Wilco 737 NZWN - NZAA

[Kelburn]

When programming the FMC for this flight in the Wilco 733 what do I put in for the "three digit identifiers" pg34 for the flight from NZWN to NZAA?

[Alex]

I'm not sure what you mean - I'll do a quick run through of what I do when programming a FMC

• Start up the FMC
• Set up my departure and arrival airports
• Set up my departure runway and procedure (if applicable)
• Enter my route
• Set up my arrival runway and arrival procedure (check METAR and TAF etc)
• Go through the 'Perf Init' and set weights, cruise altitude, TA and TL, flaps on departure etc
• Double check it - there is no worse feeling than getting up a few thousand feet and realising you've screwed up somewhere

Hope this helps a little.

Alex

[Kelburn]

What do I enter in for my route?

[Alex]

Ermm, your waypoints and airways you are going to fly along for the trip (you can't really fly direct - has to be via at least one 'waypoint').

Check out Routefinder for a free route generator - but sometimes its not as good for NZ as it is for other places. Maybe you'd like to check the standard route clearances from the AIP, under the departure airport for a route - note that you have to enter a waypoint before an airway etc.

What I usually do though is open up FSNavigator and plot a route in there before programming it into the FMC.

A FMS can be really hard to use if you are new to one - if you have the manual read it thoroughly. Or perhaps look on the internet for a guide to a fully planned flight somewhere to help you get familiarised.

Alex

[Kelburn]

Thanks for your help. I managed to get t flying!
When I start form a cold cockpit I do the apu etc then I get blacked out instruments. I program the route etc to the FMC.
Why does this happen what do I need to do?
(do I have to do the IRS? If I do how do I do it?)

[Jimmy]

You really didn't read the manual did you never mind, best way to learn is to experiement, well in fs

If starting cold and dark you will need to align the IRS (inertial referance units, three or two of them, so system). To do this you need to turn them to "nav" , from off straight to NAV. Then open your CDU (control display unit, the part of the FMC that you can play with, the FMC is not the little screen, thats the CDU ) and hit the init(izilation) page, you may need to click "index" or whatever and then "pos"(ition) and click the "last pos" line so its in the scratchpad then put it in to the line with all the boxes to fill in for your position. You could also look on a gate chart and enter the corrdinates manualy, but useing the last position is very quick.

Then you must NOT move untill the IRUs have aligned, depeding on your realisum settings this can take up to 10minutes, witch you should have it set to as this is the time it takes with a real IRU. If you move the IRUs don't align properly, you can do some research on the IRS and find out excatly why, its a prety neat thing really..

While the IRUs are alignging you can enter your route and set everything else up.

So thats it, after a certain amount of time all your gauges will look normal and youl be okay to go

James

[Kelburn]

All I can say is the manuals a bit well... sparse. It's actually got a really good tutorial for programming the FMC and APU and Engine start up but nothing for the IRS but I've got a tutorial in my PC Pilot mag (it's for a 747 but I'm sure I can interpret it for the 733)
Anyway thanks for your help

[Alex]

After the APU is on everything should work - provided you've flicked the APU GEN switch.

Alex

[Kelburn]

Alex when you start the apu from cold dark set up and flick on the generators etc. are your instruments blacked out?

[Jimmy]

You turn the battery on, start the APU and flick the APU generator lights, after about a minute, flick the switches when the blue lights by the generator switchs are iluminated then your guages will light up in all the prety colours

James

[Kelburn]

I think I do need to set the IRS as in PC PIiot it says while setting it or while it isn't set your instruments will be black.

[Jimmy]

I think I do need to set the IRS as in PC PIiot it says while setting it or while it isn't set your instruments will be black.

huh?

[Alex]

I don't have problems with blacked out instruments unless I turn all the generators and battery off...

Alex

[Kelburn]

How to I set the IRS. Do I set it to manual or Both on 1 or whatever? Where do I enter everything to the FMC (5L 4R?)

[Jimmy]

To do this you need to turn them to "nav" , from off straight to NAV.

You set the IRS knob to NAV

read threw my post again I think I may have explained what your asking

James

[Kelburn]

Wait a tick I know what to do now I just couldn't find the IRS swithces!
Why isn't it explained it the manual!

[Kelburn]

I set it. yay I have finally got it there was just two switches hiding fomr me!