Hi guys,I'm looking at doing UA895 this weekend as it appears to be the longest 744 flight available at 15 hours 50 mins.Firstly, is that correct? or is there an even longer non-stop route on the 744?Assuming it is so, it will entail a polar routing, or something close to a polar routing. Can someone remind me what the maximum latitude is before fs prevents you from going any further?Any other advice that any of our 'ice-runner' captains might offer? Eg suitable enroute alternates for emergency diversions etc.Cheers guys!

Hi Mark, Try using OFplanner.net. Great tool. Almost like the real thing. You can also use the weather briefing function to obtain winds aloft and SIGMET's for your route.The ETP feature on OFPlanner will give you good reference on your Equal time point between selected airports that you specify. Fuel comsumption numbers are also a bit lower than what PMDG shows, so you can just edit the fuel loadout prior to departure.Don't forget to switch your HDG REF to TRUE. It depends on the A/C though (in real life). Just check the PMDG manuals for the PMDG specs.I love flying long hauls on FS when I have the time. It's tiring, though, and an exercise in good judgement and airmanship.Have fun, Captain!MikeRPLL

Thanks Mike, in particular for the HDG REF tip, I hadn't thought of that! Can you please confirm the web address for the planning site though? I cannot access www.ofplanner.net, nor can I find it via google?Ta

OFplanner.netI just tried that and nothing came up, just a search page or something.Jeff

oh my, sorry! it's ofplan.net Btw, let me correct my post above:What "depends" when you switch the HDG REF is the LAtitude. Some planes are different. I don't know why. So yep, just check PMDG.:)Mike BuenaventuraRPLL

hi Mark this is UAL895 real route from 150106PETTY GRB 5500N/09000W 6000N/09100W 6500N/09200W 7000N/09500W 7500N/10000W 8000N/11000W 8400N/14100W RAMEL G491 BABED G491 CZ G491 SULOK G218 TMR B458 WXI A461 ENLOK A461 LIG R473 WYN W18 NLG W23 ZUH R473 SIERAi can provide a complete flight briefing if you want, you can contact me via msn messenger, [email protected], Mexico.

Oscar, Does UA895 use flex tracks for this? or does it use PACOTS? Is it a fixed track? What are the requirements to use FLEX tracks?cheers,mikeRPLL

no Mike the lat/lon route is a random routing. A random routing is used because because there are no waypoints and no other airways to get to 'Polar Track 3' (which is G491). So no, there are no PACOTS used. There are four Polar TracksPolar1 - G489Polar2 - G480Polar3 - G491Polar4 - G494I don't know why these are called Polar Tracks because they are just airways over the arctic region and not really flex tracks.Hope this helps

Guys, thanks to those who assisted, was a good flight and I got into VHHH just a few minutes early. Nice!

Patrick, Where'd you get the information on polar airways, captain? How are the winds up there? Are there significant tailwinds/headinds like the transpacific/transatlantic routings? What are the closest alternates on those routes, too?thanks!mike

Mark, Good to know. What was the total distance flown? Fuel burnout, and Gross Takeoff weight? I've never done one of those flights. It's sounding really tempting now :))cheers,mike

Mike, I'm at work right now mate but I'll look at my logs and let you know.I can tell you with certainty I took off at near max weight - mostly fuel - as I wanted to delay the 'tank-to-engine' point as far into the flight as possible so I could go to the supermarket that afternoon!!!

MikeI got the info on the Polar Tracks from the flightplan forum and a source at a major asian airline. From what I have heard, airlines use the Polar Tracks because the headwinds are a lot less than on the NOPAC tracks (which are also airways not FLEX tracks). Airlines try to avoid the going over the pacific while going westbound if they can. That is why sometimes you will see that the flights from LAX/SFO to Hong Kong go over Alaska/Russia/China. Just a statistic but I saw on another forum that 1/3 of all flights from west coast US to Hong Kong have to divert to Taipei because the headwinds are too strong, sometimes like over 100knot headwinds...Sorry I don't really have any info on alternates.

Mike,sorry but what is a flex track and what does PACOTS stand for please ?is crossing the Pacific organised in same way way as the Atlantic ie with Organised Tracks ? I presume commercial flights have less of a need to fly near the South Pole as they do the North due to there being very little land around.

>Mark,>> Good to know. What was the total distance flown? Fuel>burnout, and Gross Takeoff weight? I've never done one of>those flights. It's sounding really tempting now :))>I haven't done the ORD-HKG flight, but I once tried to fly from Warsaw to Honolulu which is slightly shorter. My stats are below (I don't keep track of the flight plan distance, so the distance is the great circle distance, although I did follow a flight plan):Distance (direct) 6400 nmCockpit entered 09:37+1:00Taxi started 10:08+1:00Finish 23:12-10:00Fuel @ EPWA 382,900 lbs.Fuel @ PHNL 59,400 lbs.Max altitude FL410Pax 15,660 lbs.Cargo 21,000 lbs.Total takeoff weight 813,084 lbs.The times are Zulu with timezone listed afterwards./ Jesper