Preparing for descent "You have control"

[Avwriter 85]

I'm a little confused about the "you have control" feature when preparing for descent.  According to the manual, we are supposed to activate this during cruise before beginning the descent phase of the flight while entering landing data and preparing for the approach brief.  I am just curious about what this actually accomplishes, since the aircraft would normally already be on autopilot during this stage.  Please explain what's going on here, as this is not present in the 777 version of FS2crew.  Thanks

 

 

Andrew Jones 

[SierraHotel 980]

It's done to give you time to setup and prepare for the approach.

[byork 2,259]

Things will still work fine if you don't pass control, but the theory behind it is that the Pilot doing the brief would not be the Pilot Flying during the brief since his head will be down.

 

This varies with SOP since everyone does things their own way.  I recall it's the way it's done in SOP 2 and 3 in FS2Crew 737.

 

This is why you set the Autobrake for the descent.  The autobrake is in the PM's area of responsibility.  But when you are doing the brief,  you are the PM, not the PF.

 

Clear as mud?

[Avwriter 85]

Okay.  Thanks.  I was concerned that there was something technical going on in the background with FS2Crew that required this step.