User:Manfred/Boeing 777 Autopilot

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777-200 Autopilot

The 777 autopilot can be fully controlled using the 3D cockpit switches. For FG2.4.0 use left and middle mouse buttons to turn any switches left/right. For FG2.5.0 and newer, you can use the mouse scroll wheel on all cockpit knobs.An Autoland system is going to be available as of v2.6.0

You can also use the 777's built-in autopilot tutorial to learn about the different switches.

Autopilot controls, from left to right, top to bottom:

  • A/P - Autopilot engage/disengage button
  • F/D - Flight director (the pink lines that show up on your attitude indicator)
  • A/T ARM (L/R) - Arm/disarm autothrottle for left/right engines. Must be armed to enable autothrottle for the respective engine.
  • CLB CON - Continue climbing using the vertical speed the plane was at, when this setting was first engaged
  • A/T - Autothrottle engage/disengage button. Like the real 777, the autothrottle is independent from the main autopilot, so autothrottle also also works when the autopilot is disabled (Note: this was different for FG2.0 and earlier!).
  • IAS <> MACH - Switch between IAS speed mode and Mach number speed mode
  • IAS window - Set your desired IAS speed or Mach speed here
  • LNAV - Tells the autopilot to follow the Route Manager settings laterally (control the heading)- this has never worked for me, the autopilot just makes meaningless circles/goes north
  • VNAV - Same as LNAV, except vertically (control the altitude)- never tried this setting before
  • FLCH - Flight Level Change, set the altitude and press FLCH to climb or descent to designated flight level.
  • A/P DISENGAGE - Dedicated autopilot disengage button (click twice). It serves as an easy to reach "emergency disengage" button.
  • HDG <> TRK - Switch between heading bug and course track
  • HDG window - Set your desired heading or course track here.
  • HDG select - Engage/disengage heading or course hold mode and maintain SELECTED heading (FG2.5.0 and newer).
  • Bank limits (AUTO/5/25) - Define banking limits for turning, i.e. 5 for gentle turns at cruising altitude, 25 for good maneuverability at lower speeds; auto will be fine in most cases.
  • HOLD - Engage/disengage heading or course hold mode and maintain CURRENT aircraft heading.
  • V/S <> FPA - Switch between Vertical Speed and Flight Path Angle
  • V/S window - Set your desired Vertical Speed or Flight Path Angle
  • VS/FPA - Engage/disengage Vertical Speed/Flight Path Angle hold mode
  • ALTITUDE window - Set your desired altitude here
  • Altitude selection (AUTO/1000) - Switch between automatic incrementing (AUTO) and incrementing by the thousands (1000)- this setting only helps when selecting the altitude via the knobs, this won't apply if using the Autopilot Settings dialog
  • HOLD - Engage/disengage altitude hold mode
  • LOC - Track NAV1 VOR, flying by the heading given by the NAV1 radial
  • APP - Arm the ILS localizer and glideslope (laterally and vertically). Any current AP mode (HDG and ALTITUDE HOLD) remains active, until the NAV receiver captures the localizer or glideslope.
  • A/P - Engage/disengage autopilot
  • F/D - Flight director

How to use

  • Default mode of when autopilot engage

HDG HOLD mode: Maintain heading when engage. ATT mode: If bank angle exceeds 5deg when engage, keep that bank angle. (there's bug, will be fixed) VS mode: using vs value when engage. If FD mode was engaged, mode is inherited.

  • Mode

Lateral control

HDG HOLD: keep set heading. HDG SEL: follow the heading set on counter. Change value when HDG HOLD or press SEL button when other mode such as VNAV, LOC mode. Once reach to setting heading change to HDG HOLD. LNAV: follow the activated route. LOC: when arming, keep previous mode and then capture ILS or VOR course, follow that course.

Eg: VOR course capture.

Location->Position Aircraft On Ground. Enter RJAA to Airport and select Ranway 16R then press OK. Equipment->Radio settings <F12>, Set 114.50 of KZE VOR frequency to Nav1 and set radial 260. Take off and once ship is steady then AP on and set heading 220. Press LOC button. Select EFIS control knob to VOR and VOR L on. Once you get to near cause of VOR AP changes to VOR mode then ship follows VOR radial as long as signal healthy.

Vertical control

VS : keep targeted vertical speed to reach selected altitude. FLCH : keep fixed climb thrust or flight idle and control the pitch to maintain speed thus vertical speed varies. VNAV : Follow the FMS target altitude and thrust. ALT HOLD : When you press HOLD button, keep altitude when button pressed. Counter value does not change. Once VS of FLCH reaches targeted altitude, it holds that altitude.


  • Autopilot using LNAV/VNAV e.g. From KATL to KMIA.
  1. Location->Position Aircraft On Ground. Enter KATL to Airport and select Runway 09L then press Go To Airport.
  2. Press BATTERY button on OHP then rotate APU knob to START. This switch automatically spring back to ON. Press APU GEN button if its not on.
  3. Press L BUS TIE, R BUS TIE breaker to AUTO and L and R engine generator to ON.
  4. Adjust backlight of Overhead panel and Instrument using OVHD and PNL/FLOOD outer knob.
  5. Open Autopilot->Route Manager. KATL is already entered at Departure: so enter KMIA to Arrival: and select Rwy: 27.
  6. Note the distance to KMIA-27(27) is 518.0nm.
  7. Click arrow of Approach: then reselect DEFAULT. Approach waypoints are added.
  8. Click arrow of SID: then select DEFAULT. Departure waypoints are added. Make sure 1st approach way point does not have altitude restriction. If it has add the fix before that.
  9. Equipment->Map. Check and modify route not to have sharp angle way point.
  10. Equipment->Fuel and Payload. Set Total fuel wight to noted mileage 518 * 45 + 10000 = 33500lbs then press Balance button. Check Gross Weight not exceed Maximum Take Off wight then Press Close.
  11. Set cruise altitude in Route Manager to 41000 feet. Be careful that if you have heavy weight you can not reach high altitude and of cause if you don't have enough distance you can not reach that cruise altitude ether and that will cause VNAV not available.
  12. Now you can save this route for later use.
  13. Press Activate button then Close Route Manager.
  14. You may close Map or keep it open with Transparent to check course.
  15. Set cruise Alt to MCP Altitude counter to 41000. Left click on AUTO to 1000 then press and hold the left button or scroll center button on left lower of knob to adjust.
  16. Set IAS counter to V2+15knot. This time 145knot. You can check with /instrumentation/weu/state/v2. Press and hold center button of mouse on IAS knob you can decrease the value.
  17. Press LNAV, VNAV buttons.
  18. Set both A/T ARM switches to arm.
  19. Adjust QNE. Set Autobrake to RTO.
  20. Rotate SEAT BELTS knob to ON 4 times to notice cabin crew to close door and set door mode to auto.
  21. Set Left START IGNITION knob to start.
  22. Once engine start to rotate, set left FUEL CONTROL switch on pedestal to RUN.
  23. When engine starts and is stable, continue to Right engine as well.
  24. Stop APU.
  25. Make sure no warning light is lit on overhead panel.
  26. Release parking brake (Shift + b).
  27. Lower the flap to 15.
  28. Turn on Landing Light, Logo light and Wing light. Turn off the cabin light (Ctrl-l).
  29. Once you are on runway 08R, then press Heading HOLD button to set heading to runway heading.
  30. Turn off the Taxi light.
  31. Advance thrust lever to half way then press Ctrl-t to engage A/T to TO/GA mode.
  32. Rotate when you reach VR.
  33. Keep pitch angle 15deg then gear up when V/S ind plus.
  34. Wait until gear up, then adjust pitch trim to maintain F/D pitch bar center.
  35. Flap up according to the speed.
  36. Once ship stable without any force apply to control, then press AP.
  37. Turn on the cabin light.
  38. Now ship follows LNAV course and climb to cruise altitude by VNAV.
  39. Around 10000ft, turn off the landing light.
  40. When you pass the FL14(Japan) or FL18(USA)(You can change in Autopilot Control menu), press STD button to set STD to QNH.
  41. Once reach to the cruise altitude and before you reach the TOD(Top Of Descent) (Green circle on route ), set Altitude counter to 2500 (Arrival airport AGL 2500, this time KMIA elevation is 8ft thus 2500ft). If you get “Reset Altitude” warning message you may not use VNAV any more so please use normal Autopilot such as V/S or FLCH mode till approach.
  42. When ship reaches TOD, automatically start to descent with 0.78M or 280Knot.
  43. When pass the transition altitude (FL14) press STD button and adjust QNH to KMIA pressure.
  44. Around 10000ft, turn on the landing light. Turn off the cabin light.
  45. Equipment->Radio settings <F12>, Set 109.50 of KMIA 27 ILS frequency to Nav1.
  46. Press IAS knob to speed intervention. Set FlapUP placard speed+5 when you reach 3200AGL.
  47. Set Flap to 1.
  48. Press APP button at place 3nm to APP-4.
  49. Once you capture localizer then set speed to flap1 placard speed+5 and set flap to 5.
  50. When capture the GS, set Airspeed to flap5 placard speed+5 then set flap to 15.
  51. When pass the altitude 2000feet (AGL 2000ft) down the Landing Gear and set Airspeed to flap15 placard speed+5 and set flap to 20.
  52. Set Airspeed to vref+5 around flap5 placard speed.
  53. Set flap to 25 around vref+30.
  54. Set flap to 30 around vref+20.
  55. After touch down, enable Thrust Reverse until Airspeed reduce to 60knot. Do not use manual brake.
  56. AP disengaged automatically at 50knots then exit nearest taxi way then go to your parking spot with flap up. Turn off landing light. Turn on taxi light. Start APU.
  57. Stop at parking, set parking brake then shut down the engine.
  58. After embankment, stop APU then BATTERY off.

How to autoland

  1. Start 777-200ER at any place.
  2. Select menu 'Location' -> 'Position Aricrft in Air'
  3. Select Airport 'KATL' Runway '9L', set Distance 14nm, Altitude 3500ft (AGL 2500ft), Airspeed /instrumentation/weu/state/flap+5knots (~=210) then Press OK.
  4. After reposition, shift view to right a bit so that you can see MCP then press 'p' to pause.
  5. Set flap to 1.
  6. Select menu 'Equipment' -> 'Fuel And Payload'
  7. Chack grossweight not exceed MLW (Maximum Landing Weight) 470,000lbs. Recommend Fuel 10%(Default).
  8. Select menu 'Equipment' -> 'Radio Settings (F12)'
  9. Set Nav1 110.50.
  10. Press 'APP' button. (LOC and APP lights come on)
  11. Set Autobrake to '2'.
  12. Set Speedbrake (Spoiler) to Auto.
  13. Set Left VOR switch on to VOR L to see distance from airport.
  14. Press 'p' to unpause.
  15. Set Airspeed to flap1 placard speed+5 at 12nm.
  16. When Airspeed is reduced to near it then set flap to 5.
  17. When capture the GS, set Airspeed to flap5 placard speed+5 then set Flap to 15.
  18. When pass the altitude 3000feet (AGL 2000ft) down the Landing Gear and set Airspeed to flap15 placard speed+5 and set flap to 20.
  19. Set Airspeed to vref+5 around flap5 placard speed.
  20. Set flap to 25 around vref+30.
  21. Set flap to 30 around vref+20.
  22. After touch down, enable Thrust Reverse until Airspeed reduce to 60knot. Do not use manual brake.
  23. Wait for ship stops.

Also see this forum topic.