Originally Posted by
oceancrosser
That last sentence sums it up. The 757/767 FMC/VNAV is archaic. You need to manage these airplanes accordingly. VNAV works ok during descent until you get into manuevering/speed control in the STAR. So you may/will need different modes. Also keep in mind that the weight span of the 767 is far greater than the other jets you have flown. A very light 767 is a different beast from one at MTOW (or MLW at that).
I’d agree with this more or less, and it’s certainly been my experience when flying the 737 300/400s. There’s a time for VNAV and a time for when another mode is more appropriate.
However, I will say that without interference from ATC on speed and altitude etc, when flying into some very quiet airfields with procedural ILS (no radar vectors due local terrain) VNAV - at least on the 737 classic - actually works well all the way down to loc intercept ...it really depends on the situation.
As for the Speedbrake my view is in line with some others here ....it’s there to be used. “Stick of shame” “Butcher’s knife”......I’ve heard it all. The only thing I would have a problem with, is if the guy next to me is switching between VNAV, LVL CHG etc, and using speedbrake because they hadn’t thought about conditions on arrival, how busy is it, shortcuts and 3x your altitude plus 10 etc....no one’s perfect of course
