Flight One /dreamfleet B737-400

[Guest]

jerrycwo4Have been having trouble bringing this AC to FL340 ( with full fuel) before my Instrument Flight Plan has been cancled because I was too slow getting to altitude. I was climbing at 1800 FPS at a speed of 280 IAS but as I started passing through FL220 or so, my speed stared to slow to the point of STALLING. I went to FULL power and lowered to a climb rate of 800 FPS, but plane still STALLED and I got that nasty message, "Your flight plan cancled" ! Has this happed to anyone else flying the B737-400 from Flight One ? Thanks jerryPS Does anyone know the correct climb rate (and speed) for the B737 ?

[Guest groundpounder75]

It sounds like to me that you are trying to climb to an unrealistic cruize altitude for the 737-400 with full fuel. You didn't state what your ZFW is so I can only assume what it may be. I don't know the specs for the 734 like I do for the 744, but when a 744 is geared up for a trans-Pacific flight, ie LAX to YSSY, the initial cruise altitude may be FL290. The pilots will fly this for a while to burn off fuel and shed the pounds and then may step climb to FL33 or FL34. Then again wait a while and shed more fuel and climb to FL370 to FL390. Try a lower cruise altitude. This will surely help you avoid having your flight plan canceled by ATC.

[dragon09 2]

what you might need is a file called GA734ColdClimate.zip.It increasesclimb power in cold temps.you should be able to find it on theirsupport pages.james

[Guest]

jerrycwo4Thanks for the info, I'll look for that file.jerry

[Guest]

>Have been having trouble bringing this AC to FL340 ( with >full fuel) before my Instrument Flight Plan has been cancled >because I was too slow getting to altitude.Here's a workaround that allows you to simulate the step climbing that real aircraft do.The first time ATC tells you to change frequencies after issuing "resume own navigation", acknowledge the frequency change but *don't* contact the new center. As long as you don't contact the new center, your flight plan will remain active but ATC won't bug you about altitudes or climb speeds in flight. Step climb to your cruise altitude (or use lvl chg mode on the autopilot) and only contact center once you reach your final altitude. Just make sure your flight is long enough that you reach cruise before TOD. On DF's 734, ATC will start descending you a few miles after the default FMC determined TOD.It's bit unrealistic, but the technique I used until I bought Radar Contact 3.0, which I haven't had a problem with yet. Default ATC complains if your VSI goes below 1000 f/m, but Radar Contact seems to be happy as long as you're still climbing.-Simon

[Guest IanK]

Jerry,Yes you need the flight manual which you can download from:http://perso.wanadoo.fr/hsors/FS_Soft/acftdata.htmlIf you sim does not fly like that came back to the Decode forum from a link near there and ask us again.Good LuckIan

[Guest]

jerrycwo4 I've seen this "lvl chg mode on the autopilot)" on my B737-400 panel. What does this "gauge" do and how/ when do you use it? Thanks for the links and all the good info.jerry

[Guest]

> I've seen this "lvl chg mode on the autopilot)" on my >B737-400 panel. What does this "gauge" do and how/ when do >you use it?Lvl chg tells the autopilot to use climb or descent rate to control airspeed. Let's say you're climbing up to FL350 (did this last night flying from LGA to ORD). If you engage lvl chg at 10000 agl and set autothrottle to 310 kias, the aircraft will set max continuous thrust on the engines and a rate of climb that will keep it at 310. This means that you'll climb very quickly at lower altitudes (~4000 fpm to keep the aircraft from flying faster than 310 kias), but as the air gets thinner and climb performance decreases your rate of climb will decrease to ~1000 fpm at very high altitudes. The aircraft will maintain whatever speed you set on the autothrottle all the way, though (you have to change to mach .72 at around FL250 to keep the aircraft from overspeeding, of course).If you set the target altitude too high (for the 737, FL350 is about as high as I can get) the rate of climb just gets lower and lower until the aircraft is barely climbing.It basically keeps you from having to watch the airspeed to decrease the rate of climb the whole time- just give you max rate of climb for a given airspeed.-Simon

[Guest]

jerrycwo4Thanks for the good info and link.jerry