Full FMC setup - Boeing 737NG

In this video I will show you how to set up the FMC before departure. I will guide you through the initial pages, all the way until the aircraft is ready for departure.
This video is designed to be used together with the "Mentour Aviation" app and the "Boeing 737 setup, from cold to takeoff" playlist.
Enjoy and join the chat on the app with any questions.

[yiljxhj]

I'm an aircraft mechanic and was recently called up to the flt deck of a 737-800 because the pilots were having problems with a blanked out milage figure on an alt route. We did a Boeing reset (powered off A/C), which sometimes works, only to have the same issue repeat. Finally, the FO realized that they had put in the wrong airport code that was 5000nm in the wrong direction. Once corrected, everything worked correctly. So these videos help me understand something usually only pilots mess with. It's appreciated.

[Betyarjutub]

I'm new to aviation, and watched about 4 hours fmc tutorials for x-plane 11, but this 16 minutes were the most useful of it. thank you!

[markg]

At our airline, we can load and execute anything independently during the preflight. Either the First or Captain can do anything they want to the box, but only up until we do an independent verification of data (it's becoming the norm that the pilot flying the leg sets the box up while the non flying pilot does the walk around, that way the flying pilot is more engaged to any weird or strange issues with the flight). If we are on an over water route, where non-radar will be involved, we both first check the route independently, and then we check the route together one more time. One pilot reads the route and the other checks it against the actual clearance. At that time the box becomes " locked", and it takes both pilots to be in agreement before any further action is executed for the duration of the flight. Including any changes to FMC, altitude, course, heading, etc.

Additionally, our 737 boxes uplink almost everything automatically through the ACARS, and many aircraft are rapidly being retrofitted with the ability to upload clearance changes from ATC through CPDLC. I'm not a huge fan of how the CPDLC handles things though, for example, we are required to "accept and load" any CPDLC change from the departure facility into our box, but these CPDLC clearances will not automatically load any runway or departures, so any work you have already done on the route gets wiped out anyway, and you end up reloading all of that again manually, which opens things up to mistakes...

As for performance, we send off a request in ACARS for a specific runway, intersection, weight, altimeter setting, etc. And a few minutes later we receive both an ACARS printout of takeoff performance data, and also a FMC prompt to load this data into our box. We accept the data into the FMC, then check it against the ACARS printout before execution. Then, we read and compare all that data one last final time on a checklist before we blast off. We do have the ability to override this data for gusty winds, tailwinds, and any reason we desire a maximum power takeoff.

If anything changes, we have to re-accomplish any portion of this whole process that is associated with the change. For example, a different runway dictates a SID change, route change, and performance change, so most of that has to be all re-accomplished and rechecked. In the US, it is common for ATC to constantly change the departure runways to balance out traffic on the field, and this causes a major PITA as we are trying to taxi on busy airports and not screw that up at the same time. Sometimes it just gets too overwhelming so we just stop the aircraft somewhere and get our bearings again.... I love that European airports usually give you a departure runway as a part of your clearance, so you can reduce the changes while taxi.

Thanks for an awesome video. Definitely some things different, but basically the same.... That was a hard video to clearly make so people would understand what you were doing. Well done.

[TheCemm]

It is obviously the best FMC set up video in Youtube, Thanks Captain !

[lkslokinhow]

I have the PMDG 737 on the Microsoft Flight Simulator and I'm shocked on how their replica is accurate. It works exactly as you have showed us in this video. Really cool stuff. Thank you for sharing that.

[Jourdainist]

Every flight simmer looking like 👁️👄👁️ "I've been doing it wrong"

[jakeperl]

Hands down the most helpful and clearest-explained FMC tutorial I've seen so far (and I've seen a few)!

[PrathameshSai]

this shows how accurate the pmdg 737 is wow you can learn evrything on fsx

[aviation.london]

I’ve been thing to understand the FMC for weeks now. After this video it all makes sense. Good tutorial from someone who knows what he’s talking about. Thank you captain!

[CallsignMunch]

I like the how you don't execute until you do the route check as a crew. I'm going to suggest my company to incorporate it into our SOP's.

[joseconcepcion]

Thanks so much! They make it impossible to learn about the cockpit after 911. Your videos makes one feel they they too can one day be an ATP 😊!

[Airplanegeek]

Interesting to watch! I fly the A320 family so have a different box with different buttons, but the setup isn't really that different...same info, different order, but all very logical! Great videos, hope you're also doing fantastic! :-)

[wilbisson]

Best explanation of the 737 FMC
ever, thank you !!!

[AviationPro]

Thank you, a perfect tutorial. Glad to see such video from a real 737 captain this time, very well done! :)

[yeymymar]

Took a class about it today, this video helped me clear many doubts. Thanks!

[nicholaspazzani]

Oh yea! Now when I get X-Plane 11 ill be able to work the FMC. Thanks Mentour, VERY informative video as always!

[thomasbrady]

this was so helpful as you actually showed where to find everything on the flight plans! Thank you

[shyammohabir]

FMC - Flight Management Computer
CDU - Control Display Unit
FMC has 3 databases:
1. Software options (OP PROGRAM),
2. Model/Engine data base (MEDB)
3. Navigation data base (NDB),
All of which are stored on an EEPROM memory card. These databases can all be updated via the data loader.

MEDB holds all the performance data for V speeds, min & max speeds in climb, cruise & descent, fuel consumption, altitude capability etc.
NDB is comprised of Permanent, Supplemental (SUPP) and Temporary (REF).

The Permanent database cannot be modified by crew.
There are four types of data: Waypoint, Navaid, Airport and Runway. Runway data is only held in the permanent database.

[iaexo]

Very much enjoying your professionalism in figuring out the NG.

[josephcosta]

OMG I just Left on two of your videos about learning fmc and I found it the next day.. you are a great teacher as I wanna learn from you, thank you so much mentour