Managed altitude mode not working?

[Rbryant76]

First off I am only about 3 weeks into the sim world but have really fell in love with the experience. I have leaned a ton so far

I play on the xbox

Tonight I bought the a321 and loaded in my simbrief plan. Worked great.

One thing I don’t understand is the managed altitude mode. I do get the amber led that I believe sees the mode as active.

thought this would follow what is in the FMC for each leg.

I can manually set altitude with the knob.


Am I missing a step? Does MSFS not like imported plans and ignores this info?

[7heAngryVe7eran]

First off I am only about 3 weeks into the sim world but have really fell in love with the experience. I have leaned a ton so far

I play on the xbox

Tonight I bought the a321 and loaded in my simbrief plan. Worked great.

One thing I don’t understand is the managed altitude mode. I do get the amber led that I believe sees the mode as active.

thought this would follow what is in the FMC for each leg.

I can manually set altitude with the knob.


Am I missing a step? Does MSFS not like imported plans and ignores this info?

Hello Rbryant76. I'm happy you're enjoying Flight Simulator, and we appreciate you purchasing the aircraft. You will need to set up primary and tertiary commands in order to push/pull the alt knob to enable managed and selected mode. Even in managed mode, you must still select the altitude.

For example, before takeoff, I get clearance from ATC to fly runway heading climb and maintain 8000 feet. I set my altitude knob to 8000 feet. During takeoff I set my throttle levers to FLEX unless I'm heavy and/or the runway is short. Once I've rotated, I go gear up, speed check, flaps up. ATC will have me switch channels (you can have the ai copilot handle radio for you, which is helpful). During that time, I'm hand flying my flightplan and watching my speed and climb to make sure I'm not exceeding 250 knots below 10,000 feet. I put throttles to CLB and leave it there for the duration of the flight. I left click to enable the AP1 button (Autopilot) and A/THR button (Autothrottle). I right click the ALT knob to enable managed mode.
The aircraft will now follow the flightplan and climb to 8000. However, there is a chance managed mode may make you exceed 250 knots below 10,000 feet. Therefore, I always left click to set my speed to selected mode until I'm over 10,000 feet, then I right click the speed knob to put it in managed mode.
Once I reach 8000 feet, the aircraft will level itself. ATC will tell me to climb to the next altitude, and I set the altitude and right click the knob again. I repeat this until I'm at my cruise altitude.
You can also do this for your descent. However, I prefer to use selected altitude during descent and arrival.

I've spoken to real pilots that fly various aircraft from Northwest Arkansas National Airport (it's a national not regional now), and they've all told me they like to use selected modes more often then managed. However, precision approaches are normally flown managed. Managed modes reduce workload, but I've been told irl ATC has no way of knowing or even cares if the pilot is using selected or managed modes. Therefore, even if you're trying to be realistic, knock yourself out on whichever mode you prefer. Just fyi.

I play on PC, so you'll need to make sure you set up those primary and tertiary commands to whatever you're using to control on XBOX.

As for your question about the flightplan, I normally use FSUIPC to import a MSFS Flightplan downloaded using Simbrief Downloader while I'm sitting at the gate. However, I do go over my flightplan to fix the INIT stuff that never loads correctly and fix anything that needs fixed.

I hope this information is helpful. Let me know how it works out for you.

[maxpmonaghan]

I use Xbox and Simbrief. I’ve rarely managed to have the a330 follow the VNAV constraints on the climb, but it can be done.

First make sure you press CSTR to show the planned climb and descent constraints.
Remember, a constraint isn’t a fixed target.
The lines above or below the figure indicate: at or below / above.
I think the procedure for having the AP follow the purple constraints requires it to be activated within a certain tolerance of the planned route.
I.e, engaging the autopilot with the altitude set to the atc instructions while complying with the first constraint.

I usually use managed mode to climb following atc instructions. But use the planned ToD ignoring atc commands and input the final approach level pressing to engage managed mode as I pass the ToD. This will have the descent comply with the constraints but calculate the minimum descent rate required to be at the final altitude for the corresponding constraint.

Irl most flight are flown using selected mode and v/ controls I believe. So I do my best to try not get so obsessed with trying to get it to fly itself. But I’ve mastered it going down, and made it happen going up. I will continue to work on becoming the laziest pilot I can be