Hi,I have recently upgraded to 4.01 and am impressed by the updated voices. They do sound better and more fluid and I like the ability to individually tune the pitch. I found just a couple a bit too fast and have brought them down a notch and they sound near perfect. Well done JD and the team in bringing us an even better product!One thing I have noticed with 4.01 is that when I am approaching an airport I get vectored by the cenre controller before I am handed to the Approach Controller and I appear to be handed to Approach a lot closer to the airport than in Ver 4.0. With 4.0 i would never get vectored until I was handed to approach. Then I would get the option to take vectors or select an IAP approach and be cleared to 2500 and left alone. I would then fly the remainder of the STAR.I fly the PMDG 737-8/900 and use the in built FMC programing the SID and STAR. I also ensure that the FS9 flight plan is the same (at least I make sure that the first 2 waypoints of the STAR are the same).I may be getting the vectoring instructions from centre because I am being allowed much closer to the airport than normal (ie if I were handed to approach ealier then I would be able to select an IAP earlier).During the last flight I was vectored by centre and told to fly heading xyz. I tried to ignore and continue flying the STAR however after the third time I thought I had better follow instructions and turned away from the STAR I was trying to fly. After about 10 miles I was then handed to Approach and was able to select an IAP. I then had to turn around 180 deg to get back to the STAR and contiue down to the runway without a problem.Does anyone else have this problem or perhaps I have something set incorrctly although I don't know what?ThanksIan

>>During the last flight I was vectored by centre and told to fly heading xyz. I tried to ignore and continue flying the STAR however after the third time I thought I had better follow instructions and turned away from the STAR I was trying to fly. After about 10 miles I was then handed to Approach and was able to select an IAP.<

>Was the "heading xyz" that you were given approximately 90>degrees away from your current heading by any chance? If so,>it sounds very much as if you didn't achieve your crossing>restriction.Hi Pete,Yes it was actually 90 degrees away from my current heading. I can't remember if I acheived the crossing restriction or not (I was perfoming a 'PD' and letting the aircraft follow the FMC VNav Path), however it sounds like this could very well be the problem. I will try this again with another flight tonight.Many thanksIan

>>I was perfoming a 'PD' and letting the aircraft follow the FMC VNav Path<

Hi Pete,Thanks for the advice. I am pretty sure this is what the problem is because I have only just started to use the 'Vertical Navigation' mode of the FMC with Radar Contact (have used it plenty of times without ATC enabled which is easy). I am getting quite a few Vertical disconnects with messages like 'Descent Path Unacheivable'. I find that the PMDG 737 is a hard aircraft to descend and also keep to a manageable airspeed. I am always using the 'speed brake'.I will have another go tonight.ThanksIan

Hi Pete,Just completed a flight into EGKK using MCP to control descent as opposed to FMC VNav Path and ensured I met all crossing restrictions.All went well and no problems with centre trying to vector me before I contacted approach. I flew the ASTRA3C STAR all the way down to Rwy 26L.Thanks again for your help with this one.CheersIan

You're welcome, Ian and thanks for taking the time to report back. It's always nice to know the final outcome.BestPetehttp://www.jdtllc.com/images/rcv4bannerbeta.jpg

If I am not under a speed restriction I often use a V/S to descend with an FLCH command. I notice that at times the N1 is not as low as it could be even though an FL change supposed to be at minimum power. This is not necessarily true with VNAV.I just keep an eye on VSI to insure descent is fast enough and also be familiar with the MEA of the route by having charts of the area.If you put at a waypoint with altitude restriction in the legs (forgot the exact steps) as advisory the ND even if not under VNAV will guide you with the forecast rings which show where you will meet the altitude - that is overshoot or undershoot. I have to read up on that.Don't forget that the FMC will also show the forecasted altitude at each waypoint as you descend so you can adjust V/S early along with speed to meet your restriction. This helps also with a PD descent.Also do not for get I think on the FMC DES page the command "DESCEND NOW"

Ron,Thanks for the advice above. I have flown heaps of flights with the PMDG 737 however most without ATC (before I got RC4) and this made things a lot easier. I very often use the "Descend Now" about 10 miles before the TOD and this lets the aircraft descend at 1000 ft/minute initially and does help with getting down in time especially if you have a strong tailwind. I can see I am going to have to pay real attention to adhering to RC4 commands and experiment a bit with manual and FMC VNav decents.ThanksIan