ATC & VNAV bugged or am I doing something wrong?

User Support Hub ATC, Traffic & NAVAIDs
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A likely n00b question. But just want to verify if I’m doing something wrong, or if the ATC is just (still) bugged.
Flew yesterday, on the Xbox Series X, from Washington Dulles to Newark on the B787-10.

Takeoff was all by the book. LNAV, VNAV were activated and the A/T switches (next to the AP button) were armed.

Using the Altitude Selector Knob, I adjusted the altitude each time ATC requested it, causing the plane to ascend nicely to cruise level FL410.

Shortly after reaching CL, ATC asked me to start the descent.

Now comes the part where I doubt if I have therefore done the right thing, or if the game is bugged.
Every time the ATC passed on a new FL to descend to, I adjusted it again using the Altitude Selector Knob (just like when ascending). The plane descended nicely and adjusted its speed accordingly.

However, I felt I was descending too slowly, but I just kept following ATC. So far so good. LNAV, VNAV and A/T were still active and I did not adjust anything… just my altitude.

Until suddenly I was only a few NM away from Newark and I was still at about FL100 for my ILS04 approach. So you guessed it, I was way too high and flew completely over Newark.

ATC gave me new instructions and the airport automatically corrected the route so I landed from the other side.
I was also eventually able to get the plane onto the glideslope nicely via LOC and APR, but the plane continued to maintain too high an airspeed. (+/- 240). So I didn’t exactly land smoothly.

What was I doing wrong!

  • Why was I still way too high initially while following ATC instructions to descend? Is it better to enter the altitude at the TOD point directly from the last waypoint before the runway? Or do I need to do more than just use Altitude Selector Knob? Also work with V/S button? (Because read conflicting reports about this)
  • Why didn’t my plane automatically brake further on the glideslope while I had A/T active?
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I have frequently found that the in game ATC either offers descents that appear to be way too early or way too late for an approach. Sometimes they get it right, however.

One thing that seems to mitigate errant descent profiles is to have a predefined STAR and APPROACH selected as part of the flight planning on the world map before starting the flight.

With regards to the slowing down while on the glideslope, my own experience with the 787 is that autothrottle usually slows the aircraft when approach is activated and I keep lowering flaps. Every flap deployment seems to reduce the speed further. However, I tend to use manual speed selection on approach, with A/T engaged, so I decide the approach speed, if that helps.