OnCourse Software

Hi all,

I saw PFE at a friends home and i played a bit with it. Certainly it has my attention. The only thing i didn't see was where i could define my departure runway...
In Radar contact, which i now use but i want more depth (especially the taxi guidance which totally rocks!!), i can pre-define the departure runway. For example: RC will openup 36 L / R and 06. If i don't pre-define the dep runway i'll have the problem which my question is about.

Mostly i follow the next procedure:

1) Load a pre-made flightplan from Eham to XXX (doesn't matter which airport) in the FS9 flightplanner
2) Ask (taxi) IFR clearance from the ATC within Fs9, which will give me the departure runway. I have Schiphol from Cloud 9 and the FS9 ATIS standard opens allmost all runways(?). I don't know if PFE uses the FS9 ATIS?
3) Make a flightplan in FSNAV with a sid from the departure runway and a star to the runway which heading comes closest to the departure runway. (dep EHAM = 06, arr LPPT = 03).
4) Export flightplan to Radar Contact and PMDG 737 FMC.
5) Define Dep runway in Radar Contact and all other settings.
4) Import flightplan into PMDG 737 FMC,
5) Start Radar Contact, pushback,taxi, take off, cruise and land.

How can i pre-define a departure runway wich PFE will use?
Will PFE follow my flightplan as i have filed? I don't know what happens with Rardar Contact but sometimes it says that im off course while im strickly following the flightplan i made in FSnav.

Hopefully you can help me with answers. Probably i will buy PFE cause it's a mayjor plus for flying VFR, as i did at my friends house.

Greetings, Boby

Hi Boby,

Quote:

How can i pre-define a departure runway wich PFE will use?

There is a facility for requesting an alternative runway to that assigned. You select the appropriate keystroke (N on my setup) select the runway and then signal acceptance of that runway with a further key press (Y on my setup).

However, I am not sure why you would wish to predefine a runway unless you have altered the weather to suit the runway you wish to use. You could find yourself taking off with a strong tailwind and into the teeth of your AI if you do not set the weather as appropriate.

I would suggest that the best way to use PFE, in order to ensure realism, is to import your flight plan without SID/STAR.

I use a programme called TOPCAT to calculate fuel quantity and Take Off configuration required for a particular trip and so know in most cases which runway I will be using for take off and landing, but I still do not include SID/STAR information in a flight plan and find another runway being assigned if the weather changes..

I would suggest that you import the flight plan into PFE without SID/STAR. Build/import the flight plan into the FMC. By listening to ATIS or requesting clearance and taking note of the assigned SID (provided you have inputted the SID detail into PFE) you will be assigned a runway. You can then select the SID from the FMC database and complete your flight plan.

This method also means that you only need one flight plan for a trip between say EGLL & EHAM. Otherwise I think you will need a selection of flight plans to accommodate every feasible mix of SID & STAR. You also only need compile one flight plan for use with PFE and import it once.

I hope this makes sense.

Best

Dave
PFE/FDC Beta Tester

Baman wrote:

Hi Boby,

Quote:

How can i pre-define a departure runway wich PFE will use?

There is a facility for requesting an alternative runway to that assigned. You select the appropriate keystroke (N on my setup) select the runway and then signal acceptance of that runway with a further key press (Y on my setup).

However, I am not sure why you would wish to predefine a runway unless you have altered the weather to suit the runway you wish to use. You could find yourself taking off with a strong tailwind and into the teeth of your AI if you do not set the weather as appropriate.

I would suggest that the best way to use PFE, in order to ensure realism, is to import your flight plan without SID/STAR.

I use a programme called TOPCAT to calculate fuel quantity and Take Off configuration required for a particular trip and so know in most cases which runway I will be using for take off and landing, but I still do not include SID/STAR information in a flight plan and find another runway being assigned if the weather changes..

I would suggest that you import the flight plan into PFE without SID/STAR. Build/import the flight plan into the FMC. By listening to ATIS or requesting clearance and taking note of the assigned SID (provided you have inputted the SID detail into PFE) you will be assigned a runway. You can then select the SID from the FMC database and complete your flight plan.

This method also means that you only need one flight plan for a trip between say EGLL & EHAM. Otherwise I think you will need a selection of flight plans to accommodate every feasible mix of SID & STAR. You also only need compile one flight plan for use with PFE and import it once.

I hope this makes sense.

Best

Dave
PFE/FDC Beta Tester

That very good new Dave! Thanks for the reply!! Tomorrow i will "fly" to the Aviationmegastore next to Schiphol and buy PFE!
Yeah i know, the way i do it with the SIDs and STARs isn't even close to the real thing. I'll try without Sids and stars en figure out how to program the FMC manually. Back to school....

Grtz boby

Hi Boby,

Glad to ahve helped.

I am sure you will find buying PFE money well spent.

If you find you need a competent First Officer to assist you, I can recommend FDC Live Cockpit. It has the benefit of working with PFE for a more realistic experience and there is a profile available for the PMDG 737. See here http://www.oncourse-software.co.uk/fdc_live_cockpit.htm

Best

Dave
PFE/FDC Beta Tester

Dave,
At what point can you ask for a change of runway. Can you do it when you are directed by ground control, or do you request a runway change from the tower?

Regards,
Mike W.

Hi Mike,

The request needs to be made to the tower.

You do not have to wait until asked to tune to the tower to tune to the tower. So, I would think if you tuned to the tower frequency when ready for taxi, you should be able to make your request then.

I am a bit vague on this because, like when I am in the kitchen at home, I just do as I am told and don't use this function.

Best

Dave
PFE/FDC Beta Tester

Hi Mike,

Just a small correction to the other Dave's reply

You request another runway at departure just after Ground control give you taxi instructions to the active runway (or Tower if there is no Ground control facilities at your departure airport). You request another runway from Approach just after they tell you which runway you can expect to receive vectors for.

Hope that helps

Here is what I do... I have an aircraft saved at a departure gate... I save it with the wind set to a specific direction so I will get 4R at KJFK... Then enroute I just reset the wind at KPHL so that I will get 27R or L... Its just a couple of clicks...
If you use a "real weather" then thats another issue...

Its a lot easier to set the wind direction in FS9 than chainging runways..

ray Lunning