Fsbuild-2 Flight Planner

I am very new with this addon (just bought it on Sunday) and not quite sure how to use it in the Citation, most prob other aircraft as well.

I have no problem in programming the FMC and I can see my active route displayed on the MFD. Question though is how do I get the aircraft to follow this route? I switch on the autopilot but none of the modes (HDG, ALT etc) and it just stays in the attitude it was in when I activated the AP. When do you press the VNAV and LNAV switches on the panel and MCU?

I know how VNAV and LNAV works BTW having flown the PDMG 744 extensively just need to sort out how this integrates with the Citation AP.

Turn on LNAV is ISG, then turn on HDG mode in the autopilot, and the aircraft will follow the flight plan route.

The autopilot master, heading hold, and isg Lnav mode must all be on.

Regards.
Ernie.

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Hi Ernie,

From my understanding of these units, this explanation raises a question about certain departures.

For instance, say the SID called for runway heading, followed by vectors to a fix. I was told that the way to do it is the plane departs and uses the HDG button until you are ready to engage the flightplan you programmed into FMS. At that point, you'd use the NAV button to tell the autopilot to follow the RNAV route.

If that's not true, how would you mimic that type of departure?

Thanx

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You can do it that way. when the HDG mode is on press the LNAV button, LNAV will activate.

You can press it before or after, but LNAV will not activate unless the HDG mode is on.

Keep in mind LNAV will not fly an intercept course, when turned on, it turns the aircraft directly to the next flight plan waypoint. On reaching that waypoint it will then fly the flight plan track.

Whereas in some real Airliners LNAV won't even active unless you're currently on an intercept course (you'd get an error message from the FMS indicating this).

Regards.
Ernie.

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Thanks for the clarification, Ernie

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For VNAV yes ALT hold *and* LNAV mode must be on for it to activate.

The auto-thottle does not need to be on, but it will still input the speed values into the MCP (unless you have .cfg option having vnav set spd off).

When VNAV is on, it will automatically enter the required vertical speed to stay on the FMC calculated climb or descent path (long as the req VS does not exceed the maximum defined .cfg VS setting).

Regards.
Ernie.

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