kmw510

I occasionally have trouble editing the FMC to change the STAR that is currently programmed into the FMC. This happens when in preflight you choose a STAR that is restricted to one or more runways. I look at the weather at the destination and make my best guess which runways will be in use and select the STAR accordingly. Upon entering the STAR during the flight ATIS advises landing on different runways. I tried deleting the remaining waypoints so that I could add back the correct STAR but the FMC would give me the "invalid delete" and prevent this. I needed to manually add the STAR segments and lift the first waypoint over the top of the section to be replaced. Is very cumbersome and wondered if anybody had a better method. Kevin Wilson

Kyle, I brought up human factors versus aircraft operation based on the varying and conflicting views I read about the use of V/S on the MCP. If V/S is used solely for setting a definite vertical speed then why not a knob to set the displayed value just like almost every other method of setting a value in the cockpit. From what I have read no one rolls the thumbwheel to see how it affects the plane, they simply roll it to a specific value or until the green altitude arc is placed where it needs to be. I inferred sarcasm from your use of the single quote marks around the word logical in your question.

Kyle, My reasoning is based upon every other thumbwheel I have ever used either rolls forward or up to increase a value and backward or down to decrease a value or rolls in the direction you want to effect a change. My question was simple and Roar answered with a single sentence. I don't see the need for sarcasm. Kevin Wilson

Thanks Roar Kevin Wilson

Does anybody know the reasoning behind having the mcp vertical speed thumbwheel rotate in the opposite direction? Up is pointing down and down is pointing up. I don't think they would have designed it that way unless there was specific reasoning associated with aircraft operation or some human factors issue. Kevin Wilson

Hi All, There is a problem with my sim. I flew the exact same flight on a friends sim and was able to capture glideslope. So thanks for the help but I don't want to waste your time any further. What fun I am going to have tracing this down. Kevin Wilson

Hi Dan, I am confused now. In my original post I state that upon Vorloc capture I engage APP and see the white G/S in the pfd. Does that not answer your question or is there something else. Based on your statements there should not be any reason that a VNAV approach should be any different from a lvl change approach. Something must be haywire in my sim software. Kevin Wilson

Hello Dan, I was flying level below the GS expecting that as soon as I intercepted the GS then it would be captured thereby having the autopilot follow the glideslope. For some reason upon intercepting the GS nothing happened and I remained in the GS waiting to capture mode. It has always worked when approaching in VNAV or flying manually. Just doesn't work when flying in lvl change mode. Is that normal? Kevin Wilson

Hello Chock, No I use only the pilot side autopilot and have performed hundreds of vnav approaches successfully doing this. Thanks for the help. Kevin Wilson

Hello DaveCT2003, The ATC directions did have me descend to an altitude low enough to capture the glideslope in that way. For some reason when I am in level change I can't capture the glidesope. All my approaches using VNAV work fine. Kevin Wilson

I just started flying with vatsim. I was flying the star to SFO in LNAV and VNAV when atc instructed me to descend to an altitude and turn to a different heading. I used level change to make the descent and used heading select to fly the new heading. I am now out of LNAV and VNAV. Atc continued to give me instructions to intercept the ILS approach. I engaged VORLOC and it activated. Upon this I engaged APP. The pfd showing the white g/s, however, the glidescope was never captured. Having never had this happen before I tried several flights trying to enter the ILS approach using heading select and level change. I was never able to get glidescope capture and a couple times couldn't get VORLOC. I always get VORLOC and G/S capture when approaching using LNAV and VNAV and when flying manually. Is there an issue using MCP autopilot to transition to VORLOC and APP? Kevin Wilson

I get the "unable 270 kts at XXXX" message quite often and can't see any reason why. I fly standard routes from Flight Aware and use the current SIDS and STARS. Is there anything I might be doing wrong or is this common? Kevin Wilson

Thanks Kyle Kevin Wilson

Thanks Ralph, I will take a look Kevin Wilson Thanks Kevin, do you know why the speed is still indicated in the speed window after disengaging both autopilot and auto throttle?

I am getting inconsistent results with auto throttle speed control upon glideslope capture. When in VNAV and selecting APP I obtain VORLOC and then G/S and the speed is controlled properly with auto throttle. When using the MCP to hold altitude and control speed until I get to the IAF I get inconsistent control of speed upon glideslope capture. There are times the speed is controlled in the same way as when I enter via VNAV and other times the speed control window flashes and the speed is not controlled. I am not totally sure what the proper operation is so don't know if this is a bug or my lack of understanding Kevin Wilson