How do I program a direct-to route in the PMDG 737 FMC?

In the PMDG 737 for Microsoft Flight Simulator, open the CDU LEGS page, copy or type the required waypoint into the scratchpad, place it over the active waypoint at 1L, check the modified leg, then press EXEC. LNAV will follow it if the aircraft can capture the new course.

PMDG 737 FMC direct-to steps

The PMDG 737 uses the CDU LEGS page for direct-to routing; there is no separate Direct-To key as found in some other aircraft.

1. Stabilise the aircraft. If the new route involves a large turn or you need time to edit the CDU, select HDG SEL and maintain a safe heading first.
2. Open LEGS page 1. The top line contains the active waypoint. In CDU shorthand, its adjacent top-left line-select key is 1L.
3. Select the destination waypoint. If it already appears later in the route, press its adjacent line-select key to copy it into the scratchpad. You can copy it from a later LEGS page and then return to page 1. For an off-route fix, type its identifier with the CDU keypad.
4. Place the waypoint at 1L. Press the top-left line-select key beside the active waypoint. The CDU should change to a modified route and move the selected fix to the first position.
5. Resolve duplicate identifiers. If the SELECT DESIRED WPT page appears, choose the entry whose position and waypoint type match your intended fix. Do not select solely by matching the name.
6. Inspect the modified route. Check the next several LEGS entries and view the route on the Navigation Display in MAP mode. Look for an unexpected turn, loop or route discontinuity.
7. Press EXEC. The modification is not active until the illuminated EXEC key is pressed. Select ERASE instead if the proposed path is wrong.
8. Confirm the lateral mode. LNAV can follow the new leg when the geometry permits. For a sharp intercept, use HDG SEL to turn towards the new course, then select LNAV as explained in our PMDG 737 LNAV capture guidance.

Do I enter DCT on the RTE page?

No—do not type DCT into the VIA field for an in-flight direct-to clearance. Use the LEGS-page method above.

When building the route before departure, enter the next fix in the TO column and let the FMC create the direct leg automatically; the VIA column is used for an airway identifier. Our explanation of how PMDG represents airways and direct legs covers that distinction in more detail.

What happens to the remaining flight plan?

A direct-to to an existing route waypoint removes the intervening legs while retaining the route after that waypoint. If you type a new off-route fix, inspect what follows it carefully: the FMC may resume towards an old route point that no longer makes operational sense.

Altitude and speed constraints attached to bypassed waypoints no longer govern VNAV, but constraints at the selected waypoint and farther along the route remain. Review the LEGS-page restrictions rather than assuming direct-to also means unrestricted climb or descent. See our guidance on changing an active flight plan without losing the intended route for the wider consequences.

If a ROUTE DISCONTINUITY remains after the target, close it only when the aircraft should proceed directly to the waypoint below it. Copy that following waypoint into the boxed discontinuity line, verify the route and press EXEC. Leave a vectors discontinuity in place when it represents an expected radar-vector segment.

Why is the PMDG 737 direct-to not working?

Most failed direct-to attempts come from an unexecuted modification, the wrong waypoint identifier or an LNAV leg the aircraft cannot capture sensibly.

• EXEC was not pressed: the CDU still shows a modified route and the aircraft continues following the previous active leg.
• The wrong waypoint was selected: duplicate identifiers can refer to fixes thousands of miles apart. Return to LEGS, erase the modification and select the entry near the planned route.
• The waypoint is unavailable: NOT IN DATABASE or INVALID ENTRY usually means the identifier is incorrect or absent from the installed navigation database.
• The route is rejected: use our breakdown of the causes of an INVALID RTE message and the safe fixes rather than repeatedly pressing EXEC.
• LNAV stays armed: the new course may be behind the aircraft, too close or at too great an intercept angle. Turn towards it with HDG SEL, then arm LNAV again. Check the flight-mode annunciation at the top of the PFD; the MCP button light alone does not prove LNAV is active.

Can I undo a direct-to?

Before pressing EXEC, select ERASE on the modified LEGS page to discard the change. After execution there is no single-step undo; reinsert the required waypoints in the correct order or direct to the waypoint where you want to rejoin the original route.