Could someone please walk me through on how to vector myself. Here's my scenario. I'm using the PMDG 777. I created a flight plan in PFPX, exported it out, loaded it into my FMC, select my departing and arrival runways, along with the approriate SID/STARs.

 

When pressing the LEGS button to look at the waypoints on my flight plan, I see it starts off with some stuff like (600) or (FAF), (INT), (VECTORS), etc

 

I can't seem to grasp this technique down and would be happy if someone can show me exactly what I need to press on the MCP.

 

After I perform a take off, do I set the AP on, and then manually use the HDG selector to steer my plane to the (600), (FAF) and (INT)? And after I reach the first waypoint in my flight plan I can then engage LNAV to take over? I'm not even sure what those waypoints are honestly. :(

Take the aircraft out of LNAV mode once it passes the last waypoint on the STAR by using heading select. Direct your aircraft to your initial approach fix in a sensible manner. Use an approach chart to determine the altitude you should be at to begin the approach at the IAF (assuming an ILS approach). Read the tutorials which came with the aircraft. That's why they were written. It covers all of this in sufficient detail.

Okay I made another attemp. I'm always having trouble with the approach phase. I reach the VECTOR (its highlighted as purple on the FMC), at that point I take it out of LNAV mode by dialing in the HDG selector and going maybe about 15-20 away from the airport so that I have enough time to make a u-turn back to reach the next waypoint (the one that shows up underneath VECTOR on the FMC). However when I make the u-turn and go pass that waypoint, it's still showing VECTORS as still being the active waypoint in the FMC. How do I get it to switch from VECTORS being active to the next waypoint? If I fly towards the waypoint after VECTORS, and hit LNAV, it will turn the plane 180 degrees and go straight towards the VECTORS waypoint again.

 

Confused.

You need to do a Direct-To in your FMC to the next waypoint you're going to. Usually this means going to the FMC LEGS page, select the next waypoint to the scratchpad, then select it over top of VECTORS. Some FMC's (eg the J41) have a D button and you press that, then you select the waypoint to go to from a list.

fshobby, so that's the correct way to self vector? I thought self vector means you will have to use the HDG selector to dial in and intercept the next waypoint manually.

 

I already know about activating the next waypoint by writing it over the vector. But I wanted to know how to self vector yourself to it, instead of doing it that way.

Unless you’re using some sort of ATC, you can do whatever you want to get to the next waypoint. Direct-to is one method, another would be to just fly over the next waypoint and once it sequences to the next waypoint return to LNAV. Most vectors however are right before the IAF so at that point you may as well just commence your approach.

Far as I know, VECTORS gives ATC discretion to steer you around other traffic. Once you're on an intercept course to the next waypoint and told to resume own navigation, you can do a Direct-To and go back to LNAV. If you're flying an approach and being vectored to final (the Final Approach Fix, or FAF), then chances are you'll be going to APP mode or disconnecting the AP and landing.

VECTORS within the FMS is telling the crew that there is no specific track for the Flight Director to follow.  This is usually because the SID or the STAR has instructions that will say something along the lines of "ATC will provide radar vectors for ILS 25....."  What is normally done is you receive radar vectors until ATC tells you to go to a specific waypoint and from there you can DIRECT-TO or you can conduct the approach.

 

The numbers , (600) for example, is an altitude within the FMS.  Say for example a SID says "Upon reaching 600 ft turn left to heading 270."  A normal diverse departure allows the aircrew to start navigating on course by 400 AGL.  Certain departures will require a higher altitude due to terrain or obstacles on the departure.  Those numbers are the FMS's way of telling the aircrew at 600 AGL the flight director will start to sequence to the next waypoint or conduct the required turn to follow the departure procedure. 

 

I hope this helps.