OE/LINE NOTES
Runway change before Takeoff: DEP/ARR page and Rwy, SID and Transition should all
be re-entered to avoid possibility of errors. Check LEGS page and HSI map.
[Just changing the Runway in RTE page can be problematic and should be avoided.]
MAX ABLE ALTITUDE
CRZ page and type in max. certified altitude in CRZ ALT (1L) and execute. UNABLE CRZ ALT
will appear in the SP. Press the DEL key and the max alt. will be revealed in the SP.
Or, CRZ page and type in a higher altitude and EXECute; it’ll give OPTimum altitude and max.
alt. for the current weight. (It’s OK to EXECute because it still honors the MCP alt.)
Caveat: Max able doesn’t mean smart to accept! Use 2,000’ above optimum as max able.
“Report MAXIM”.
Go to LEGS page – select MAXIM – goes to scratchpad (SP).
Go to FIX page – input SP into FIX; on MAP it’ll show green circle around MAXIM reminding you
to call there. Also, should you also need another fix say an abeam point for a fuel check, you can
go to FIX page 2 and you can input another active fix.
“Report abeam UVA”.
FIX page – UVA in SP – put in FIX. Hit ABEAM to give you the green abeam line on MAP.
Hit ABEAM line again – gives Place/Bearing/Dist and puts it on the route in MAP.
If BEFORE active waypoint – DIR INTC to go direct to it.
If AFTER active waypoint – put it in LEGS page (from SP) in sequence where it belongs.
“Report crossing the CZM 080°R.” Similar to the above. Go to FIX page and type in CZM. Now
type in 080 (Don’t need the R) and enter into LSK 2. It’ll give you the ETA and DTG. (Dist. to go.)
Select to SP and enter into LEGS page where appropriate so it displays as a WP.
XTK Error:
PROGRESS page 2 shows cross-track error.
Alternate, fuel overhead?
Say headed for Guatemala and want to know what fuel you’d have if diverted to San Juan, Costa
Rica (MROC). Go to PROGRESS page and type in MROC, place over destination MGGT. It’ll give you
time and fuel overhead MROC. Don’t forget to retype MGGT again.
“Cross XYZ at 1245”: You see that you’re presently crossing XYZ at 1240 so you have to lose 5
minutes. Go to CRZ page and try M .70 and input over .80. Other pilot’s on RTE DATA. See if that
gets you overhead at 1245. Trial and error will tell you the speed to achieve that time.
(Expect to do this in Australia.)
Takeoff tailstrike pitch attitude – 200/13.1° all flap settings. -300/9.6°
Normal liftoff attitudes: -200: F5 – 11.1° and F15 - 9°. (Provides 25” and 33” tail clearance.)
- 300: F5/15 – 7.5° (Provides 24” tail clearance.)
Incredibly important w/-300 to rotate to no more than the 7.5° line on ADI until airborne.
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QUICK ALIGNMENT AT END OF RUNWAY. (Page 76 in Boeing FMC Users Guide.)
RTE page – make destination same as departure airport. (e.g. MGGT – MGGT).
EXECute. INIT REF – INDEX – NAV DATA and enter runway, say 19 in Wpt Ident line
(1-L) It’ll give lat. and long. for that runway threshold. Write it on paper then input
into SP. (Can’t input directly to the SP unfortunately.)
Go back to RTE page and re- insert intended destination and EXECute.
INIT REF – INDEX – POS and leave it at that page with the Lat. and Long in the SP
ready to be uploaded.
At the end of the runway, when stopped, turn IRSs to ALIGN, you’ll get the boxes in
the POS to input the position waiting in the SP. IRSs back to NAV. Takes 20 seconds.
Another method: Select DEP/ARR page. On the arrival page to your departure airport
select an instrument approach to your departure runway or select the runway
itself. Do not execute. Now go to the NAV DATA page same as above (INIT REF, INDEX,
NAV DATA.) Enter the runway in line 1-L (Wpt Ident.) and write the co-ordinates down.
Return to the ARR page where you selected the approach/runway and hit ERASE (6-L).
Or, just keep it simple, read the lat and long off the airport diagram! All the above avoided by
simply updating pos’n before pushing! And not required anyway if departure not RNAV.
“Cleared direct Miami.” If you go direct KMIA you’ll lose the TOD circle and VPI. One choice is
to go direct to a runway, e.g. RWY09. That’ll put you 50’ over the threshold and give you
a TOD and VPI.
Or, go direct to KMIA and for a planned descent, just put in a WP say 30 miles from KMIA at
10,000’ and 250 Kts. (KMIA/-30 and place on top of KMIA.) Then LEGS page and add
the 250/10,000’ restriction. TOD now to be at 30 miles, 10,000’ at 250 knots. Perfect.
You’re at FL 350 and ATC tells you to descend to FL 310 and then pilots discretion to cross a
fix at 10,000’. CRZ page and put 310 in cruise line. Execute. Put 10,000 in MCP window.
The FMC will begin a VNAV cruise descent (1,200 fpm) to FL 310. Go to the legs page
and place 10,000’ opposite the fix. When you get to the TOD point at FL 310 the FMC
will begin a descent to meet the crossing restriction.
In descent, ATC says “ATI, when able maintain 310 knots.” Type .80/310 in SP. Go to DES
page and insert it in SEL SPD line. Execute. To resume normal speed, hit ECON.
MIA 1 Departure MNATE transition: (Inputting DEP Rwy 09 and MIA 1 Dep. w/MNATE
Transition doesn’t automatically put DHP in so it has to be input manually.)
Insert DHP before MNATE because the transition is from DHP to MNATE. If you
leave in the discontinuity then the Takeoff Ref page will show the Preflight as
Incomplete. Need a defined leg - RWY to first WP. So have DPH as the first WP with
no discontinuity and you’ll get the ‘Preflight Complete’ on the Takeoff Ref page.
DES NOW (on DES page) is active in cruise.
[FCOM 11.43.3]
You’ll descend at 1,200 fpm until intercepting VNAV PATH.
DES DIR (on DES page) is active in descent. It deletes all altitude constraints between
present altitude and the altitude in the MCP altitude window.
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Have to divert and can’t find the approach charts, is it still possible to fly the approach?
Go to RTE page and change destination to the divert airport then go to DEP/ARR
page and select the runway and STAR. To find the ILS freq, go to NAV DATA page
and you can read the final approach course off the LEGS page.
If you just want to review the DEP/ARR page for a possible alternate, go to the DEP/ARR
INDEX page (DEP/ARR then INDEX), enter the ICAO identifier into the ARR (6R).
(It’s for review only, you cannot select an approach or STAR into your route.)
In climb and ATC says to maintain 270 KIAS – either use SPD intervene or change ECON SPD
in CLB page. Don’t forget to also go to CRZ page and input there also or you’ll
accelerate to normal cruise speed. When given resume normal speed, have to make
sure both CLB and CRZ pages reset to ECON speed but if used SPD intervene just hit
the button to cancel. SPD intervene easier and less chance of screwing up!
Descent clearance given after you’ve passed TOD and now high above VNAV PATH. Best way
to get down in a hurry, with cleared altitude in MCP, dial SPD to Vmo. If REALLY high,
use speedbrakes but don’t select until you have reached the Vmo speed. Approaching
VNAV Path, simply push the SPD button to resume normal speed schedule.
Carrying live animals? They need to be in Bulk Cargo if not on main cargo deck.
Make sure you switch the Bulk Cargo Heat Selector to VENT. (On the Accessory Panel.)
The desired temperature ranges for livestock are 11°-14°C for cattle and horses, and 16°18°C for swine. During the climb, the cabin pressurization rate should be held at 400-500
FPM or less. For swine, a cabin altitude lower than 5,000 feet must be maintained at all times.
Flight plans for swine, dolphins and whale charters are limited to FL330 or lower for this
purpose. It may be necessary for the crew to stop the climb at a Flight Level lower than
planned if a cabin altitude of 5000 feet cannot be maintained.
DESCENT AND LANDING – Plan descent earlier than usual and set Cabin Rate to < standard
rate index. (Horses ears very sensitive and they’ll hurt unnecessarily otherwise.)
Noise Abatement Takeoff. (Most of Europe.)
T/O power till 1,500’ AGL then CLB power with T/O flaps and V2 + 10-20. to 3,000’ AGL.
From T/O, maintain T/O flaps and V2 + 10-20. At 1,500’ AGL set CLB power. (F/O selects CLB
on the Thrust Mode Selector Panel or TMSP.) At 3,000’ AGL set VNAV and clean up.
So instead of the usual 1,000’ VNAV call, select CLB power at 1,500’, hold T/O flaps and
V2 + 10-20 at CLB power till 3,000’ AGL, then selecting VNAV and cleaning up..
Alternatively, set a SPD RESTR (L4 on CLB page) of V2 + 20/3,000’ AGL. At 1,500’ AGL call for
“VNAV, CMD”. The aircraft now climbs at CLB power and V2 + 20 to 3,000’ AGL then
accelerates to 250 as you clean up. Found this method easiest.
ATC says to call 5 mins prior to a COZ. Look at your Ground Speed and do a quick mental math.
(e.g. Ground Speed is 480 Kts = 8 nm/min. so 5 minutes = 40 miles. Type COZ/-40 into
SP to give WP 5 mins prior.) Place on top of the host WP. (COZ) [FMC Users Guide p20.]
Or, look at the time crossing COZ and calling 5 mins prior! (But they don’t want this answer!)
Similarly, if need to place WP Xmiles before or after a WP, it’s the same procedure.
ATC says to slow to Min speed: Ref + 80 to 20,000’ and Ref +100 if higher.
ATC want ETA to WPT not visible on Nav Display. Go to RTE DATA (6R on LEGS page.)
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You’re at F330 and request F350 but ATC say unable due traffic. They ask you when are you
able F370? CRZ page 2R gives a time and distance to step climb to F350 only. So go
to LSK 3R under WIND heading, key in a tailwind >150 Kts. The header will change to
EST WIND and LSK 2R will now give a time to step to F370. (Ignore the distance.)
Never had to do so exercise only. [Big Boeing FMC Users Guide page 128.]
Find INFO (Lat/Long, Frequency) for a FIX.
Use NAV DATA page.
Handy for descent if there’s a VOR on the field. You can get the airport DME by going to PROG
page and type in VOR name, say JFK and enter into bottom line L or R. (Only works
when in VOR range. If beyond have to use FIX page.)
Flip your VOR switch up for the DME on your ND.
IRS comparison at the end of an ETOPS flight:
INDEX – MAINTENANCE – IRS COMPARISON
FLOATING WAYPOINTS (Used for ETOPS)
To input ETPs etc., go to the end of the flight plan and input the lat. and long. for each floating
waypoint and then put a discontinuity between the end of the flight plan (destination) and
between each successive floating waypoint. They will show up in MAP but won’t be used for
fuel calculations or anything.
Don’t put your STAR in until past the last ETP (floating WP) or they’ll all be erased!
After start and called for flaps 15, DON’T do the rudder checks until F/O has seen the pin.
IF doing packs OFF takeoff:
We’re supposed to clear the EICAS screens before TO. (To get rid of L and R pack OFF
and CABIN AUTO INOP messages.) Carlos recommends leaving them on the EICAS
as a reminder after TO or it’s too easy to forget and cabin climbs above 10,000’. Also,
he makes a good point that if the AUTO controller fails you’ll not have any indication.
Leaving it on the screen you’ll see it not go out if it does fail.
IF you get the EICAS red warning CABIN ALTITUDE, turn both packs ON, leave controller in
MAN and close the outflow valve. (AUTO takes far too long.) Watch cabin catching up.
Reduce ROC if necessary. If on pax bird, masks drop if cabin reaches 14,000’!!!!
When red CABIN ALTITUDE warning goes out (at 8,500’), mode select to AUTO.
DIVERT.
If you have to divert – have to change DEST in RTE page. (To get avail arrivals and runways.)
Usually you’ll get cleared DIR to XYZ then direct to alternate. After changing the DEST to the
alternate on the RTE page, go to the LEGS page and DIR TO wherever they sent you.
Then DEP/ARR page and select the runway, approach and transition as necessary.
Close up any discontinuities and you’re done.
Wondering why that WP didn’t auto sequence as you passed it when deviating for weather?
You were beyond 21nm. So have to manually sequence next WP or go DIR.
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FL CH is a Pitch as well a Thrust mode but has a disadvantage for small altitude changes.
When FL CH selected, A/T’s position and pitch selected to meet new altitude in
125 seconds. So aircraft starts very gentle descent to meet small altitude change in
two minutes which may be insufficient even if you pull throttles to idle.
As an example, say on ILS intercept heading at 4,000’ and given late descent to 3,000’,
FL CH gives insufficient ROD to get below G/S in time so use V/S ≈1,500 to expedite.
(As a technique, high-time type pilots pull the throttles to idle when they go FL CH.)
MIA often careless about giving you enough time to get to 3,000’ by GRITT for ILS Rwy 9.
When on vectors and GRITT extended, use the VPI. It tells you if you’ll be high if
turned direct towards GRITT. Get familiar with actions if intercepting G/S from above.
[MCP alt to lower/1,000’, FL CH and speed 170, speedbrakes. Check GR DN, Flaps 20.]
See Check Ride Notes. (170 because usually given “maintain 170 kts to INESS.”)
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