Hi

What exactly is the second autopilot CMD B used for in the Boeing 737 Classic?  I seem to be able to do an ILS autolanding OK using only CMD A which I engage for the whole of the flight.  In the Captain Mike Ray manual, it states that BOTH autopilots must be armed for an autoland.  I'm never able to arm both, the first CMD A disengages when the second autopilot CMD B is engaged after selecting the APP and the approach is then aborted.

Ray

Probably a panel limitation. As long a s the autopilot works as it should, just live with it.

Here's an explanation of the different AP modes: http://www.airliners.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=756171

Hi Bjoern,

Many thanks for the reply and for the link which gives an excellent explanation of autopilots.  As you say,I should just be happy that I have an autopilot that works, both with and without using the CDU/FMC.

Ray

I've located an answer to my question above about not being able to get both autopilots armed in the Boeing 737 Classic for an auto-landing.  The reason was that I was not tuning BOTH radios with the same runway freq'.  I was just entering the runway ILS freq' in the left hand radio and changing nothing in the right hand radio.  When I tuned both radios with the same setting, then with both the localizer and glide slope captured (and after selecting APP on the MCP) the second autopilot CMD B could be armed and CMD A remains armed and allows the auto-landing to be achieved.  In other words with the same freq' entered in both radios one can ensure BOTH autopilots can be armed.

Is this a payware aircraft that you are talking about?

 

Hello again,

This aircraft is a Boeing 737 Classic (Pilot in Command Evolution) purchased from Wilco.  It comes with a simplified manual written by Captain Mike Ray. The manual is very clearly written, especially how to load the CDU.  The only thing missed out was not drawing attention to the need to tuned BOTH radios for an auto-landing.  It appears in the aircraft list as:

Boeing- feelThere/Wilco 737-400v2

I understand not many use this aircraft now.  But rather have the PMDG 737NGX.  Can anyone say if this aircraft comes with a simplified instruction for flying an auto-landing?

Ray

 

You'll find a billion tutorials for the PMDG birds out there.

Thanks