RTE Airway Entry & the "NOT IN DATABASE" Fix
intermediate📍 Route: KLAX → … → LAS (via J146)⏱ ~4 minutes📊 8 steps
Fix the two errors every 737 pilot hits when entering an airway on the CDU RTE page — "NOT IN DATABASE" (unknown airway) and "INVALID ENTRY" (a waypoint that isn't on the airway). Learn to read each message and insert J146 correctly on a Los Angeles to New York route.
Start this scenario
Open the SimTuts 737 CDU trainer and select “RTE Airway Entry & the "NOT IN DATABASE" Fix” from the scenarios list to walk through it step-by-step on the simulated keypad.
Open trainer →What you'll do
- Set up a route to work with. Press the RTE key, then type KLAX into the scratchpad and press 1L to enter the ORIGIN.
- Type KJFK and press 1R to enter the DEST (destination).
- Open the second RTE page, where airways are entered on the real 737. Press 6L (<RTE 2).
- Let's reproduce the first error. Type J999 (an airway that doesn't exist) into the VIA column: type J999 and press 1L. The CDU rejects it with NOT IN DATA BASE.
- The real airway is J146. You don't need to clear the message — just type J146 (it replaces the error) and press 1L to stage it in the VIA column.
- Now the second error. The waypoint where you leave the airway must actually lie on it. Type DEN (Denver — not on J146) into the TO column: type DEN and press 1R. The CDU rejects it with INVALID ENTRY.
- LAS (Las Vegas) is on J146. Type LAS (it replaces the error) and press 1R to set it as the airway exit in the TO column.
- Press 6R to EXEC the staged airway. The cyan pending route becomes the active flight plan.
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