CTRL + RETURN: Fly on windowed mode

CTRL + E: Engines ON/OFF

FD-FMC

FD-FMC is a very simplified FMC, that manage takeoff, climb , descent and approach. It does not have a realistic appearance, but offers real VNAV (vertical navigation) function, according to the AIRBUS real autopilot, with new custom A/THR control.

• The aircraft climbs with a constant thrust and a variable pitch (instead of the unrealistic constant pitch and variable thrust found in default FSX).
• FD-FMC manages speed constraint according an altitude or a waypoint, or altitude constraint according to a waypoint.
• It calculates the TOD, and manage the descent, with altitude constraint and holding patterns.
• The FreeNav DB Group database, under construction, gives the SID, STAR, and Approach data for the FMC. Today, the package comes with 60 airports.

FD-FMC project is developed by a volunteer group called FreeNav DB Group.

Installing FD-FMC

1. Go to http://freenavdbgroup.com/?page_id=159
2. Download any of the four Airbus package zip files of your choice:
3. Unzip pa_a321fd-fmc_cfm_iae.1.55a.zip (ie. if you have chosen to download the AIRBUS A321 FD-FMC)
4. Run setup.exe

More info at the installation manual.

Configuring Airports

1. Go to \FSX\FD_FMC
2. The working airports are the ones with a four ICAO letter folder. Don't touch them. They work already (SIDs, STARs, ILS, etc)
3. The non working airports are the ones with a four ICAO letter folder plus additional text (ex. EBLG Read install file)
4. Follow instructions within each non working airport folder to make them work.

More info at the installation manual.

Updating AIRAC

1. Go to http://freenavdbgroup.com/?page_id=228
2. Download and unzip FreenavAIRAC_xxxxxxxx.zip
3. Copy FreenavAIRAC_xxxxxxxx.BGL file and XFMC_xxxxxxxx.BGL file in your "\FSX\Addon Scenery\Scenery\" folder
4. Delete previous .BGL version files.

NOTE: There is a .XML version of the .BGL files in case you want to edit and add more waypoints. You can download the zip file from http://freenavdbgroup.com/?page_id=123. You can compile the XML files into BGL files using "BGL Compiler SDK" , which is part of the "Airport creation toolkit" and you can download from http://freenavdbgroup.com/?page_id=123.

FD-FMC Manual

The FD-FMC is not a simple system. You will need to read the official manual.

NavData (AIRAC) and FMC

Updating NavData (AIRAC)

AIRAC can be updated for three different targets:

• For FSX world (free): aero.sors.fr
• For addon planes (paid subscription): Navigraph
• For flight plans (free/paid): SimBrief*

*SimBrief is free to use, but it has a one year old AIRAC database. If you want to update to the last AIRAC cycle, you can pay for a Navigraph subscription.

Free SID/STAR with FMC (kind of)

This method somehow mimics the input of SID/STAR in the Honeywell FMC:

1. Update the FSX world AIRAC with aero.sors.fr
2. Install Honeywell FMC
3. Create a route with SimBrief
4. Launch FSX and create a free flight
5. Load the flight plan created with SimBrief
6. Program the Honeywell FMC (see section below)
7. If you play offline, avoid contacting Radar/Control because FSX ATC lacks SID/STAR and will vector you to a different legs and altitudes

Installing aero.sors.fr World Navaids package (last airac cycle)

1. Go to http://www.aero.sors.fr/navaids3.html
2. Download the Navaids package by clicking on World Navaids Package
3. Unzip FSXP3D_WorldNavaids.zip outside the sim folder
4. Run FSXP3DNavaids_Installer.exe as an administrator and follow wizard.

NOTE: Running FSXP3DNavaids_Installer.exe for the first time ever will install all the BGL files of regions selected. When downloading and running following versions (in order to keep the AIRAC updated), only more recent BGL files than the current ones are replaced in the regions that have been selected (all this is done automatically).

Installing the Honeywell FMC

1. Download Honeywell FMC
2. Unzip honeywellfmc.zip
3. Copy honeywellFMC.CAB into FSX\gauges\
4. Configure Honeywell FMC in the airplane of your choice (in this example A321):
   1. Open FSX\SimObjects\Airplanes\Airbus_A321\Panel\Panel.cfg with a plain text editor
   2. Under [Window Titles], replace Window06=Clock with Window06=FMC
   3. Under [Window Titles], add line Window13=Clock
   4. Copy all the content under [Window06]
   5. Create [Window13] and paste the content copied above
   6. Replace all content under [Window06] with:

Background_color=16,16,16 

size_mm=325,512

window_size_ratio=1.000  

position=0

visible=0

MISC_POPUP_1

window_size= 0.255, 0.475

window_pos= 0.745, 0.520

gauge00=HoneywellFMC!fmc,  0,0,325,512

Restart FSX and now you can launch the FMC either from the FSX top menu, or pressing SHIFT + 7

NOTE: I chose to replace the Clock with the FMC because I don't use the clock at all. You can replace any gauge of your choice.

Programming the Honeywell FMC

Load the Flight Plan

Honeywell FMC doesn't allow you to load a flight plan from the fight computer. You need to insert the flight plan from the FSX menu:

• ALT + F

Program the FMC

Autopilot configuration for FMC

Now, to let the plane follow the flight plan programmed in the FMC, we must configure the autopilot properly. On the A321, the autopilot configuration should be as follow:

• NAV/GPS Mode Switch -> GPS
• Flight Director Switch -> on
• Nav Hold Switch -> on
• Autopilot Master Switch -> on
• Autothrottle Switch -> on

Airport Design Editor

You need to install all this in order:

• FSX SE
• P3D v4 SDK (in order to obtain Shp2Vec compiler and BglComp compiler)
• Aiport Design Editor
  • Scenery folder: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\FSX\scenery\
  • FSX folder: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\FSX\
  • Shp2Vect: C:\Program Files\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v4 SDK 4.4.16.27106\World\Terrain\
  • BglComp: C:\Program Files\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v4 SDK 4.4.16.27106\World\Scenery\