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Post by Dutch Owen on Oct 27, 2012 18:48:05 GMT -5
The Problem:When you plan a flight with Dispatch in the Administrator, or pick up one from the FCOM/FCDU, they don't give you nearly enough fuel, or they give you too much, or their time estimates are way too optimistic or pessimistic. The Solution:The numbers that are computed for you (remember, you as Captain are the final authority and you can override either or both of those planning estimates) are based on fuel burn and average cruise speed numbers that are not a part of the Flight Simulator design and have to be estimated for a new airplane by FSCaptain. Thus when you create a new configuration these numbers are guestimates. They need to be adjusted by experience or from accurate documentation before they'll produce solid dispatch estimates. After a flight in an aircraft where you found yourself landing on fumes, take a look at the fuel burn numbers. They are too low. Bring up the aircraft configuration in the Administrator and up them by about as much as you think you need. If I landed on fumes I'd up all three by at least 50 percent and see how that does. The same applies to time. It's based on the given cruise TAS speed at the standard cruise altitude with no wind, and automatically adjusted for different altitudes and winds during the planning. You flew as fast as possible and were still late? The cruise speed TAS number is leading Dispatch to think your aircraft is faster than it is...reduce it. Why not use published specifications? In some cases that works but remember this is a simulator. Some designers are much better than others at getting their simulations to fly by the numbers. But published numbers are a good starting point. Ultimately the accuracy of the time and fuel burn estimates are only as good (or as bad) as the numbers you supply. Often, an aircraft new to you has been already adjusted by someone else. Ask here on the Forums and often someone will have a solution for you they've already figured out. Or check out the Aircraft Configurations section of the FSCaptain File Exchange at: www.fscaptain.net/atm
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Post by werewolf13 on Jan 2, 2015 19:42:48 GMT -5
Just got FSCaptain.
Hard Core teething issues but I'm past crawling and up to the toddler level (stumbling around).
One of the 1st things I noted was that after loading a Rex generated flight plan and loading the realtime weather the fuel calculation drops to 8000 Lb. Doesn't seem to matter where my plane is sitting and where it's going hitting recalc drops the fuel loaded to 8000 Lb.
What is strange is that the initial fuel load is usually correct it's just hitting recalc that messes things up.
FC is vs 1.6 and running with a B738 profile.
Any ideas why this is happening?
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Post by peter on Jan 2, 2015 19:55:24 GMT -5
Hi Werewolf13,
that sounds like your B738 profile might be wrong. In the Administrator, go to Aircraft Characteristic and load the B738.cfg profile. What is the fuel capacity of your plane?
Cheers,
Peter
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Post by werewolf13 on Jan 3, 2015 11:30:32 GMT -5
Hi Werewolf13, that sounds like your B738 profile might be wrong. In the Administrator, go to Aircraft Characteristic and load the B738.cfg profile. What is the fuel capacity of your plane? Cheers, Peter 46062 is max fuel capacity listed |
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Post by peter on Jan 3, 2015 12:16:04 GMT -5
That's the correct value for the 738. I'll discuss this with Dutch and Travis, it might be a bug.
However, you as captain have the ultimate authority about how much fuel you are loading.
Simply revise the suggested value for the time being. If it is a bug, it will probably be fixed in 1.6.2.
Cheers,
Peter
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Post by Travis on Jan 3, 2015 13:13:29 GMT -5
Werewolf,
As a test, try this two paths:
First, specify your flight details (so the destination, pax and cargo weights will be the same) and note the initial time & fuel (this assumes a DCT route at the aircraft's default flight altitude).
Then load your flightplan but not weather and recalc. Note that time & fuel load.
Now click Get Weather and then recalc a third time. Note those values.
At which point does it go askew??
Now click the "Cancel" button to the right of the "Commit" button, and go back to List Flights. You should have the same payload & fuel.
This time, click Get Weather & Recalc first. Note the values, then add a flightplan and Get Weather again.
---
Older versions of FSCaptain would play holy heck with flightplans, upper winds & fuel loads, but we reworked this code several months ago and most (if not all) problems were ironed out. But maybe there's something that we haven't accounted for.
So please ZIP and email us your B738 profile, an ADMIN log file, one of your PLN files, and an accompanying REX METAR XML file. I'll see if I can duplicate it.
(I've been using REX+ lately and have not noticed any whoppers.)
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Post by werewolf13 on Jan 3, 2015 15:29:04 GMT -5
Unusual forum: Couldn't figure out how to upload to it: I've copied the pre rex flight plan and post rex flight plan into this message. I hope I'm just making newby mistakes but...
That said I believe I have found the issue.
When looking at the release page after loading a multi-waypoint rex flightplan (esentials plus overdrive sp3) it seems the FSC program isn't taking into account the intermediate waypoints in the plan. The fuel calculations show 0 in fact the times show 0. If you goto the NavLog in rex and look at fuel usage everything is copacetic and calculated correctly (except for wind and altitude effects). It shows about 680 Lbs from KPWA to KASG. The intial calculation for a straight shot shows 1:29 ETE and 700LBs fuel which is close to the Nav Log. Load the Rex flightplan 4WP's and hit recalc and it drops to 400 lbs and shows ete of :17 which is what the navlog shows if you take out the intermediate waypoint numbers. In other words the 179mile distance hasn't changed just added some intemediate wp's. But calculated fuel goes way down and ete is just freaky.
here's the FSC default flightplan release document:
LONEWOLF AIR EXPRESS DISPATCH RELEASE FSCAPTAIN 1.6.0
FLIGHT 554 KPWA-KASG 03-JAN-15 20:24Z
AIRCRAFT (TBA) OUT: _______ OFF: _______
TYPE C208 ON: _______ IN: _______
CREW INFORMATION:
DISP: D B COOPER / ____________________________ (SIGNED)
PIC : / ____________________________ (SIGNED)
FUEL CALCULATION WEIGHT/FUEL BREAKDOWN
MIN 200LB ZFW 5998LB
TAXI 15LB T/O MIN 685LB
KASG 210LB PLANNED TOW 6698LB
KEOS 48LB ENROUTE BURN 210LB
RSV 135LB PLANNED LDW 6473LB
HOLD 45LB ARRIVAL FOB 483LB
***************
TOTAL 700LB
WEATHER INFORMATION:
KPWA 031653Z 11005KT 8SM OVC006 03/02 A2986 RMK AO2 SLP119 T00280017
KASG 031648Z 23007KT 3/4SM BR OVC004 05/05 A2990
KEOS 031655Z AUTO 24005KT 1 3/4SM BR OVC003 04/04 A2992 RMK AO2 [KGMJ
20NM]
Winds: FT 3000 05000 10000 18000 24000 30000 34000 39000 44000
KPWA: 2405 2215-02 2334-07 2351-15 2271-21 2386-27 7218-31 7220-36 2482-41
KASG: 2405 2215-02 2334-07 2351-15 2271-21 2386-27 7218-31 7220-36 2482-41
KASG TAF not available
SIGNIFICANT WEATHER FOR THIS FLIGHT:
KASG Low visibility reported. Check RVR before takeoff/landing.
FLIGHTPLAN: (CRUISE ALT: 8000FT)
VIA POS HDG ALT DIST TIME ETE FUEL WIND DIR SPD ADJ
---------------------------------------------------------------------
KPWA 000 1299FT 0 0:00 1:29 700LB 0 000 0 0
KASG 076 1353FT 175 1:29 0:00 476LB 0 000 138 0
LOAD MANIFEST:
1) 4 PAX Passengers 680LB
2) 1 Lot Baggage 120LB
3) 4 Boxes Misc. Items 623LB
********
TOTAL PAYLOAD 1423LB
Here it is after loading the rex flight plan.
LONEWOLF AIR EXPRESS DISPATCH RELEASE FSCAPTAIN 1.6.0
FLIGHT 554 KPWA-KASG 03-JAN-15 20:26Z
AIRCRAFT (TBA) OUT: _______ OFF: _______
TYPE C208 ON: _______ IN: _______
CREW INFORMATION:
DISP: D B COOPER / ____________________________ (SIGNED)
PIC : / ____________________________ (SIGNED)
FUEL CALCULATION WEIGHT/FUEL BREAKDOWN
MIN 200LB ZFW 5998LB
TAXI 15LB T/O MIN 385LB
KASG -6LB PLANNED TOW 6398LB
KEOS 48LB ENROUTE BURN -6LB
RSV 135LB PLANNED LDW 6389LB
HOLD 45LB ARRIVAL FOB 393LB
***************
TOTAL 400LB
WEATHER INFORMATION:
KPWA 031653Z 11005KT 8SM OVC006 03/02 A2986 RMK AO2 SLP119 T00280017
KASG 031648Z 23007KT 3/4SM BR OVC004 05/05 A2990
KEOS 031655Z AUTO 24005KT 1 3/4SM BR OVC003 04/04 A2992 RMK AO2 [KGMJ
20NM]
Winds: FT 3000 05000 10000 18000 24000 30000 34000 39000 44000
KPWA: 2405 2215-02 2334-07 2351-15 2271-21 2386-27 7218-31 7220-36 2482-41
KASG: 2405 2215-02 2334-07 2351-15 2271-21 2386-27 7218-31 7220-36 2482-41
KASG TAF not available
SIGNIFICANT WEATHER FOR THIS FLIGHT:
KASG Low visibility reported. Check RVR before takeoff/landing.
FLIGHTPLAN: (CRUISE ALT: 8000FT)
VIA POS HDG ALT DIST TIME ETE FUEL WIND DIR SPD ADJ
---------------------------------------------------------------------
KPWA 000 1299FT 0 0:00 0:17 400LB 0 000 0 0
CALKI 180 1299FT 0 0:11 0:06 393LB 0 000 105 0
3696N 180 1299FT 0 0:00 0:06 393LB 0 000 105 0
3695N 180 1299FT 0 0:00 0:06 393LB 0 000 105 0
3694N 180 1299FT 0 0:00 0:06 393LB 0 000 105 0
KASG 180 1353FT 0 0:06 0:00 386LB 0 000 105 0
---------------------------------------------------------------------
0 NM TOTAL DISTANCE
LOAD MANIFEST:
1) 4 PAX Passengers 680LB
2) 1 Lot Baggage 120LB
3) 4 Boxes Misc. Items 623LB
********
TOTAL PAYLOAD 1423LB
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Post by Travis on Jan 3, 2015 15:50:07 GMT -5
Hi Werewolf, I removed your name from your dispatches.  Could you zip and email those files to us - the REX METAR XML file and the PLN files in particular. (See my signature below for our addresses.) I don't use REX to make my PLN files, so I'd like to see yours. |
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Post by Travis on Jan 3, 2015 16:22:24 GMT -5
I just used REX Essential+ to make a flightplan, and there's several issues with it - one being the waypoints are all encased with single quote marks (which we translate as " 'KPHX' " LOL, and the most important being the <WorldPosition> data is in decimal format and not the "degrees minutes seconds" that we're accustomed in reading.
This is an PLN depiction of an airport using SDK documented formats
<ATCWaypoint id="KSTS">
<ATCWaypointType>Airport</ATCWaypointType>
<WorldPosition>N38° 30' 43.76",W122° 48' 28.02",+000125.00</WorldPosition>
<ICAO>
<ICAOIdent>KSTS</ICAOIdent>
</ICAO>
</ATCWaypoint>
This is my REX generated PLN. Maybe I'm doing something wrong though, which is why I'd like to see some of yours.... <ATCWaypoint id='KPHX'>
<ATCWaypointType>Airport</ATCWaypointType>
<WorldPosition>33.4334886074066, -112.014393210411, +000000.00</WorldPosition>
<ICAO>
<ICAOIdent>KPHX</ICAOIdent>
</ICAO>
</ATCWaypoint>
So please send us a few of your REX E+ Overdrive PLN files (both the xml version & the "FS9 compatible" version). If they are formatted as the one I have, then we can attempt to adapt to their format. Thanks, |
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Post by werewolf13 on Jan 3, 2015 17:05:23 GMT -5
I sent the XML file in the Metar XML folder of Rex essentials along with the Rex flightplan file for the KPWA to KASG flight. I run FSX Acceleration and don't know FS2009 from Adam so couldn't send a 2009 plan. I just used REX Essential+ to make a flightplan, and there's several issues with it - one being the waypoints are all encased with single quote marks (which we translate as " 'KPHX' " LOL, and the most important being the <WorldPosition> data is in decimal format and not the "degrees minutes seconds" that we're accustomed in reading.
This is an PLN depiction of an airport using SDK documented formats
<ATCWaypoint id="KSTS">
<ATCWaypointType>Airport</ATCWaypointType>
<WorldPosition>N38° 30' 43.76",W122° 48' 28.02",+000125.00</WorldPosition>
<ICAO>
<ICAOIdent>KSTS</ICAOIdent>
</ICAO>
</ATCWaypoint>
This is my REX generated PLN. Maybe I'm doing something wrong though, which is why I'd like to see some of yours.... <ATCWaypoint id='KPHX'>
<ATCWaypointType>Airport</ATCWaypointType>
<WorldPosition>33.4334886074066, -112.014393210411, +000000.00</WorldPosition>
<ICAO>
<ICAOIdent>KPHX</ICAOIdent>
</ICAO>
</ATCWaypoint>
So please send us a few of your REX E+ Overdrive PLN files (both the xml version & the "FS9 compatible" version). If they are formatted as the one I have, then we can attempt to adapt to their format. Thanks, |
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Post by Travis on Jan 3, 2015 20:15:48 GMT -5
They're the same format as the one's I see.
So there are two formatting issues which we could get around, but the XML format PLN file doesn't contain the airport's altitudes and we use that to compute the flight profile. (The FS9 formatted PLN file however does contain the airport's altitudes.)
I'll be offline for a few days, and when I return I'll ping the REX team to see what format they'll use for their new weather engine. It might be easiest for them to tweak a few things in their generator rather that for us to accommodate a format that may be changed in a new version.
For now though, I've tested this workaround, and it works for me:: load FSX and in the Flight Planner, load the FS9 formatted PLN file (not the XML formatted PLN), and then immediately save it again. Then you can load the formatted-to-spec version into your FSCaptain Administrator for processing.
ACME AIR SERVICE DISPATCH RELEASE FSCAPTAIN 1.6.1
FLIGHT 554 KPWA-KASG 04-JAN-15 01:12Z
AIRCRAFT (TBA) OUT: _______ OFF: _______
TYPE C208 ON: _______ IN: _______
CREW INFORMATION:
DISP: J H KENT / ____________________________ (SIGNED)
PIC : RUFUS T. FIREFLY / ____________________________ (SIGNED)
FUEL CALCULATION WEIGHT/FUEL BREAKDOWN
MIN 50LB ZFW 5971LB
TAXI 15LB T/O MIN 885LB
KASG 360LB PLANNED TOW 6871LB
KEOS 96LB ENROUTE BURN 360LB
RSV 270LB PLANNED LDW 6496LB
HOLD 90LB ARRIVAL FOB 439LB
***************
TOTAL 900LB
WEATHER INFORMATION:
KPWA 031653Z 11005KT 8SM OVC006 03/02 A2986 RMK AO2 SLP119 T00280017
KASG 031648Z 23007KT 3/4SM BR OVC004 05/05 A2990
KEOS METAR not available
Winds: FT 3000 05000 10000 18000 24000 30000 34000 39000 44000
KPWA: KPWA 2405 2215-02 2334-07 2351-15 2271-21 2386-27 7218-31 7220-36 2482-41
CALKI: KSNL 2207 2218+00 2338-05 2253-13 2374-19 2399-25 7213-29 7224-34 2390-39
3696N: KRVS 2207 2219-02 2439-07 2356-15 2372-21 7302-27 7314-31 7224-36 2497-41
3695N: KTQH 2106 2218-02 2434-07 2355-15 2474-21 2394-27 7306-31 7227-36 7400-41
3694N: KFYV 2307 2320+00 2440-05 2362-13 2471-19 2399-25 7309-29 7329-34 7406-39
KASG: KASG 2307 2320+00 2440-05 2362-13 2471-19 2399-25 7309-29 7329-34 7406-39
KASG 031601Z 0316/0412 25004KT 2SM BR BKN006 OVC016 FM031800 23005KT
5SM BR OVC007 FM040200 25010KT P6SM OVC012 FM041000 32015G25KT
P6SM OVC015 [KFYV 10NM]
SIGNIFICANT WEATHER FOR THIS FLIGHT:
KASG Low visibility reported. Check RVR before takeoff/landing.
FLIGHTPLAN: (CRUISE ALT: 8000FT)
VIA POS HDG ALT DIST TIME ETE FUEL WIND DIR SPD ADJ
---------------------------------------------------------------------
KPWA 000 1299FT 0 0:00 1:22 900LB 5 240 0 0
CALKI 088 8000FT 40 0:25 0:57 789LB 38 230 123 18
3696N 055 8000FT 48 0:15 0:42 670LB 39 240 145 39
3695N 089 8000FT 48 0:16 0:26 551LB 34 240 145 32
3694N 089 4500FT 48 0:16 0:10 449LB 20 230 120 22
KASG 331 1353FT 12 0:10 0:00 432LB 7 230 105 2
---------------------------------------------------------------------
196 NM TOTAL DISTANCE
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