747 Autopilot navigation

[banpei]

I'm having problems getting my autopilot in the 747 to show the VORs I'm supposed to go to in the flight plan. I can get them to show up fine in the 737, and I can see the purple bug showing where I'm supposed to go, but in the 747 I can't seem to get it off the "zero" heading. Is there a different protocol I'm supposed to follow to get the AP working in the 747 as opposed to the 737?

[tigisfat]

I'd love to help you, but we need more information. We may be calling things by different terms. By definition, the autopilot doesn't have a display with which to show VORs. The autopilot is only a series of settings and switches.

Are you referring to the large screens directly in front of the control column? I think that's what we're talking about. Those screens do not show the same data the 737 and regional jet do. The 747 was not updated very much for FSX, and the feature I think you're referring to was introduced in FSX.

We are talking about the default 747, right? not a payware version?

Are you talking about the GPS? the window you can open with SHIFT
+3?

[banpei]

Thanks tig. Well...I'm specifically talking about the middle display that shows all of the headings and airports that you pass over. In the 737, when I start up the plane (the lame CTRL-E way), i see a line going from my airport to my first VOR (in this case, SFO to OAK). If I turn my autopilot on and turn the NAV on, the plane starts turning along the line and it follows it all the way to the end destination. In the 747, there are no lines, nor can I get any display to show me the heading I'm supposed to take to get me to my next VOR.

And yeah, all of my planes (737 and 747) are default. If the 747 doesn't have this function, do you manually have to tune the AP to the next VOR that you're supposed to head to?

And while I've got your attention...I just made a flight plan from SFO to Heathrow. It routed me over the Arctic. Do planes normally go that way?

[tigisfat]

The 747 will follow a flightplan you've created provided that the NAV/GPS switch is in the GPS position and NAV hold on the autopilot is engaged. It will not display the flightplan or flightpath on the panel like the 737 or regional jet. You can, however, watch the same thing by bringing up your GPS display. You don't need to know the heading to fly when NAV/GPS is in GPS and NAV hold is engaged. If you want to manually fly it, you're going to have to reset the CRS for each leg as identified in the flightplan or on the NAVLOG portion of the kneeboard.

The 747 incorrectly displays autopilot buttons, so you might have to press Z to engage and disengage the master autopilot and hold your mouse over each button to see what they REALLY do.

A northerly routing is perfectly acceptable for your flight. Most flights between the US and Europe pass over greenland. They are called great circle routes. Try making a very long flightplan with the planner going direct via GPS. You'll see what I mean. The line you're travelling only appears to be curved on the map because maps are laid flat and the earth is curved.

[banpei]

ahh I see now... I guess it was on, but the different display on the older 747 threw me off. Thanks Tig!