CajunRon

I've got a related question (though it may not apply to VATSIM...I use ProATC). ProATC always gives me a shortcut in the STAR/Final Approach and it doesn't have the capability for me to ask for the full approach. The problem I often encounter is that the FMC is following the VNAV profile of the full STAR/Final Approach. So when I comply with the vectoring shortcut, I find myself sometimes thousands of feet above the FMC profile and have to work like hell (early gear down, full spoilers almost to the runway, vertical speed control mode) to try to get the 737 down and slow. Is this real life?

Thanks for the suggestions. Yes I've clicked on the Update button in both Modes. The NOAA server is working fine right now. PFPX is getting current METAR data, ProATC is getting current METAR data and the spy window of OPUS does show that the METAR data is loading when I update the weather. LWA Maps is showing the weather station "balloons" and WX Maps is showing the weather station "balloons. But the WX Locator Map is just showing a Google map with no weather station balloons or any other thing flight simulator related. When I press the Update button it reports "0 Met Stns, 0 Matching Criteria" in locator mode and "0 Met Stns" in overview mode. As much as I hate to, it looks like an uninstall/reinstall might be may only alternative.

I've got the latest version of OPUS 4.66.5. Everything seems to work okay but if I try to use the Live Weather Locator map it shows 0 Met Stns. I've Rebuilt the Station Data in the Configure dialog window but still no Met Stns being reported or shown on the Locator map. The Wx Map and the LWA Map show the Met Stns fine. How can I fix this problem.

Never mind, I think I've found stumbled by trial and error on how to do this. A step-by-step startup procedure with a reference to where to begin in the sequence for a "short startup" state would be helpful but I haven't been able to find such. (I can't read 1000 pages of manuals (my old brain would forget what I read yesterday)...and I find it very difficult to find stuff in them. I've done keyword searches in all of the manuals for "startup" or "start-up" and haven't found any thing like this....perhaps I'm spoiled by my work in the chemical industry where we had precise, numbered, step-by-step startup and shutdown procedures)

This may have been the key to my problem. I was getting the winds uploaded message but was erroneously assuming that winds were being entered into the FMC automatically I found a YouTube tutorial that showed the correct procedure, starting using it and haven't had any problems since. The FMC accepts my TO and CLM settings and no longer shows insufficient fuel. Thanks for the help.

Sorry for the omissions Here's my work flow Set fuel amount through FMC FS ACTIONS (use PFPX estimated fuel) Setup OPUS weather and initiate weather update, reset Utilimate Traffic 2 to have AI use best runway based on OPUS weather. Start ProATC/X flight, ask for clearance then load flight plan into FMC. Press DEP/APR and select takeoff runway, SID and transition given in PFPX flight plan (sometimes have to change later if ProATC gives a different SID) Activate and Exec Go to PERF INIT screen. It is pre-populated with all values (I'm not sure the source). I accept defaults but then revise ZFW to agree with PFPX and set a lower Reserve Fuel so as not to get a insufficient fuel message) Then go to the THRUST LIM page which is showing the default of TO and CLB I press LSK 3L to select TO 1. The FMC screen momentarily blinks (fraction of a second) to show TO 1 and a reduced N1 value but then resorts back to TO and N1 =100.7 I enter assumed temperature in scratch pad and press LSK 1L. Again, the FMC screen momentarily blinks (fraction of a second), shows CLB 1 (or maybe CLB2) and then resorts back to CLB Again, it doesn't always do this. I will try to reproduce again and if possible try to do a screen video capture Thanks Ronnie Pertuit

I'm not sure what I am doing wrong but sometimes when I try to enter the TOPCAT recommended thrust limits the FMC briefly blinks the selection but then quickly resorts back to full thrust. Trying to enter an assumed temperature to reduce the climb thrust does the same thing. The V1, VR and V2 fields are populated but can't be set. The TO N1 field is set at 100.7. I don't get any error messages. Other times, when trying to initiate the same flight it works fine. Has anyone seen this before?

FlightAware's flight analyzer shows the most frequently used route between PAJN and KSEA. GLAZZ1 SNETT MICZI YYJ MARNR5 It's showing numerous recent flights (including today) using that route. But I can't find any listing or information for a GLAZZ1 SID. It is not listed on the official FAA website's list of terminal procedures for PAJN or on other sources of terminal procedures that I use. Anyone know why this is?

Exactly. I'm 66 years old and still learning to fly that 737. Been a student for 25 years or so...good thing I'm not doing this for entertainment otherwise wouldn't have qualified for the student edition.

For that matter I don't need a flight simulator....oops, I almost forgot, I do need a flight simulator since I'm a "student pilot" and not doing this for "entertainment".

All interesting responses but this is a very simple consumer decision. Don't get my wrong, I am not bashing these businesses. They are well within their rights to charge whatever they wish for their products. I have repeatedly been flying a scenario in FSX and then flying the same scenario on Prepar3d and each time asking myself, are the benefits, the improved graphics, increase in stability (but lower frame rates) worth the eventual $400 I would have to pay to get back to where I am in FSX. I'm sure some here will answer with a resounding yes. Personally, I don't think so. I don't see the additional $400 in value but if these vendors can convince enough people that the value is there...more power to them.

After researching the benefits of Prepar3d I decided to purchase and convert. In the research I did do, there were discussions about how well add-ons performed etc and most indications were that the add-ons performed well but for whatever reason, in all of the reviews I read, I never caught the point that for a growing number of add-ons the publishers are making the business decision to require a complete repurchase of their product to use in Prepar3d. Here's the breakdown for the products I use the most: PMDG NXG 737 - $89.99 PMDG 777 - $134.99 A2A Cessna 182 Skylane - $49.99 Flight 1 FTN 750 $ 64.95 Real Air Turbine Duke - $0.00 (no need to repurchase for use in Prepar3d) Prepar3D - $59.95 So the total cost for me to convert and retain the same capabilities as I currently have in FSX is $399.87. I really like Prepar3D but now that I am retired and on a fixed income budget this is much to rich for my blood so I will not be converting after all. To their credit, Lockheed Martin has a 60 day refund policy and I am in the process of requesting a refund on my purchased Prepar3D. I think this is a critical consideration that has been lost in many of the conversations and discussions about converting to Prepar3D so I offer it here for those considering converting.

After researching the benefits of Prepar3d I decided to purchase and convert. In the research I did do, there were discussions about how well add-ons performed etc and most indications were that the add-ons performed well but for whatever reason, in all of the reviews I read, I never caught the point that for a growing number of add-ons the publishers are making the business decision to require a complete repurchase of their product to use in Prepar3d. Here's the breakdown for the products I use the most: PMDG NXG 737 - $89.99 PMDG 777 - $134.99 A2A Cessna 182 Skylane - $49.99 Flight 1 FTN 750 $ 64.95 Real Air Turbine Duke - $0.00 (no need to repurchase for use in Prepar3d) Prepar3D - $59.95 So the total cost for me to convert and retain the same capabilities as I currently have in FSX is $399.87. I really like Prepar3D but now that I am retired and on a fixed income budget this is much to rich for my blood so I will not be converting after all. To their credit, Lockheed Martin has a 60 day refund policy and I am in the process of requesting a refund on my purchased Prepar3D. I think this is a critical consideration that has been lost in many of the conversations and discussions about converting to Prepar3D so I offer it here for those considering converting.

Setting thrust lever override to NEVER did not help. I'm actually loading a saved "mid-air" flight where it is transitioning from the STAR to the approach. So the FMC is not starting from the very beginning (takeoff, climb etc). It's starting from where it was when I saved the flight. I didn't use the SAVE STATE in the CDU but only FSX's SAVE. I now suspect this to be the source of the problem. I'll experiment some more. I'll post any findings. Thanks.

Thanks. I will give that a try. I actually followed the instructions in the tutorial that says that once the PFD shows the throttle to be in IDLE mode, to move my physical throttle to idle also...which I did. (I thought it said that this was "real life" ...i.e. moving the physical throttle to idle when the flight computer put the autothrottle to idle)