PMDG FMC - 2 questions

[Smoke2much]

1:  I'm not sure where I went wrong but I have a problem when programming the FMC.

My first flight was from EGLL (Heathrow) to EDDI (Templehof).  I programmed all the gubbins in as requested using the recommended SID and the BATEL4Z STAR from the Northen Approach chart from FSCharts.com (Excellent site!).

The problem is that I arrived directly over the airport at 4000 feet and I'm not sure why.  I was of the understanding that the FMC would take me down to intercept the ILS but it failed miserably.  How do I arrange it so that this happens properly?

2: ATC

Is it possible to make the FMC flight plan "talk" to ATC?  If you attempt to land in ILS conditions without filing a flight plan the ATC refuses permission.  Is there any way of making the sim accept the FMC flight plan as a filed plan?

Will

[eno]

Nexus will probably answer the second question. However I may be able to help with the first.

When you reached cruising altitude did you alter the last fix on the flightplan to the intercept height/speed for the ILS.

For example if your last fix before intercepting the ILS is 15nm  out are you already at intercept height and final speed?

Nexus will probably be able to make things clearer.

[Smoke2much]

Cheers Eno, I don't think that I did.  I just assumed that it would all work itself out.  The main problem is the steepness of the learning curve as I have gone from tarting about in single engine VFR flight to full blown realistic IFR stuff in one go.

I'll get there but you can expect a huge number of posts on here...

[eno]

If you do that then the FMC recalculates all the speeds etc so that when you hit the ILS you should be properly set up. Have you tried the tutorial flight ..... or even read the blurb that explains it better.

[jrpilot]

1.

[Smoke2much]

Have you tried the tutorial flight ..... or even read the blurb that explains it better.

I've read it all twice at least but sadly I don't understand it .  The tutorial flight seems to hang my system

Will

[eno]

I've read it all twice at least but sadly I don't understand it .  The tutorial flight seems to hang my system

Will

That's not good .......  Heres another suggestion try downloading the SID/STAR zips from the PMDG site. Once installed they save you having to adjust stuff on the FMC during flight. They take you to the last approach fix at 180kts and the correct height, for the most part. Then all you have to do is correct for landing.

[jrpilot]

[quote]

That's not good .......

[Smoke2much]

I think that I've sorted it out.  I was using the DELETE function to remove the Route Discontinuity waypoints rather than moving the wypt below up 1 position.

Thanks for your time gents.

Will