Real CL650 Pilot here with bugs/ request

[mtmurat]

The FMS and VNAV are superb. One thing I noticed (and I do this in the real plane), if one flies an ILS or RNAV with intent to circle, I like to build the visual approach to the intended runway of landing in a secondary flight plan. I switch to HDG/ ALT to begin the circle, then activate the SEC flight plan (visual), go Direct to the RX fix, then select Nav/VNAV, dial the Alt selector to zero, (adjust with VVS is above vertical profile) then the jet flies a picture perfect visual approach (one can assign speeds to the visual fixes also to let ARS handle that).

In Version 1.8, it will do this, BUT when activating it in this manner, VNAV does not work. The workaround is to build the Visual in the Active flight plan but don’t activate it until committed to circle- in this scenario it’s all there, VNAV and all. The benefit of doing it the first way is that the original approach then becomes Secondary and can be activated promptly in the event of needing the published Miss.

On the request front, can we start with the Altimeter in Baro?

I'm happy to answer real world CL650 questions or to beta test new versions. I have three copies on three machines- 2 Windows PCs and a M4 MacBook Pro.

I fly S/N 5911- technically a 60( but with the PL21 Advanced, HUD and triple IRS/FMS.

 

 

 

[skiselkov]

9 minutes ago, mtmurat said:

The FMS and VNAV are superb. One thing I noticed (and I do this in the real plane), if one flies an ILS or RNAV with intent to circle, I like to build the visual approach to the intended runway of landing in a secondary flight plan. I switch to HDG/ ALT to begin the circle, then activate the SEC flight plan (visual), go Direct to the RX fix, then select Nav/VNAV, dial the Alt selector to zero, (adjust with VVS is above vertical profile) then the jet flies a picture perfect visual approach (one can assign speeds to the visual fixes also to let ARS handle that).

Welcome. Let's work on refining the details here. The way you describe it, I don't see why it shouldn't work in the sim already, so there's probably some step you're doing that's missing. Let's build up a specific test case so I can analyze what's going on in detail:

• which airport
• what is the original STAR+approach+runway selection in the ACT FPLN
• what exactly do you have entered in SEC FPLN?
• exactly where do you switch to HDG/ALT and what are the heading & altitude you fly
• then the exact sequence of button presses or mode changes you do - when do you activate SEC FPLN, what changes do you perform to the activated flight plan?
• crucially - what exact sequence of button presses leads to VNAV not activating as you expect it to - what modes do you expect to see? What do you see instead?

Basically, I need an almost robotic sequence of steps, so I can repeat them on my machine and see the problematic behavior you're describing.

13 minutes ago, mtmurat said:

On the request front, can we start with the Altimeter in Baro?

Yeah, this has been on my pile of little things to fix for a while. I know the real avionics should default to inches of mercury rather than hPa, but I figured it's not a big deal for folks using persistent airframes (once changed with an airframe, it sticks).

[mtmurat]

Thanks for quick reply. I’ve done it in the real airplane at KAFW (34R) and KGPI (20).

KGPI, setup ILS 02, SKOTT transition. Keep it in Nav/Vnav until a few miles from HOTRU.

Sec flight plan: Setup Visual to runway 02, modify it to give a 3 mile final. Put PLAN screen on MFD 2 and leave FMS 2 displaying Sec flight plan. (You should see the Activate button on lower right corner. Do not activate it yet. Fixes are RX02 (twice) and RW02.

Now you are looking at ILS02 on MFD/ FMS 1, and the Visual to 20 on MFD/FMS 2.

Approaching HOTRU, select APPR to arm the approach and set 4500’. Airplane switches to green needles and starts down on the ILS. You should be gear down, flaps 30, 150knots. Once decent is established, switch to HDG/ VS and switch NAV source to magenta/ long range nav. Airplane will capture 4500’ (pattern altitude on a clear day). Turn HDG left about 20 degrees and head toward downwind. 

On FMS 2, Activate the Visual approach/ Sec flight plan. (For good SA, I have previously put a 3nm fix off of RW20- dashed blue circle). When almost abeam and about 2.5nm from RX20, select NAV, VNAV, Alt selector to Zero. Airplane turns to the fix and SHOULD display magenta VNAV reference with snowflake (in the sim, instead of making a Sec flight plan, if I replace the ILS with the visual, I get the reference/ snowflake, when swapping flight plans, I do not). If you are high, VS down to intercept the VPATH. She flies a picture perfect visual.

So. Replacing the ILS when on the downwind works, but swapping flight plans provides no vertical reference, only lateral.

Swapping the flight plans is preferred as it’s fewer button presses in the pattern plus the first flight plans (ILS 02) now becomes Sec so if you need that for the miss, you can simply activate it.

I go to KGPI all the time and circle to 20 about half the time, this is really helpful. Gotta make it 3nm to keep you away from the rocks. Works left or right downwind. 

 

Edited 1 hour ago by mtmurat

[mtmurat]

On 9/12/2025 at 8:29 PM, skiselkov said:

Welcome. Let's work on refining the details here. The way you describe it, I don't see why it shouldn't work in the sim already, so there's probably some step you're doing that's missing. Let's build up a specific test case so I can analyze what's going on in detail:

• which airport
• what is the original STAR+approach+runway selection in the ACT FPLN
• what exactly do you have entered in SEC FPLN?
• exactly where do you switch to HDG/ALT and what are the heading & altitude you fly
• then the exact sequence of button presses or mode changes you do - when do you activate SEC FPLN, what changes do you perform to the activated flight plan?
• crucially - what exact sequence of button presses leads to VNAV not activating as you expect it to - what modes do you expect to see? What do you see instead?

Basically, I need an almost robotic sequence of steps, so I can repeat them on my machine and see the problematic behavior you're describing.

Yeah, this has been on my pile of little things to fix for a while. I know the real avionics should default to inches of mercury rather than hPa, but I figured it's not a big deal for folks using persistent airframes (once changed with an airframe, it sticks).

Re: Altimeter- the sim tends to get a bit stupid after a few visits in persistent mode- I prefer to sets cold dark each time to avoid that. On a positive note, I’m real good at tweaking all my prefs though- lol. 
 

*also- lots of times in persistent mode, the temperature indicators in the PFD are yellow dashed out…