Recently got the PMDG 737 and want to start learning some more about how to use the FMC and navigation and such. I tried to program in a origin and destination airport with runway number into the FMC only to be told it doesn’t exist in the nav data. This sent me down a googling hole to navigraph and how to get updated nav data for the sim. I was then directed to navigraph’s subscription options.
Unfortunately I’m not interested in paying an ongoing subscription for this data, but would consider a reasonable, one time fee. I realize this is data that changes frequently and is important for real world operations. I’m sure it’s costly to provide. I don’t have those same needs as I’m just simming and don’t mind if my data is out of date. I just need a one time load of it. Is this available?
Hmm, it was EIDW runway 28… except I just realized after looking back at another chart that it might technically be runway 28L…if I didn’t include the “L” would the FMC had recognized it?
This is interesting. 28L still didn’t work so I started trying other runways at the airport, tried 10R and it gave me the same “NOT IN DATA BASE” message. Then I tried 16 and it took, so does 34. Those are the runways without letters at this airport. Kinda odd.
I also, just for kicks, put in KJFK as my DEST and tried runways at that airport (they all end with letters), none of them seemed to work.
I don’t know what it could be. Maybe the provided nav data is very incomplete?
All addons, also PMDG has include a default navdata dataset include in their setups. So, you have navigation data included with an outdated cycle. You don’t need any subscription.
Second, the MSFS navigation data (as mentioned from someone before) has nothing todo with the PMDG because PMDG uses a own format which is independent from the MSFS navigation data which will updated during a sim or world update.
The MSFS navigation data are incomplete and not so accurate (mix of NavBlue and FAA for the US area), but it’s free for the MSFS core sim.
PMDG uses Jeppesen data, which contains a unique worldwide dataset. And thats the different.
If you’re on a PC, try out LittleNavMap. It is free. You can configure it to populate its database from MSFS, so that it will only display and use MSFS compatible data in the map. Then, when you right-click on your destination airport, you can select the option to display all aproaches for that airport. Include the approach you want into your flight plan then export to MSFS. Load the flight plan from the MSFS map window and you’re off. (Don’t forget to set your departure gate/parking at the departure airport before exporting it to MSFS, because that’s where you’ll be positioned when you load the flight plan in MSFS.)
Got it, ok thank you for the detailed explanation. So if PMDG does already come with default navdata do you know why neither “28” nor “28L” would take for me when trying to enter them into the FMC? Even if the data was out of date I’m sure EIDW has had a runway 28L for a long time. Is the default navdata that comes with PMDG just incomplete?
Please explain it a liitle bit more in detail, where you want to enter the runway ident? Because the only way (what I know) is on the approach page but here you only need to select the correct runway.
But you wrote you want to add 28L? Where and why?
Screenshots are also very helpful to understand your issue correctly. By the way, EIDW has 10R/28L and the runways are in the default cycle too … So my assumption is, that I don’t full understand your issue …
I linked to a video of what I was trying to do. In this case I am starting at KCLT and going to KLGA, so I entered those airports as ORIGIN and DEST on the RTE page. Then tried to enter the runway and the FMC tells me it is not in the data base.
Hi,
I´m not sure, what you expect to see because KCLT has no runway 22, 13 nor 31 and therefore “NOT IN DATA BASE”. So, this has nothing todo with the data … try to enter an existing runway of the select origin airport and not a random one …
Here the same in the default 747 (KCLT, runway 23 entered - no issue):
Welp, I thought that runway was for the destination not origin. But I see how that was not a great assumption since it is on the left side of the page where ORIGIN is. I’ll try again later when I’m back in the sim. Is there no place then to put the runway at the destination?
You’re right! I am trying to take some shortcuts here just to try and do some RNAV approaches without having to program in my entire route and other information. Frankly I don’t have time to learn how to fly a 737 right now, was just hoping to use RNAV to get into some difficult airports in IMC conditions.
Why not fly something simpler then (e.g. Milviz Cessna 310 or Aerosoft Twin Otter) and import your route into the GNS530 by loading the flight plan that you pre-planned in something like LittleNavMap directly into MSFS from the map screen?
So you’ve chosen what is arguably the most difficult airliner to fly in the sim and you are looking for a shortcut in order to avoid going through the learning process?
