Fsbuild-2 Flight Planner

Hey!

I've bought the ISG1 pack (mainly for the Smiths FMS, but the EFIS is also very nice!), and I've got a few questions after trying a test flight (EGCC - EBBR).

1. Do you have to pay to get the latest AIRAC data?

2. I have noticed a little problem when activating my flight plans. The flight from EGCC -> EBBR uses a SID and a STAR, with the STAR connecting to an ILS approach for the runway at EBBR, all done in the FMS. It's in the FSX 737-800. This basically flies me right up to the glideslope (as shown on the default FSX GPS). The problem is that the FMS brings me in way too quick - after descending from the cruise altitude of FL340, it slows me to 233kts for the beginning of the STAR. It keeps me at 233kts until I'm right at the glideslope - which means that I miss the approach. Does anyone have any idea what might be going on here? I thought that speed data was held in the STARS, but maybe not.

3. If I want to fly to a certain leg in the flight plan, what do I do? e.g. if I want to skip out a few waypoints.

4. Are the cruise/climb speeds calculated by the FMS accurate? I ask because it asks me to cruise at FL340 at 280kts, which actually seems a bit fast (I usually cruise at mach .72).

Thanks a lot - and really well done with this suite of instruments. I love it.

Hi everyone, after a bit of research, I've solved question 1. I do however have another small question I'd like to ask:

5. When I am flying an ILS approach with the FMS, when should I switch from FMS control to APP hold with the autopilot? Also, does the FMS fly me straight to the glideslope, or does it typically leave a little bit of time between the end of the approach and the intercept of the GS?

Thankyou!

Thanks for the help, that's pretty much cleared it up! It's strange though, because in the Legs page before I activate the flight plan, it shows speeds of 200, 180 and 170 knots for the last 3 waypoints, but once I put in the Perf Init information and activate, it sets the speeds to 230kts.

Also - one final question - it's not about the FMC in particular, just a general procedures question. Approx. when in the flight plan would I take control from the FMC and fly the plane myself? I know that the FMC doesn't control the plane right up to the glideslope, but rather the pilots will make the final turns to intercept the localiser. I'm thinking that after the STAR is a good time to regain control - is this about right?

Thankyou again!