F M C Flight Management Computer

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F M C Flight Management Computer

Postby garymbuska » Wed Nov 28, 2018 8:48 am

For those of you that are thinking about getting an aircraft with a fully functioning FMC I should warn you that these devices are not as simple as they look and there is a lot of information that has to go into them.
For starters you can not load a FSX generated flight plan into most of these so that means you will not be able to use ATC. and to make thing harder you can not enter a FSX generated flight plan into one of these because the NAV DATA BASE IN FSX is older than dirt. The current AIRC cycle is 1812 and the one that FSX uses is not even close to it so if you try to enter a waypoint the odds are it will not be in the FMC data base
in order to keep up with the AIRC cycles you have to purchase them from Navigraph but NAVIGRAPH will not update the nav data in FSX
Of course you can always not fly IFR and just use flight following
And to make things even more difficult there is more than one type of FMC I have two PAYWARE aircraft that have fully functioning FMC'S but they each have there own method of data entry. I prefer the one in my PMDG 737-800/900
you can use your keyboard to make data entries and the other one you have to use the keyboard on the FMC.
I am still learning how to use these devices as there is a lot to learn.
So if you struggled flying IFR flight plans I would think twice about programing a FMC as they can be a challenge but I love every minute of it.
8-)
Gary M Buska
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Re: F M C Flight Management Computer

Postby EVVFCX » Sat Dec 01, 2018 4:41 pm

Hi Gary,

I use an actual FMC manual for use of the FMC in the Ifly 737NG and it matches theirs exactly so they can be as accurate as the real thing. For anybody not used to using the Fmc, all I can suggest is do a very simple flight but not a short flight as this can give leave you with a fair bit of editting to do with a flight plan where you have little more than a sid to a star.

When you think you have entered your flight plan, always set efis to pln to check the flight plan for discontinuities and consider doing your cruise at a lower altitude if your new to an aircraft.
I use an FMC on a tablet linked to the Ifly so don't have any issues entering data but you could always use an external usb keyboard configured through fsuipc.

Regards

Steve
May the Mynd be with you.
So far my number of landings either passenger or pilot equal my number of takeoffs.

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Re: F M C Flight Management Computer

Postby EVVFCX » Sat Dec 01, 2018 4:52 pm

EVVFCX wrote:Hi Gary,

I use an actual FMC manual for use of the FMC in the Ifly 737NG and it matches theirs exactly so they can be as accurate as the real thing. For anybody not used to using the Fmc, all I can suggest is do a very simple flight but not a short flight as this can give leave you with a fair bit of editting to do with a flight plan where you have little more than a sid to a star.

When you think you have entered your flight plan, always set efis to pln to check the flight plan for discontinuities and consider doing your cruise at a lower altitude if your new to an aircraft.
I use an FMC on a tablet linked to the Ifly so don't have any issues entering data but you could always use an external usb keyboard configured through fsuipc.
If a waypoint is missing then create one with reference to a waypoint that does exist and that could be a known vor. Vors can be very useful where the airport doesn't have any published stars.

Regards

Steve
May the Mynd be with you.
So far my number of landings either passenger or pilot equal my number of takeoffs.

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Re: F M C Flight Management Computer

Postby EVVFCX » Sun Dec 02, 2018 1:46 pm

No idea why that last post appeared, thought I was editting my original post, but regarding the fmc entry, keyboard works fine on the ifly 737ng without having to go through fsuipc

regards

Steve
May the Mynd be with you.
So far my number of landings either passenger or pilot equal my number of takeoffs.

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Re: F M C Flight Management Computer

Postby garymbuska » Mon Dec 03, 2018 2:52 pm

I found tutorials for both the PMDG and the Aerosoft FMC and they helped a lot.
But as you stated the one thing you should do is to check your flight plan The PMDG will actually step you through it showing you altitudes and length of leg.
The PMDG 700/900 is considered one of the most accurate planes on the market. It is kind of scary because you have to do the exact same thing as if you were in the real world aircraft down to the last item
You have to follow a very precise method just to start the engines. Of course it does give you an option of starting up with the engines running but that is kind of cheating to me.
You just have to take your time and go one step at a time in a certain order
One of the hardest parts for me was using LNAV and VNAV i had never seen this before as none of the default aircraft use these
But I love the real working auto land in the Pmdg it makes landing a snap.
you just set the runway altitude length and the angle of the glide slope than tune in the ils frequency and do not for get to set the landing altitude of the airport as well
once you pick up the ils you select vorlock and then approach arm the other autopilot so you now have two auto pilots running at the same time it will follow the glide slope automatically all you have to do is lower the gear and watch your speed. It makes an absolutely perfect landing every time
For those interested here is a link that will describe how to program the PMDG 737 FMC

https://www.scribd.com/doc/117710767/PM ... d-Tutorial
you do not have to download it you can just scroll down the pages and it will give you an idea as to what is involved

8-)
Gary M Buska
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Re: F M C Flight Management Computer

Postby EVVFCX » Mon Dec 03, 2018 7:02 pm

Hi Gary,

Just a short video for you to look at

https://www.facebook.com/flightdeck01/v ... 057962329/

regards

Steve
May the Mynd be with you.
So far my number of landings either passenger or pilot equal my number of takeoffs.

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Re: F M C Flight Management Computer

Postby garymbuska » Tue Dec 04, 2018 7:42 am

EVVFCX wrote:Hi Gary,

Just a short video for you to look at

https://www.facebook.com/flightdeck01/v ... 057962329/

regards

Steve


Thanks Steve that was awesome :D
This was one of the tutorials i used to help me https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vV_ZmxzKnzg
this is a flight that starts out cold and dark from CYVR(VANCOVER) TO KPSP(PALM SPRINGS)
But there are a bunch of these videos out there including one that shows you how to set up the auto land sequencing
the hardest part i have is at what point do i start my descent.
I use Sim Brief for all of my flight plans as it produces a very detailed flight plan which include TOC(top of climb) and TOD(top of decent)
8-)
Gary M Buska
SYSTEM Specs ASUS P8Z68 V/GEN 3 mother board: INTELL I7 2600k 3.48 ghz Quad core CPU with Sandy bridge: 12 Gigs of 1800hz ram:
GTX 950 OVER CLOCKED: 2 Gigs Ram Windows 10 Home 64 bit Operating system. 750W Dedicated modular power supply. Two Internal 1TB hard drives 1 External 1TB 3.2 USB hard drive. SAITEK Cessna flight Yoke with throttles.
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Re: F M C Flight Management Computer

Postby EVVFCX » Tue Dec 04, 2018 12:16 pm

Hi Gary,

Partially depends on what your flying performance wise but you need to know what your cruise altitude is, what the initial approach altitude is and what your descent rate is going to be but you need to check the terrain as the descent rate may not be constant.
Take the approach phase altitude away from the cruise or what altitude you will be at 'top of descent' On a flight plan on your FMC, this point to be shown as TOD, this will give you how much height you need to lose.
If your at 11000 ft and your approach pattern is at 1000 ft you need to lose 10000. You need to divide that 10000 by whatever you descent rate is, that will give you how long it will take you to descend.

Now if you know how long it will take and what your ground speed is you can then start to work out where you will be on the flight plan, there is a formula that does a lot of this working out for you if your going to override the flightplan, I'll 'dig' it out of my books and let you know but it does use the altitude you have to lose as part of it, it's then divided and multiplied to give you the distance you need to be at when you start descent, you then need to check for mountains etc if t

Keep in front of what your plane is doing, keep an eye on the speed, if it starts to creep up then use a small amount of IN Flight spoiler to create some drag but remember to put it away when your at your target speed and especially at level flight otherwise you may get the dreaded 'using reserve fuel' warning on the FMC plus angle of attack may get uncomfortable .

regards

Steve
May the Mynd be with you.
So far my number of landings either passenger or pilot equal my number of takeoffs.

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Re: F M C Flight Management Computer

Postby garymbuska » Tue Dec 04, 2018 3:23 pm

Thanks Steve
I was not aware that the TOD displayed how much altitude you had to loose. Now it makes since as to why I was to high at my destination on my first flight.
8-)
Some times i will use a different B737 and use the built in flight planner of FSX and see at what point ATC has me starting a descent
Like you I am aware that there is a method or formula you can use to pinpoint this. So far when i get within 90 nm of my destination i start a decent that is probably to far out but i would rather be to low than to high
i found this on the web

Thousands of feet to lose: 38−2=36 thousand feet
Tens of KIAS of airspeed to lose: 35−15=20

tens of KIAS

Distance = 36×3+20=128NM
from your destination
Gary M Buska
SYSTEM Specs ASUS P8Z68 V/GEN 3 mother board: INTELL I7 2600k 3.48 ghz Quad core CPU with Sandy bridge: 12 Gigs of 1800hz ram:
GTX 950 OVER CLOCKED: 2 Gigs Ram Windows 10 Home 64 bit Operating system. 750W Dedicated modular power supply. Two Internal 1TB hard drives 1 External 1TB 3.2 USB hard drive. SAITEK Cessna flight Yoke with throttles.
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Re: F M C Flight Management Computer

Postby EVVFCX » Wed Dec 05, 2018 12:40 pm

Hi Gary,

Maybe I've not worded that right, the TOD 'top of descent' point on the flight plan is the point where you begin descent so at the point the altitude is what you take the initial approach altitude away from. I would have gone onto the distance required to loose speed later. Use the 'Terrain' button to look for conflict and be prepared for a stepped descent.
I do have an actual 737 manual if there is anything you would like to know for none normal operation.

The FMC manual I use is published in the states by Bill Bufler, I had it shipped over, you find out then if your 737's publishers have bothered covering the essential bits or if they have covered everything such as the test pages which us as 'pilots' wouldn't bother with, it does give you sample flights and how to enter or modify the flight plan.

regards

Steve
May the Mynd be with you.
So far my number of landings either passenger or pilot equal my number of takeoffs.

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Re: F M C Flight Management Computer

Postby garymbuska » Thu Dec 06, 2018 10:19 am

Thanks Steve I will keep that in mind.
I flew a flight yesterday from CYVR(VANCOVER) to KPSP(PALM SPRINGS) I used FL325 and after using the formula I started descent at 123NM out which turned to be very close to the TOD and everything worked out perfectly I made a good landing at KPSP
The PMDG737-800/900 came with a very good manual and tells you about anything you want to know.
I am just about at the point where I am comfortable flying this aircraft.
But the one thing the manual did not tell me is there is a hidden spot on the main panel that will activate the TOGA mode (TAKE OFF & GO AROUND) I had no idea it was there I found this out by watching a tutorial
It is just under the course selection knob on the captain's side of the panel if you move your mouse around in that area you will see the hand appear letting you know there is a switch there even though you do not see it
8-)
Gary M Buska
SYSTEM Specs ASUS P8Z68 V/GEN 3 mother board: INTELL I7 2600k 3.48 ghz Quad core CPU with Sandy bridge: 12 Gigs of 1800hz ram:
GTX 950 OVER CLOCKED: 2 Gigs Ram Windows 10 Home 64 bit Operating system. 750W Dedicated modular power supply. Two Internal 1TB hard drives 1 External 1TB 3.2 USB hard drive. SAITEK Cessna flight Yoke with throttles.
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Re: F M C Flight Management Computer

Postby EVVFCX » Fri Dec 07, 2018 4:58 pm

Hi Gary,

Ifly do something similar for TOGA, there is a screw on the EFIS panel in the 2d view and the funny thing about it is if you watch that video again you'll see me reach for the screw rather than the Throttle Toga switches.

Vancouver is one of two airports I've been to in Canada, other was Edmonton. It was 9/11, I was on my way to San Francisco with work.


Regards

Steve
May the Mynd be with you.
So far my number of landings either passenger or pilot equal my number of takeoffs.

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