xman
Trainee
Posts: 10
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Post by xman on Oct 26, 2018 19:51:21 GMT -5
Love this tool!
The issue I have is getting FSCaptain to tie to PFPX and TopCat (...to within a reasonable margin of error).
I found the items.cfg and edited the PAX weight form 170 lbs to 185 lbs. However I can't seems to change the crew weight (Fixed weight) from 170 lbs to 185 lbs. Also, I would like to set baggage weight at 50 lbs for domestic and 100 lbs for international - can I do this?
Thanks!
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Edit!
For simplicity, I edited PFPX and TopCat to 170 lbs however the issue still remains of baggage weight.
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Post by peter on Oct 27, 2018 4:25:52 GMT -5
Hello Xman,
if I recall correctly, changing the pax weight is only possible for planning purposes, not for the loading process. Changing requires a serious overhaul that is planned for FSCaptain 2.0. However, you can always load the plane manually and adjust for the difference.
As for the baggage weight, the minimal amount per pax is fixed to 50lbs, but you can specify the exact amount of payload by specifying flight details in the Administrator's dispatch page.
Cheers, Peter
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Post by Travis on Oct 29, 2018 16:51:59 GMT -5
Peter is close, but there have been a few late-moment changes....
The PAX weight in the items.cfg file should be the 'default weight' for all flights, but I've introduced a possible change into Beta 2 so that you can attempt to modify the PAX weights via a load map - just change all PAX weights to the desired value.
This is currently in an 'testing phase,' and all needed documentation from feedback should be part of the final 1.8.1 release. ---
Up front, we don't have a baggage weight differential that's based upon any national/international- or Customs-based restriction. Baggage weight is based upon the seat count of your aircraft.
First there's an "PoundsPerAverageBaggage" value that we use - 10 lbs/PAX for less than 5 seats, 20 lbs/PAX for less than 20 seats, 30 lbs/PAX for less than 90 seats, 40 lbs/PAX for less than 150 seats, 50/PAX for 151 to 499 seats, and then 15/PAX lbs for aircraft with 500+ seats. That latter band is to represent "short-haul, high-density aircraft" such as the 747-400D.
Our initial reasoning on this is that any Captain could easily fly two PAX in a C208 from KSEA to CYXX (95nm). 20 lbs/PAX seems a reasonable average for such an aircraft, and we would not expect these PAX to have twice the baggage allowance than on a trip to KAST (101nm).
However we do recognize that in taking a B747 from KSEA to KLAX, the average baggage weight might be different than on a flight from KSEA to RJTT. It's not just aircraft size... and it's not also 'nation-based' we feel it's also 'distance traveled.' ---
After the 'averageness'... when it's time to calculate the payload for a flight... FSCaptain will assign a random weight to each passenger's baggage that can range from several percent greater or lesser than the declared average.
The average calculated baggage load should be different each time given the same PAX load. However in the long run, a series of similar flights would eventually average out to be close to the actual average baggage weight per PAX. ---
So, while we do have plans for FSCaptain 2 to allow for different 'average baggage weight bands' and 'distance multipliers', there's not the time to fully implement this for 1.8.1. Hence the 'testing phase' for different PAX weights... the first thing that needs attention.
But please feel free to suggest what you'd like to see!
With regards,
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xman
Trainee
Posts: 10
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Post by xman on Nov 3, 2018 13:52:25 GMT -5
Thanks for the response guys. I guess all the really matters is a the ZFW anyway, so I will work with that on the interim. As for the variable % logic, that's more realistic anyway (...my wife always packs more than I do for a trip spanning the same amount of time LOL) I was thinking about airlines allowing 1 free 50lb bag (checked) for domestic flights and 2 50lb free bags (checked) for international flights. I think that should be the calculation for PAX simple and logical. Now when I travel from KATL to EHAM for work, I don't come anywhere near the 100 lbs free bag max weight. Now during a vaca, that's a different ball game (...plus coming back bags weigh more b/c of sweat,souvenirs and gifts). There are too many variables but either way - whatever you come up with Travis - I am sure it will be smashing! Thanks for your continued hard work, and I will continue to reward you with my hard earned money
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evolae
Trainee
Nosey Parker
Posts: 36
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Post by evolae on Jan 1, 2019 11:44:49 GMT -5
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Post by Travis on Jan 2, 2019 0:00:46 GMT -5
I have to make this short for now (holiday stuff) but I have a plan to allow defined weights per pax-bag, and to eliminate any randomness so that 100 PAX & Bags today will weigh the same as every other day.
I think we can easily accommodate Domestic, Non-Customs Intl, Customs Intl, and Intercontinental.
I have to say those weights in Table 3 seem awfully "light," but are they "per-pax" or "per-bag"?
Best,
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evolae
Trainee
Nosey Parker
Posts: 36
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Post by evolae on Jan 2, 2019 2:29:51 GMT -5
Each bag of each pax. It's more or less what we have in PFPX (For Europe, I don't know if in other region is different) Non Sched Domestic Flight: Sched Domestic Flight:
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Post by Travis on Jan 3, 2019 15:50:57 GMT -5
Hmm... one bag per PAX. Definitely not American passengers. I think we can work with this in future builds. We're Adult only ( Phrasing!) and we can handle the different types of flights (scheduled, domestic, common union, customs, Intercontinental / Long Range) for different baggage weights. Ideally I'd see this with values in your Options file for "all airlines", but allow individual airlines to have their own set of values too. So we would publish a generic set of weights, that anyone could change to their own needs, and then have different airlines have their own needs catered to, if needed. ----- Funny thing... the current bug is due to some changes we made in how we create Manifests & Load Maps a few weeks ago... but Peter found that for Cargo-only flights there were some woeful problems. I think I may have fixed that overnight, and now after a near-noon breakfast I will return for some more tests and then to work on Refresh-I for the Alpha Testers. Best,
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evolae
Trainee
Nosey Parker
Posts: 36
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Post by evolae on Jan 3, 2019 18:45:33 GMT -5
Yeah, an option to "All Airlines" would be perfect.
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Post by alaskanflyboy on Jun 5, 2021 11:03:34 GMT -5
Hmm... one bag per PAX. Definitely not American passengers. I think we can work with this in future builds. We're Adult only ( Phrasing!) and we can handle the different types of flights (scheduled, domestic, common union, customs, Intercontinental / Long Range) for different baggage weights. Ideally I'd see this with values in your Options file for "all airlines", but allow individual airlines to have their own set of values too. So we would publish a generic set of weights, that anyone could change to their own needs, and then have different airlines have their own needs catered to, if needed. ----- Funny thing... the current bug is due to some changes we made in how we create Manifests & Load Maps a few weeks ago... but Peter found that for Cargo-only flights there were some woeful problems. I think I may have fixed that overnight, and now after a near-noon breakfast I will return for some more tests and then to work on Refresh-I for the Alpha Testers. Best, Given air carriers in the US this month are having to revise their numbers, I was thinking on this topic. PFPX and the actual software the airlines use typically isn't considering it one bag per pax, just weight of one passenger's total baggage. Midcon, the VA I fly with, currently uses 30lbs per passenger. Some people may be going on a 3-week vacation with multiple bags while others are on a business day-trip with nothing but their carry-ons, so it's a rough average of baggage per passenger. Carry-ons (16lbs) are already averaged into the passenger weight (Summer: 190/ Winter: 195). What would be the most realistic for FS Captain is to allow options for standard weights or actual weights for planning purposes, but have the actual weights used for loading purposes. Now the FAA only allows standard weight calculations for multi-engine turbine-powered aircraft and then has set rules per cabin size. So if you're in a navajo, it's multi-engine but piston-powered; you need actual weights. The Caravan is turbine-powered, but single-engine; you need actual weights. Given air carriers in the US this month are having to revise their numbers, I was thinking on this topic. The first thought reading this thread is that PFPX and the actual software the airlines use typically isn't considering it one bag per pax, just one weight value for baggage per pax based on an average. Midcon, the VA I fly with, currently uses 20lbs per passenger. Some people may be going on a 3-week vacation with multiple bags while others are on a business day-trip with nothing but their carry-ons, so it's a rough average of baggage per passenger. AC 120-27F is a good resource for how this all works in the US system, and for how an airline adopts it can be seen here under OP SPEC A099. So if you get to revamping the weight system for FSC2.0, I'd love to see some variation as well as seasonal changes. Perhaps even allow for custom rule .cfg files per airline and country. As I said earlier, the rules in the US change based on aircraft type and cabin size (a function of seating capacity) spelled out in AC120-27F.
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Post by Travis on Jun 6, 2021 14:12:00 GMT -5
John,
Thanks for the document!
We've always varied the "Baggage weight per PAX" on our aircraft-size, and I can certainly roll out airline-specific data tables for that.
We've since introduced some changes to "scheduled cargo weight" versus "actual cargo weight", but I'm hopeful that other (natural) changes can take place.
Best,
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