7th Bomb Wing · B-1B Lancer

FMS Setup Guide

Every page in the B-1B Flight Management System — COMM, NAV, PERF, and FPLN. How to enter data, what each field does, and what trips students up.

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Phase 1 — Scratch pad entry method
1
How to enter any value
STEP 1: Type value on CDU keypad → appears in scratch pad at bottom STEP 2: Press line-select key → value loads into the field STEP 3: Confirm ident / value shown → entry complete
  • All FMS pages use the same scratch-pad + line-select method
  • Press CLR to clear a bad entry from the scratch pad
  • Press CLR while a field is highlighted to delete that field's value
  • Invalid entry shows INVALID INPUT — press CLR and retype
2
FMS pages overview
COMM Radio frequencies — VHF1, VHF2, ADF, transponder
NAV Navigation radios — VOR1, VOR2, TACAN, NAV MODE
PERF Performance — V-speeds, APPR page (DH/MDA, VREF, flaps)
FPLN Flight plan — loaded from World Map, DIR-TO function
RNAV GPS approach data — active once RNAV approach is loaded
Phase 2 — COMM page
1
COMM page layout
COMM VHF1 [133.000] → ← Tower AMASK T/R+G PLAIN VHF2 [125.000] → ← Approach AMASK T/R+G PLAIN ADF [353.00] → ← TOMHI NDB USB PLAIN XPNDR [7000] → LINK RADIO SET
  • Enter frequency in scratch pad → line-select into VHF1 or VHF2
  • ADF accepts kHz frequencies (e.g. 353 for TOMHI NDB at KDYS)
  • XPNDR: enter squawk code from ATC clearance
2
KDYS radio frequencies
ATIS269.175
Ground118.35 / 275.8
Tower133.0 / 257.675
Approach East125.0
Approach West127.2
Phase 3 — NAV page
1
NAV page — ILS setup
FMS → NAV NAV1 [109.900] → ← ILS RWY 34 --->LOC/ILS [I-DYS] CRS [340] → ← runway hdg NAV2 [0.000] → NAV MODE [NAV] → ← must be NAV
  • NAV MODE must be NAV for ILS — not GPS
  • CRS must be the runway magnetic heading, not 000°
  • Confirm ident shows LOC/ILS and correct ident code
2
NAV page — VOR setup
FMS → NAV NAV1 [113.700] → ← ABI VORTAC --->VORTAC [ABI] CRS [345] → ← inbound radial NAV MODE [NAV] → ← must be NAV
  • Enter the VOR frequency, confirm ident
  • Set CRS to the inbound course from the approach plate
  • NAV MODE = NAV · PFD softkey = NAV1
!
NAV MODE — the most important field on this page
NAV MODEWhat it doesUse for
NAVTracks VOR/ILS frequencies tuned in NAV1/NAV2ILS approach, VOR approach
GPSTracks the active GPS/RNAV flight planRNAV approach, GPS navigation, cruise
Wrong NAV MODE is the #1 cause of approach failures in training. ILS with NAV MODE=GPS → APR won't capture. RNAV with NAV MODE=NAV → wrong track.
Phase 4 — PERF page
1
PERF main page — V-speeds
FMS → PERF V1 --> [□□□] ← computed VR --> [□□□] ← computed V2 --> [□□□] ← computed TEMP --> [□□°C] ZFW --> [□□□.□] FOB --> [□□□.□] GW --> [□□□.□] ← gross weight
  • V1, VR, V2 auto-compute from gross weight and conditions
  • Review these before every takeoff — values change with fuel load
2
APPR page — set before every approach
FMS → PERF → APPR PG FLAPS --> [17°] VREF --> [□□□ Kt] ← auto-compute DH/MDA --> [□□□□] ← from approach plate LAND QNH --> [□□.□□] ← from ATIS
  • DH field: use DH for ILS — use MDA for RNAV/VOR
  • VREF: click to auto-compute from current gross weight
  • QNH: update from ATIS before every approach — stale QNH = wrong altimeter
This page must be set before every approach. A missing DH/MDA means no FMS callout at your minimum altitude.
Phase 5 — FPLN page and DIR-TO
1
FPLN page
FMS → FPLN KDYS → MUCHO → RWY34 (waypoints from World Map plan) MUCHO FAF 109NM RWY34 000NM
  • FPLN loads from the World Map flight plan — cannot be typed in manually
  • Approach waypoints appear once an approach is selected from the FPLN destination page
  • No flight plan loaded shows NO FPL ACTIVATED
2
DIR — Direct To
FMS → DIR DIR TO: [MUCHO] DIST: [22.4NM] [ACTIVATE?] ←[YES] [CANCEL]→
  • Press the DIR key on the CDU keypad
  • Type the waypoint identifier → line-select
  • Confirm ACTIVATE? → YES
  • Aircraft routes directly to that waypoint, bypassing all intermediate fixes
Use DIR when ATC gives you direct routing — "B-1B, fly direct MUCHO, cleared ILS RWY 34".