I'm having trouble planning flights

Hello all,

 

I'm new to the forum (so be gentle). I have been flight simming on and off for years since I was a kid. I'm starting to get back into it a bit more seriously now.

 

I have recently purchased the pmdg 737ngx and have ran through the tutorials supplied with the aircraft. I'm pretty well acquainted with the fmc now.

 

I also purchased PFPX for planning flights. I have planned a flight from EGFF (Cardiff) to EGKK(Gatwick) its only a short flight and this is what it gives me.

 

EGFF BCN1B BCN L9 KENET ASTR1F EGKK

 

Now when I enter the details into the fmc route planner all is well until I try to set the arrival into egkk. I select ILS 08R and the star ASTR1F and I also select the transition ASTRA. All looks ok on the flight planner in the cockpit although it is a very winding approach. However I take off and set the auto pilot and it heads exactly where it should, but when I start getting nearer the approach just after starting the decent it flashes up on the FMC DES not reachable or something like that and then the aircraft doesn't follow the lines on the screen for the approach. I'm confused!

 

Can anyone shed some light on where I'm going wrong?.

 

Thanks!

That usually means the fixes are too close together and the AP is unable to follow the FMC directions, modify your flight plan or remove the waypoint or descend manually. Also check there are no 'discontinuities' (discon) on the legs page

Hello PPSFA, thank you for your reply.

 

I also tried planning a flight from EHAM to EGKK. Which consisted of GORL1P > GORLO > UL980 > TRIPO > LUMB2H

 

Again coming towards the end of the flight, the autopilot directed away from the planned route near the end just before the final right turn to loop back round and set us up for 08R.

 

I'm yet to have a successful auto piloted flight using the FMC apart from when following the tutorial that comes with the 737 which takes you from EGKK > EHAM and the plane flies straight in and lands there.

 

Where am I going wrong!?

First, which exact plane are you flying?

 

What flight planner are you using or are you programming the FMC directly ?

 

My first guess is that you have not entered the approach into the FMC, only the SID, enroute, and STAR, is that correct?

I think I've managed to work it out. I tried the EHAM to EGKK flight again only this time I deleted some waypoints on the approach and it seemed to take me straight in.

 

When the transition and runway is entered for some airports such as Glasgow, it inputs a hold into the fmc planner and this seems to confuse it a bit.

 

I'm using the FMC directly and yes I am entering the approach sid, runway and transition.

Yup, the FMC will fly whatever is programmed, which is why after getting everything loaded, I always go to PLAN mode and step through the entire plan to make sure it makes sense. I then remove any waypoints not needed.... glad you got it sorted

Thanks for your help :)