Fuel Planning Calculations

[Constantine 16]

Hi GuysI'm going nuts trying to find a suitable flight planner. I have the PMDG B747-400 Queen of the skies I have the PMDG B747-400 fuel planner v201 and i'm using the calculations as per the PMDG manual and Charts to arrive at my figures, however the main problem I have is my Total Fuel Load results in the ' Insufficient Fuel' prompt through the flight. I realize that this doesn't mean I haven't enough fuel to complete the trip, moreover it is an indication of depleted Contingency Fuel at the time of landing but its very frustrating. I usually do long haul flights so I useMinimum Landing Fuel of 24.000LbsI allow 45mins Contingency fuel of 13.500LbsAlternate Fuel to cover 200nm diversionZFW 465653Lbspayload 071565 LbsPrevelent wind - Tail Wind 75ktswind distance correction 4226nm Today I started a flight from VHHH to EHAM 5004nm planned landing weight 514 288planned gross takeoff weight 2301088flight plan fuel 1786800Lbs Giving a Total Fuel Load of 1837 435Lbs a staggering total Could anyone suggest a friendlier fuel planner, I'm haunted by the total fuel load scores i'm getting which again reflect on the Reservesgiving me the 'Insufficient Fuel' prompt, I've tried using the PMDG Fuel Load Planning charts on Page 2-7 can anyone suggest a more user friendly fuel calculation system they regularly use for long and short haul trips. Thank You Very Much !! getting a wrong total fuel load is really destroying the realism of the flight preps Thank You Richard (Nagoya Japan)

[ck777 2]

Richard, There's a a thread going right now about fuel planners; check it out. A couple people have put together some really nice Excel spreadsheets. Chris K.

[787flyer 648]

hello Richard, Try this thread.. This contains a list of other fuel planners out there. Take your pick... http://www.dantrix.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=303&hilit=fuel RegardsMark

[yos233 1]

I'm sorry but I am terribly confused here. Where are you getting 1.8 million pounds from? Are you multiplying your fuel load by 6.7 again? You should not need to do this. I am also puzzled by how you manage to over-fuel the aircraft to that much, and still receive an insufficient fuel warning. Which fuel calculator are you using and what are your steps? If I can help you may not have to change calculators.

[zachlog 18]

Try this one. It has worked well for me. http://www.supercell.nl/747FP/ Zach

[Constantine 16]

Chris, Mark, Yos, Zach, thank you so much for the great support at last I think i've got realistic fuel being loaded into my Aircraft, now I will use a combination of Topcat for my Pax/Cargo and other data and input these into the 747-400x fuel loader to get my load fuel and reserves. Guys could I ask one more thing, when your setting your VREF up at TOD are you going to the FMC progress page looking at the predicted landing fuel then adding it to the ZFW in Pef Init page, then going to the FMC Approach Ref page and entering this figure to the Gross Weight then entering the new VREF Flap/Spd ? Saw this done on You Tube and wondered if it was standard practice with the pilots here ?? Many Thanks one and all !! really appreciate it !! Richard (Nagoya Japan)

[yos233 1]

Your Vref speed is already calculated using the predicted fuel that you will have while landing. All that you need to do is go into the Vref selector page and copy either the flap 25 or 30 speed into the line below.

[Constantine 16]

Hi Yes thats what i'd been doing then I saw it done on You Tube and it seemed to add a little more realism Thanks!! Richard