Full FMC setup - Boeing 737NG 

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.

better than any pmdg 737 tutorial

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

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.

It is obviously the best FMC set up video in RU-vid, Thanks Captain !

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!

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.

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.

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

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

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!

Hi Mentour. Just wanted to say we use to program like this, and a year ago we started using company routes. It is the best thing ever. Reduces a lot the amount of work into programming the FMC.

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

What graphics card are you using?

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 😊!

Apologies if already covered in another video, could you please do a follow up video on other FMC functions you use during flight? For example, HOLD, FIX, APPROACH for Vapp calculation. Thank you for this brilliant video.

Very much enjoying your professionalism in figuring out the NG.

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

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! :-)

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

Dear Mentour, what was the outcome of inputting the departur airport on the POS INIT page, if you then selected the GPS coordinates? If you do that last step you can enter any airfield and it will actually change nothing... From my point, the advantage of selecting the airport is that this can give you the possibility to enter the GATE and receive its coordinates... if they exist in the database. When I was learining to fly B737 in Denver United Training Center - they had such FMCs and we normally put the ICAO 4-letter code and then selected the gate to get the precise coordinates. But that was on 737CL. And since that times I have never seen FMCs with gates stored in their DB.

Your videos are such a pleasure. When I watch your posts, my day somehow gets a little more fantastic! Safe travels, Captain.- Gordon

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 polite......

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

Very informative video, I knew the FMC did a lot, but had no idea how many functions it controls

Just as you told me you would do this video. Was looking forward to it. Very inspirational how you do this work alongside your full time job.

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

+Mentour Pilot, Great video, even if I knew most of the tasks as a PMDG-simmer ;-) But, if you have time, I would like to see how to handle advanced procedures while flying, e.g. route changes (e.g. how to go back to airport in case of emergency after start), alternative airports or holding.

Well I wasn't expecting this to pop up when searching for pmdg fmc tutorial! Helped me a lot for the 737 and 747 fmc!

Now I have a better understanding of why it takes so long after both pilots are onboard, doors shut and the pilots give me the signal to start engines. Thank you for the explanation.

Well explained. I hope that I can try it in real life very soon.

one of the best videos on RU-vid I've ever watched

this is the most comprehensive instructional video of the flight management system on the net. filmed inside a level D simulator: what is that? They are mounted on a platform that can represent the different attitudes experienced in flight. The sounds, alarms and engines are just like the real thing. pilots are able to practice the most complex departures and approaches. It is here where the crew gains invaluable experience setting up CATII and CATIIIA ILS. It's not always smooth going. at the trainer's discretion, emergncies of every type can be thrown at the crew, all in real time and no one brings you closer to action than Mentour. Guys, it's time to invest in what you love. get the Mentour Aviation app and download the content. Precise information direct from a senior captain and TRE (type rating examiner) it doesn't get better than this. love, Ava❤

Thank you very much. I will try this on PMDG 777. I've always had trouble setting STAR and ILS, now I know how to do this properly!

This helped a lot for my PMDG 737 setup! Thanks!

Excellent and informative video. Thanks, Captain.

Thank you for all your awesome videos Mentour Pilot!

Amazing video! You make a very professional tutorial for us. Great job.

Much better than 5 min video - will have to watch Mentour app video.

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.

You are one hell of a teacher. Best tutorial on here. I’ve learned a lot from you.

Amazing what goes into getting the aircraft ready, thanks

Simply splendid!

Now I know what ZFW is lol. Love the 737 family. Thank you for the videos Captain

Now i have a complete and realistic input of the fmc into pmdg 737-800NG thanks ^^

Excellent tutorial for PMDG 737-700 in FS2020 !

Nice now gonna fly the 737 lying in the backyard thanks skipper

A beautiful video Cap. Loved it!!!!

I’m going to the SWA sims with my friend and I’m going on a study rant to learn as much as I can

I am really proud of you 👍❤️, well explained 👍❤️, I always watch your videos 👍❤️, thank you so much My dream is to become the captain of airbus a 380, and Boeing 787 dream liner 👍❤️

Very nice amazing 🤩..i LOVE HOW🥰 PATIENT you here like teaching to children ❤️

This is awesome, exactly what I was looking for. Thanks!

great clear video on setting up FMC

Totally awesome great set up great showing how and the flight plan to..route too.wow ..Thank you so so much for everything that you do...I do greatly appreciate it too..

Great video Mentour, gonna chek out the app. But one question, what does 27k "bump" thrust mean? when do you use this? short runways maybe?

Thank you very much...found your videos very useful. clear and precise. cheers.

fantastic - thanks for all your work Mentour!

Hi Capt. Thank you so much for this FMC tutorial.

In watching these videos, the APU is turned off after the engines are started. So if the APU is off during takeoff, why are you using 0.8 less in the N1 page? Shouldn't the N1 limit still be 98.0?

That was wonderful. Thank you, Captain.

Thank you for this, Mentour. Very, very helpful.

Ohh shoot i set up my FMC comparatively wrong in my PMDG's 737NGXu hahaha. Thanks for this video capt!

Great video. One question: why didn't you enter anything for the centre of gravity? Isn't it very important to know what take off trim should be set to?

nice video! There's no place for the first alternate airport in the FMC? How is the transition between the regular route and the alternate route performed, from the FMC point of view?

no pmdg setup or fs action in this 😉

Another Excellent and Informative video Thank You!

This video is very helpful. I like it.

Greetings from Manchester! Safe flying captain

I like your home built cockpit

Thanks so much for your videos

Thanks so much for this

Thanks for the video, Captain. But I have a question that maybe will be answered despite this video is quite old. In the legs page of the flightplan we see a T/C Wind of 243/040 and an ISA DEV of +4, however in the summary on top of the plan, where you receive the avg cruise wind, we also see a TOC Wind and ISA DEV - but those are different (231/21 and -3). Why is that and could those also be used? I hope for an answer... Thanks!

tack tack, tittade igen !

May as well been spoken in Japanese for this English speaker but still interesting to see how complex the process is

Thank you really much you helped me alot❤

Thank you so much Capt.

How about CG in Take Off Ref Tab ? Just let it empty ?

Taking notes for this level up 737 comes out for x plane, that zibo 737 glitched out on me so now im just going to wait until the new one releases lol. Aspiring Southwest Airlines pilot btw.

This is amazing. Im going to practice this on a calculator. Layman question: why do you have to do all that data entry manually from a printed sheet of paper? Cant this be automated if the flight plan was received digitally and fed into the FMC? Then the FMC calculates the optimal speed v1 flaps altitude etc after the plane sensors measure gross weight, fuel, and other factors?

Capt. great video as always. I have a couple questions if you can answer. 1. Does the F/O side FMC gets set up automatically with same values when the captain sets up his side? 2. I understand why derated T/O is performed for reasons but why enter a fake temperature degree to SEL side? 3. In case you have to land to a nearest airport, in FMC, is there a nearest airport list like in Garmin GPS devices installed in smaller aircrafts. I fly pmdg sim and cant set up fmc to show and select nearest airports and related frequencies. Thanks so much. Keep up the great content. Cheers

Nice job captain! Thanks

Very detailed…. Thanks.

Lol, I love how you use the middle finger so casually

Great video, great teaching, thanks!

Why did you leave the QRH OFF on the takeoff ref page? Awesome video!!!

Appart form using this system as a guide to check at way points and estimating what other tasks peforms. It "talks" to the AP so it can get between this figures, modify engines settings, thing like that or it just for pilot usage as an assistant. I mean, does this gear participate on aircrafts inputs ?. Thanks. Excelent vid, love it.

Amazing to watch from a passenger point of view... Thank you... A little less derate on take off though please..

5:02 for anyone confused, sids and stars are usualy the same as they can be used vice versa, that's why he said departure

Thank you for the video! What I dont understand at the FMC setting at the B737 is why is Takeoff weight the same as Gross Weight. From my point of view, at the takeoff page, take off weight (TOW) should be less than Gross weight (GW) as we have to taxi from gate to the runway and this will burn fuel and reduces TOW. At some large airports taxi could take up to 30min this will means that a huge quantity will be burned during taxi. So i don`t understand why TOW and GW will than be the same for caclulation the VSpeeds. Are there no possibiltiy in the FMC to plan taxi fuel? May someone has an idea for this issue. Txs in advance for any input. Cheers.

Hello Sir ..if you will ..when recommending a video you wouldlike us to view ..would you put the link in the description..just found your chnl..enjoying very much ..fly safe ..and get well soon from your accident 🥰

Thank you very much, captain !

Great video Captain, but i noticed that you didn't put the CG in the takeoff page to get the trim.

Captain I would like to ask if air craft can be hacked?

How you calculated the SEL 42?

FMC/FMS, the brain of the aircraft's.

Oo too perplex, not my piece of cake.😂😂 Anyway, thanks captain for the tutorial.

Hey hey, iknow this video is old. But can we get one day tutorial about how to calculate the ISA DEV for TC and also for Descent forecast? I see you had the possibility to put the P04 in ISA DEV in the perf page, but PMDG removed the option .... we can only put it in the T/C OAT would like to see a calculation tutorial from u about the ISA DEV T/C and Descent Forecast! Thanks in advance! :)

Why do the E, N, S, W letters have boxes around them?

Very educative. This I like.

It'll take a few views of this to sink in, but not because of the explanation. Thank you.