PMDG 737TNG Help

[Liam]

Hey guys. I'm sure you've had questions about the complexity of the PMDG FMC before...well that just means you're prepared, right?  :P

I'm following (trying to) the "737TNG Flight Tutorial" as from the official PMDG website. I have a problem though, when it sets the departure as ROCKI.DVC it only gives me the option to set it as a runway!

Can someone please advise me as to where I am going wrong, and perhaps provide some other help tutorials?

Thanks!

[jrpilot]

Well you would know ahead of time which runway to expect (ATIS) and after you have selected this runway youcould then select your STAr....the AIRAC files you have maybe old or not even have that STAR you are talking about

[Liam]

Thanks for the response.

The way it is described in the manual is as if you can choose more than just a runway as your departure...where as I can only choose a runway.

I'm more than likely getting something wrong as I'm totally new to this whole thing.

[Liam]

Aha! Although I did install the two airport SIDS/STARS for some reason they'd gone again.

I can set it up now....but the plane just goes round in very steep circles when I press the two NAV buttons and the lights switch straight off (Which results in the error display on the control panel saying 'FMC first' - or something like that). It would seem I still have something wrong on the FMC...but I really can't think what.

Anyone know what could result in me not following the path and just spinning in a circle?

On a side not, it does produce the 'bank angle' warning...which is very impressive.  :D

Also, if you want to follow all of the special departure paths does it mean you have to install a file for EVERY airport you want to use?  :o

[jrpilot]

have you loaded Navdata?

Also it seems you have inserted a hold which is why you are going around in circles...or does the aircraft do the circles after the airport, which would mean you did a missed approach...

Did you load the radios for the approach and set the CRS, disconnect the autopilot and hand fly the approach?

[Liam]

Yeh I have installed NavData, it is install into the FMCWP directory in the FS9 directory - is this correct?

[jrpilot]

Well if you have the SIDs and STAR's available in the FMC then it is in the correct place...

so have you done a flight lately and is it still doing the same thing..make sure you have NO empty spaces in your FMC in between the Waypoints

[Alphajet_Enthusiast]

I suggest you follow the Introductory flight  which is described from head to toe in the manual that you van find in the CD Box. And if that isnt enough, they have also supplied a second booklet, the FMC manual!!
The introductory flight features everything including the autoland sequence! Now I perform multiple flights on a weekly basis using mainly the FMC! It is a fantastic tool!
Try the Introductory flight, it teaches you all the most important priciples of a Boeing FMC!!  :)

[Liam]

Woo! Thanks alot for the help guys, I got it working using the tutorial on the official site. I was having a few problems before, but the 50 page .pdf certainly helps! And I must say now I'm totally amazed by it.

It had it's own SIDs/STARs for KDEN & KLAX so I guess that helped a bit aswell.

However, I have download all of the latest SIDs/STARs and they always give me an error when I try to import them into the FMC. For example, I import KBOS and it will say something along the lines of "Error at FIX, line 28" - and this has happened with each almost every airport I have tried from the selection I downloaded, but using the KDEN & KLAX from the tutorial works. Because they causes an error I can also not choose SIDs/STARs on the route!

On another note, what is the best way to plan the route? As on the FS Flight Planner it doesn't advise what routes to use (ROCKI/CIVET etc.) - can it only be done manually by following the flight planner map or using something lke FSBuild?

Thanks!!  ;)

[jrpilot]

there was a site that told you which one to pick for the SID/STAR but it now gone, pretty much go on over to myairplane.com and put in your airports ICAO 4 digit code and search for the SID STAR and look at which way you will be coming in (ie. left, right, north, south) and choose the SID/STAR the best suites your needs


I (myself) have real world flight plans from friends which are great since I am flying the route the realworld pilots re instead of the FS way since they are off, I will give you a real world flightplan right now that I flew two weeks ago from KIAH-KPHL (Houston to Philadelphia), and also this was the B737-700 used (you want to put everything in the FMC after and including the KIAH (your departure airport), the stuff on top of that is your info; flight number, dep. arrival airports, aircraft type, takeoff time exp., landing time exp., and bot sure about the last one, I think it is the registration number.

[Liam]

Thanks for that buddy, certainly helpful.

What exactly is the NavData? I understand what the SIDs & STARs do but not hte NavData...also is it supposed to be installed in the 'FMCWP' folder directly in the FS9 directory?

[jrpilot]

As far as I know it is the SID, STARs and Runways...and if you have SIDs and STARs available in the FMC then they went to the correct directory...I'm not sure exactly were my NAVDATA goes, it goes to the right plkace automatically