Few questions on how to set up the autopilot panel for take off:

• What speed do I put in the window?   V2 or something else?
• If I'm flying a SID do I arm LNAV/VNAV prior to departure or once airborne? 
• If I'm flying vectors onto a SID, do I just have runway heading enter / heading select armed?   What if I'm supposed to make a turn immediately after take-off?  Should I dial in that heading or wait until airborne?  What should I use for vertical guidance? 

Any info would be much appreciated. 

Following cause I want to see what the real pilots suggest. I have my way of doing all this which works, but no clue what the “correct” method is. 

26 minutes ago, 11bee said:

Few questions on how to set up the autopilot panel for take off:

• What speed do I put in the window?   V2 or something else?
• If I'm flying a SID do I arm LNAV/VNAV prior to departure or once airborne? 
• If I'm flying vectors onto a SID, do I just have runway heading enter / heading select armed?   What if I'm supposed to make a turn immediately after take-off?  Should I dial in that heading or wait until airborne?  What should I use for vertical guidance? 

Any info would be much appreciated. 

-Put V2 in the speed window. Make sure you have VNav armed on the MCP. The speed will jump to v2+20 and VNAV SPD will engage shortly after takeoff.

- It depends on the SID. For starters always have VNAV selected on the MCP prior to takeoff. As for LNAV, If your initial course is within certain parameters, LNAV will be selectable and if it’s selectable, then use it. If it’s not selectable, then HDG mode will automatically engage at 400 ft as long as you have VNAV armed prior to takeoff.

- I’ll give you an answer that works well in flightsim and is super close to what we do in the real thing. For the heading question, select whatever heading you want to initially fly after takeoff into the heading window on the MCP. It’s that simple. As for vertical mode, arm VNAV prior to takeoff. VNAV will engage and get you climbing on profile. Not only that, with VNAV engaged, heading mode automatically becomes active. That means whatever heading you have in the MCP window, your FD will steer you to it. Makes life super simple single pilot when in flight sim.
IF YOU DONT HAVE VNAV AMRED PRIOR TO TAKEOFF, then you will have to manually select hdg mode after lift off or select it prior to the start of the takeoff roll. 

 

I gave you a solidly quick rundown based off how we fly the plane at my airline. Other 737 drivers can give a little more precision to my post regarding LNAV arming criteria and specifically when V2 jumps to v2+20 during takeoff. It’s been a long day and my brain is tired.

Edited October 4, 2025Oct 4 by ahsmatt7

33 minutes ago, 11bee said:

Few questions on how to set up the autopilot panel for take off:

• What speed do I put in the window?   V2 or something else?
• If I'm flying a SID do I arm LNAV/VNAV prior to departure or once airborne? 
• If I'm flying vectors onto a SID, do I just have runway heading enter / heading select armed?   What if I'm supposed to make a turn immediately after take-off?  Should I dial in that heading or wait until airborne?  What should I use for vertical guidance? 

Any info would be much appreciated. 

V2

 

I've seen the 737 Max LNAV/VNAV armed on the ground during preflight, before takeoff. But there are companies with different SOPs.

 

If on vectors, fly as assigned heading.

 

Rwy heading up to 400 FT and then select whatever you need.

 

We use VNAV.

 

Additionally, there are some companies that engage LNAV at 400 feet and VNAV at 1,000 feet.

 

 

3 hours ago, ahsmatt7 said:

-Put V2 in the speed window. Make sure you have VNav armed on the MCP. The speed will jump to v2+20 and VNAV SPD will engage shortly after takeoff.

- It depends on the SID. For starters always have VNAV selected on the MCP prior to takeoff. As for LNAV, If your initial course is within certain parameters, LNAV will be selectable and if it’s selectable, then use it. If it’s not selectable, then HDG mode will automatically engage at 400 ft as long as you have VNAV armed prior to takeoff.

- I’ll give you an answer that works well in flightsim and is super close to what we do in the real thing. For the heading question, select whatever heading you want to initially fly after takeoff into the heading window on the MCP. It’s that simple. As for vertical mode, arm VNAV prior to takeoff. VNAV will engage and get you climbing on profile. Not only that, with VNAV engaged, heading mode automatically becomes active. That means whatever heading you have in the MCP window, your FD will steer you to it. Makes life super simple single pilot when in flight sim.
IF YOU DONT HAVE VNAV AMRED PRIOR TO TAKEOFF, then you will have to manually select hdg mode after lift off or select it prior to the start of the takeoff roll. 

 

I gave you a solidly quick rundown based off how we fly the plane at my airline. Other 737 drivers can give a little more precision to my post regarding LNAV arming criteria and specifically when V2 jumps to v2+20 during takeoff. It’s been a long day and my brain is tired.

Thanks!!! Just saw your OLM video!! Doesn't matter where you start. I appreciate you. Wish you had follow toggled on.

Edited October 4, 2025Oct 4 by alanw2005

7 hours ago, 11bee said:

Few questions on how to set up the autopilot panel for take off:

• What speed do I put in the window?   V2 or something else?
• If I'm flying a SID do I arm LNAV/VNAV prior to departure or once airborne? 
• If I'm flying vectors onto a SID, do I just have runway heading enter / heading select armed?   What if I'm supposed to make a turn immediately after take-off?  Should I dial in that heading or wait until airborne?  What should I use for vertical guidance? 

Any info would be much appreciated. 

- Yes V2.
- LNAV arm on the ground. Depending on the software of the FMC and the airline SOPS, you also arm VNAV on the ground (most airlines do in the MAX, some like Ryanair don't and instead "bug-up" [-> manually dialing the speed to flaps up speed at the acceleration altitude, only after flaps retraction then you can activate VNAV]).
- runway heading or the heading ATC gave you (if there is one); no need to use any additional vertical guidance after takeoff (it will default to N1, which is basically climbing at the set speed like LVL CHG) unless you have an early level off (in that case you'd use V/S to slow the climb rate down)

4 hours ago, alanw2005 said:

Thanks!!! Just saw your OLM video!! Doesn't matter where you start. I appreciate you. Wish you had follow toggled on.

Small world! Glad the video resonated with you! Are you local to the area?

28 minutes ago, ahsmatt7 said:

Small world! Glad the video resonated with you! Are you local to the area?

Hi Matt, I am in Vancouver, Canada. CYVR.

12 minutes ago, alanw2005 said:

Hi Matt, I am in Vancouver, Canada. CYVR.

So awesome you caught that video! God Bless you!