How to use PMDG 737 NGX FMC in conjunction with FSX ATC

[Bandyair 0]

G'day,

 

I've been using FSX since the the begining and have been flying all sort of aircraft and now I have purchased the PMDG 737NGX. It is a wonderful aircaft in every aspect. I love flying it however I do not have the time to go through the complex FMC setup before every flight and I also like to hand fly the plane which give me satisfaction I undrestand and admire the FMC and the procedures but I do not just want to press computer buttons and watch the plane fly itself I want to be part of the action. So what I would like to do is:

Handle take off myself completely following ATC instructions then once reached cruising altitude hand over control to FMC and again take back control once started descent.

Is this possible and if so how?

 

It would be an absolute joy if someone could provide an answer to this.

 

Cheers

[vonmar 122]

"I do not have the time to go through the complex FMC setup before every flight"

"once reached cruising altitude hand over control to FMC"

 

To use the FMC for your flight .. you have to take the time to program it.

[Lynk 4]

I don't mean to be rude but you really need to do learn the basic about this aircraft

[tf51d 284]

If you want the FMC to take over at cruise altitude you will still need to program the route into FMC. You can still fly her manually though, and follow ATC instructions. ATC will vector you onto you're route, normally as you approach the waypoint, the FMC will direct the plane to the new waypoint and and ATC will be happy. Flying her manually or using Heading Select on the AP, if you pass the waypoint or become off course ATC will vector you back on it, forcing you to follow instructions as you say you want to do. Once at cruise altitude you should be able to re-engage the LNAV/VNAV is you so choose, or you can continued to be vectored. On approach you will be vectored either way.. If you don't want to load the flightplan manually, you can use a flightplan builder such as FSBUILD, or you can use Simroutes.com. In either case make sure you download the plans in both FSX and PMDG formats. You should program the PERF parameters as that will set the plane up with it's proper performance parameters for the weight, CG, environment of your aircraft

[RWFeldman 159]

I do not just want to press computer buttons and watch the plane fly itself I want to be part of the action.

 

LOL.Thats basically what a modern airliner is. Psedo drone. A pilot is a "systems manager"

[ESzczesniak 128]

Once you know how it works, you can program an FMC in 1-2 minutes (maybe even less). You can handfly the whole route or let the autopilot do virtually all of the flying. The FMC has nothing to do with which you choose.

 

While I also don't mean to be rude, I do echo the sentiments that you need to learn a bit more about this aircraft. Try going through PMDG's tutorials for a start. In particular, it will be key to understand the difference between the FMC, CDU, MCP, FD and AFS. These all feed data to each other, but are different systems with different purposes.

[Bandyair 0]

I don't mean to be rude either but I was expecting these sort of answers and not one to the question I actually asked:)

As I said I do know how the FMC works however I just want to get up in the air and fly. I understand that this is how real world aircraft fly but this is a sim and I don't see the point of only typing info into a computer and just sit there do nothing and simply watch the plane fly itself. What is the joy in that?? I might as well just watch a you tube video... There is much more to flying in real life than that. In fact I do have pilot friends (yes I will ask them too) who used to say whenever they can they fly the plane manually otherwise it's too boring. If you don't what's to point of having the beautifully modelled flight characterisitcs of the PMDG?? Autoland is also great but again watch a video instead. Also fellow simmers you need to understand some people like me don't want/have time for the complexity of the real systems but do want the quality of such aircraft as simple as that.

 

Anyway tf51d thanks very much that is sort of the answer I was after. So basically I can just import the flight plan and when cruising just enable LNAV/VNAV? I thought that would not be as simple.

 

Thanks

[bonchie 2,305]

It takes me about 3 minutes to program the FMC. You have time, you just don't realize it. It's not nearly as complicated as it seems.

 

Watch some youtube tutorials. Not everything has to be 100% true to life accurate either (i.e. when I'm straped for time I just set fuel at about 2/3 and go with it, not realistic but works). To get a route that works with FSX ATC, simply choose VOR to VOR in FSX's flight planner. It'll automatically build a route and FSX ATC will comply with it. You just have to fly the approach manually until you hit the localizer as it won't give you a STAR obviously.

[mikea76 184]

LOL.Thats basically what a modern airliner is. Psedo drone. A pilot is a "systems manager"

 

UGGG.. I am surprised some of the real pilots on here don't find stuff like that offensive. So the only real pilots were the guys that flew WW1 bi-planes with no nav equipment. LOL would you rather fly in a bi-plane with a 737 pilot that never flew a bi-palne before? or with a ww1 pilot flying a 737 he never flew before?

 

 

 

The vast majority of landings are hand flown, many airline pilots hand fly well past 10k feet. and once again hand fly below 10k.. Hell one of the guys that worked on the NGX team is a FO for american and he says he hand flies up until cruise.

 

 

 

this part is for the OP..

 

 

Even with the FMC programmed you can hand fly the plane. you don't have to turn the autopilot on. In fact I have never used the autoland in the NGX.. I used the ILS down to 1000 or so in some bad IMC a few times but then disconnect and land with the hud.

 

So what I would do is ditch the fsx atc... it's awful.. If you do that you can fly sid and stars, so much more challenging too hand fly them correctly. program your fmc then screw the autopilot just hand fly the sid, the flight director is useful for that. or if you want a real challenge fly it with radials! :)

 

Or if you want to keep the horrible fsx atc, I think you can just hand fly it accoring to atc instructions then when you get vectored to a vor or something thats programmed into your fmc do a direct to and then click the autopilot on.

 

That might work, honestly it's been so many years since I have flown with the stock ATC that my advice might be all wrong. I used RC for awhile before I discovered VATSIM and that worked well.

[Nyxx 6,993]

Just use the MS 737.

 

The PMDG is not for you if you want to fly like that. Or just try using the MCP only. You have bought the most complex 737 ever made to not use its "brain" is like buying a Ferrari and staying I just want to drive and not learn to change gear.

 

It's your Sim and your enjoyment I think you just don't need the PMDG 737. Try the MS 737 its easy and no FMC/CDU

[Bandyair 0]

NYxxUK

 

Obviously you have never driven a Ferrari. Changing gear is the easiest thing to do in that car, keeping from flying it off the road is the real challenge and most fun. THAT IS exactly what I want to do with the PMDG!!! It has the best flight model on the planet and it's a waste not to fly it maually. Would you sit in a Ferrari while a computer drives it for you?? Don't think so:)

 

I can't believe how ignorant some people can be. Sorry no offence.

 

mikea76

 

You are absolutely right and thanks for the proper answer. So should I use VATSIM if I wanted ATC?

The challenge for me is that I love to hand fly the plane (and don't mind the basic FMC programming) but while crusing I don't have the time to follow instructions so I just fast forward that is when I want the FMC to follow the path until I start the descent.

This is what I would love to achieve. AGAIN I do admire the PMDG in every aspect but why not make it fun? get the point everyone?

 

Cheers

[Bandyair 0]

Just received a reply from an old friend of mine who was a captain on a 767 flying long haul routes. He said he flew the aircraft most of the time below 10K feet manually but the were some approaches where they were advised not to due to traffic density such as JFK so he let the computer do the work there. This is from a real pilot not from a keyboard fighter:)

 

LOL.Thats basically what a modern airliner is. Psedo drone. A pilot is a "systems manager"

[mikea76 184]

Just use the MS 737.

 

The PMDG is not for you if you want to fly like that. Or just try using the MCP only. You have bought the most complex 737 ever made to not use its "brain" is like buying a Ferrari and staying I just want to drive and not learn to change gear.

 

It's your Sim and your enjoyment I think you just don't need the PMDG 737. Try the MS 737 its easy and no FMC/CDU

 

No, I know exactly what he is looking to do, and I don't think the default plane would satisfy him. in fact I just got done flying the traffic pattern and doing some touch and goes in the NGX and I did not program the fmc, so I do the same thing sometimes.

 

 

 

The NGX is a lot of fun to hand fly and land :)

 

NYxxUK

 

Obviously you have never driven a Ferrari. Changing gear is the easiest thing to do in that car, keeping from flying it off the road is the real challenge and most fun. THAT IS exactly what I want to do with the PMDG!!! It has the best flight model on the planet and it's a waste not to fly it maually. Would you sit in a Ferrari while a computer drives it for you?? Don't think so:)

 

I can't believe how ignorant some people can be. Sorry no offence.

 

mikea76

 

You are absolutely right and thanks for the proper answer. So should I use VATSIM if I wanted ATC?

The challenge for me is that I love to hand fly the plane (and don't mind the basic FMC programming) but while crusing I don't have the time to follow instructions so I just fast forward that is when I want the FMC to follow the path until I start the descent.

This is what I would love to achieve. AGAIN I do admire the PMDG in every aspect but why not make it fun? get the point everyone?

 

Cheers

 

 

Well on vatsim you won't be able to fast forward the boring cruise part.. So I would save that for when you have some time, or what I do is fly really short routes like Klas-Klax.. a lot of 737's are flown on 1 hour or less flights. Othe than that you can go for radar contact..

 

Or if using the default planner you can try this.

 

take the first VOR on your route from the MS flight planner and make that your first waypoint in the fmc. If I remember correctly the atc will vector you there. then you can just click the autopilot on when you feel like it without having to do a bunch of reprogramming in the air..

[brucek 38]

Interesting thread. I don't fly these big birds in RL (I do have a pilot's license though)- but from friends of mine at a major airline with a base here in Denver I understand that manual flying is not a SOP other than take-off or approach. So, if "real flying" to the OP is like flying my C172 in RL, then maybe you should aim for something slower like a GA aircraft- or if you want to fly a jet then as others have said here, hit the books.

 

With that said- what I do is generate an FSX flight-plan, enter this same waypoints into the NGX FMC (no landing runway or STAR), and take-off. Activate L-NAV and V-NAV and configure the ALT on the MCP appropriately. Go do something else, then when you come back the NGX is paused at TOD (if you have the option set). Un-pause it, save this flight. Then, whenever you want to do something more than look at an FMC control the bird, retrieve your saved flight then activate the FSX flight-plan (it helps if you enter some "interesting weather").

 

Follow the ATC, descending and being vectored, although you will have to make your own speed management to get below 250 KTAS at 10,000 feet.. When passing through 10,000 feet disable your AP, and now the fun begins- you get to manually fly an approach in potentially bad weather- what could be more fun?

 

I am saving a bunch of these saved flights and love to change the wx around and see what the FSX ATC can do with it. Sure, it vectors you miles out of your way sometimes- but it is really quite a powerful ATC generator - unfortunately much maligned....

 

Thanks, Bruce.

[Bandyair 0]

Hey Bruce,

 

Yep that is what I want exactly fly take offs and approaches in full manual in all sorts of weather conditions and let the FMC handle the boring part. What could be more fun than in huge cross winds arriving at NZ Queenstown's short runway between mountains over the lake with ORBX NZ installed?? Faaantastic:) Just got my new 3930K 4.5GHz no frame rate drops in these situations epic fun.

 

BTW I got interested in this great little airport when were about to take off in real life but the wind and pressure suddenly changed and from that moment on we were too heavy to take off so a few people had to get off:)

 

Thanks heaps for the good input.

 

Andrew