I leave those there or do they nbeed changed also?

 

Unless there's a reason for them to be changed, then leave them. Why would you assume that they need to be changed?

How do I get PFPX to export the plan to PMDG 777,and ASN In P3D 2.5?

OK  I just flew a route from KLAX to KLAS. Although there is an altitude callout on the FMC for a given waypoint, the FMC does not initiate the decent on its own if the altitude numbers are colored MAGENTA! I had to select ALT INT on the MCP. That would start the decent to whatever altitude I had input on the MCP. Am I correct in assuming that if the FMC thinks I cannot make the altitude, it will not initiate the decent?

Please fly the tutorials.

 

Please use your full names on posts in the PMDG forums.

 

Please use the manuals, the colors are explained.  Magenta will be a constraint and VNAV will try to meet all constraints.  The tutorials, please.

Sorry about the name downscc. I have flown the first tutorial 4 times. I will continue with the more in depth ones.

 

Elton Hyland