Experience with new PM SW updates

[carlos hermida]

Hi Pete and all,

The problem of changing HDG only happened to me when i changed one STAR that i have previous selected to another one (in this case changing landing rwy) but when i enter new FL's in the cdu CLB, CRZ page it didn't cause any HDG problem with my setup until this days, maybe it will in my next flights. So to avoid this issue until Enico solve that i am using MCP HDG select everytime i need to change something in the CDU...


Best,

[Peter Dowson]

... when i enter new FL's in the cdu CLB, CRZ page it didn't cause any HDG problem ...

As I say, you don't notice it really (so it isn't a BIG problem) unless you enter a new (or same) FL, but then don't press EXEC. As long as you don't press EXEC, the wrong heading is used by LNAV. As soon as you press EXEC, it is corrected.

So, normally, changing the CDU whilst looking at the CDU, it isn't noticeable -- by the time you look back at the ND or outside view it is all over, corrected.

I never noticed it at all until Ray pointed it out. I never would have, probably, as I do have my CDU in the normal low down CDU position and can't watch that and look outside or look at the PFD/ND at the same time.

Regards

Pete

[Ray Proudfoot]

I never noticed it at all until Ray pointed it out. I never would have, probably, as I do have my CDU in the normal low down CDU position and can't watch that and look outside or look at the PFD/ND at the same time.

Hi Pete,

I encountered the problem on two flights today with the new builds. I wonder why Enrico can't see this especially as it affects both FS9 and FSX.

I may have found another problem unless it's a new feature. After landing the flaps are fully retracted without any action from me. Do you or anyone else see this? I had suspicions after my first flight but when it happened after a second I was sure I had not retracted them. Is this another feature that can be controlled in the ini file?

The CDU.INI file has this entry...

AutoFlapRetract=Off

but as you can see it's set to off so what's retracting them?

Cheers,

[Peter Dowson]

I may have found another problem unless it's a new feature. After landing the flaps are fully retracted without any action from me. Do you or anyone else see this?

I didn't notice this, but I'll be doing some more flights this week before we go away, so I'll make a specific note to check that. No time today. Turkish F1 , then I need to cut the grass! .

Pete

[Ray Proudfoot]

I didn't notice this, but I'll be doing some more flights this week before we go away, so I'll make a specific note to check that. No time today. Turkish F1 , then I need to cut the grass! .

Pete

Hi Pete,

I've just finished a short hop from EGLL up to Manchester and the flaps stayed down this time. I'm sure I wasn't imagining things yesterday. I'll be interested to know if you get this issue.

Make sure those stripes are straight!

Cheers.

[carlos hermida]

Hi Ray,

Have made 2 filghts yesterday and didn't note the AUTO FLAP RETRACT after landing that you report.

Pete, after this two flights i saw the problem of HDG, so you are right of it , on my other flights i had push to fast the EXEC button on my CDU that i didn't note this problem.

[Ray Proudfoot]

Hi Ray,

Have made 2 filghts yesterday and didn't note the AUTO FLAP RETRACT after landing that you report.

Thanks Carlos. It didn't happen on a flight this morning so I'm putting it down to gremlins.

[Peter Dowson]

Thanks Carlos. It didn't happen on a flight this morning so I'm putting it down to gremlins.

I had two short flights this morning, and it didn't happen either time either, so, yes, you must have had a gremlin from somewhere!

This morning I used the Gear to help slow me down on descent (I was a little ambitious with the Cruise level on a *very* short hop, Bristol to Gatwick), and, blow me down, the gear wouldn't lock again on approach. Landed and didn't have Reverse Thrust or Nose Wheel steering, just like before.

I checked the AIRCRAFT.CFG file (it's the PMDG one), and it has these values:

IAS above which gear is prohibited from extending: 270
IAS above which extending the gear may damage it: 230

Now there's a placard in my cockpit which says I can extend gear below 270 (it doesn't say "without damage" but I would have taken that for granted), but I can't retract it above 230.

I extended the gear to help slow me down when I was doing 255.Hence the damage.

I checked the default 737-800 in FSX and that has 250, so even that may have given me a problem.

I think PMDG have got these numbers muddled up. I'm going to check my 737 books, see what they say, and edit the CFG appropriately.

I still don't understand why the Reversers don't operate when the gear is damaged -- FSX (or maybe the PMDG modelling) must have them interlocked to the gear. That isn't right according to the 737 emergency procedures, which do talk about using reverse (carefully) in a gear-failure landing.


Best Regards

Pete

[Tomlin]

Maybe it's somehow connected between a lack of the gear not being 'locked' and that's not allowing the sqwat switch to be activated, thus locking out the reversers?

[Peter Dowson]

Maybe it's somehow connected between a lack of the gear not being 'locked' and that's not allowing the sqwat switch to be activated, thus locking out the reversers?

This may, indeed, be what FSX (or possibly the PMDG modelling) is doing, but in fact, according to my reading of the real 737 manuals, reversers should still be deployable with a failed gear extension.

Maybe there is really such an interlock, but the manual is assuming that the squat switch will get depressed in any case, with unlocked gear or by the nose running along the ground with the collapsed gear under it.

Never mind. I've managed to stop without the reversers each time. I was just a bit surprised.

Regards

Pete