Real Flight Time vs FS9

[Flaps30 3]

Whenever I fly the PMDG 737-700, it seems my flights are anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes faster than the real-world flight. For example, when I fly KBNA Nashville to KPHL Philadelphia, it takes exactly 90 minutes from takeoff to touchdown. The real-world flights between these cities are 1 hour 45mins, to over 2 hours according to Flightaware and other ticket sites for various aircraft including the 737, CRJ and MD-80. I realize some of these are gate to gate times, but still, that shouldn't be anymore than 20 minutes or so. In addition, my FMC wants to cruise at M .80. I slow her down to .75 which I figure is about average, and slow down on approach. I still only take 90 or so minutes, give or take a few. Any ideas on how I can get more accurate times? Thanks. Tom

[Guest RonB49]

I don't travel by air much any more, it is just too much of a hassle. But it seems to me that the airlines have throttled way back.In Feb 2007, my wife and I drove to Las Vegas and I picked up my daughter at KLAS after she flew in from KDFW. In May of 2008, we did the same thing. Both flights were American, nonstop. The 2008 trip was scheduled to take 15 minutes longer and actually was in the air over 20 minutes more, according to my daughter's watch.I assume that it is an effort to save fuel.R-

[altstiff 71]

What are you using for a cost index? Real arilines are said to be 30 something (I read that in one of the Bulfer Manuals, not 100% sure).Also, gate to gate can add much more than 20 minutes. Waiting in line for the runway, vectors for traffic and so on. 30 minutes does not sound that far fetched.

[ronzie 21]

I did a search on airliners.net forums. I usually use with the 737NGs a cost index of 80 resulting in a cruise in the FL300s of about M.8. Some LLCs drop to around 30 and cruise arount M.72.

[Flaps30 3]

Thanks guys. I have been using a cost index of 150 or 200 because when I first used Tim M's tutorial which I used to learn to fly the 737, it used 150. Thanks. Tom

[B777ER 2,486]

Ok, let me help you out here. First, flightaware is great for getting realworld flightplans...poor for flight times. Dont rely on them for that. Secondly, anywhere you find published flight times, they usually are not very accurate for the actual flight time. Airlines usually to always pad published times based on historical flight time averages for that particular flight segment. It takes into affect other traffic and ATC delays. In FS, we dont usually have any of that, thus our flight times are always shorter compared to real world.

[onurksn 1]

I agree with the poster above, for instance in FS we never get holding instructions from the ATC. For those who are running a lot of AI how long do you wait for take off, 5-7 min max. I know for a fact that in my hometown of Istanbul this would take at least 20 min on an average morning. Then there comes the taxi duration, we can taxi much faster and don't have to stop at intersections in FS.As for flight time, I always time climbs and descents in real life as a passenger, in FS they're pretty similar, if of course there is no holding or diverting. Oh, and let's not forget that we don't have to wait for late bagage, catering, transfer flight passengers or for minor problems preflight.To give an example of a flight I know pretty well as I took it a lot when I was a student in Toulouse, France is Toulouse - Munich. The published flight time for that flight is 1 hour 35 min. However, from ramp to ramp (since CRJ's don't park at gates) it took only 1 hour 10 min if all went well.So, I guess those published flight times are just an average. Next time you fly time yourself from gate to gate, taxi a little bit slower, descend a bit slower, see what you get that way.Best regards

[Flaps30 3]

Thanks for the info, guys! Regards, Tom

[rightseater 0]

A headwind or tailwind can make a big difference too.-Jeremy

[Guest tatest]

Ticket or flight schedule times are gate to gate, not takeoff to touchdown. For even the easiest airports to get in and out of, the schedule is going to allow another 20 to 30 minutes on each end.More typical at large airports, the airline has to allow 45 minutes or more from gate closing to takeoff, at least 30 minutes from touchdown to opening the doors at the arrival gate, if it expects to meet on-time standards.This is easiest to notice short flights, schedule 70 to 80 minutes, less than 30 minutes in the air. I've sat on the ramp at Newark longer than 45 minutes, between gate closing and taxi clearance.The simulator doesn't always give you realistic ground handling problems. If you want real block times, you could sit on the ramp for 30 minutes after pushback, before starting to taxi to the runway. Then after touchdown, park on the taxiway 20 minutes before moving to the gate.

[Guest UKPilot]

In the airline I fly for (real world, biggest charter company in the UK hint hint) our cost indexes are variable flight to flight but at the moment we are using cost index in the region of 12-14.On the 733 this equates to 0.74 in the cruise and about 255kts on the transition during descent, on the NG its 0.78 and again around 255-254kts on descent.Times are changing! Most other airlines are operating at these indexes now I believe.Hope this helps and may answer your question, also don't forget vectors - holding - speed restrictions etc all adds to a longer day!

[altstiff 71]

12-14 it is!Wow, really cutting back huh?