Having read Ryan's second tutorial I now realise why PMDG recommend using the FMS for fuel planning. I have also read quite a few posts where people have stated that using the FMS in this way, is not realistic. I agree with those sentiments and on reflection I think this is due to the fact that as you alter your fuel quantity, as part of the calculation, you see the fuel being instantly added or removed.If the NGX had a refuelling option (as does the MD11), then it would be possible to use the FMS for fuel calculations without fuel being added or removed. Once a fuel figure is arrived at, then the correct amount can be added by using the refuelling option. For me this would make the whole refuelling process more realistic.Am interested to see what other people think of this idea

Having read Ryan's second tutorial I now realise why PMDG recommend using the FMS for fuel planning. I have also read quite a few posts where people have stated that using the FMS in this way, is not realistic. I agree with those sentiments and on reflection I think this is due to the fact that as you alter your fuel quantity, as part of the calculation, you see the fuel being instantly added or removed.If the NGX had a refuelling option (as does the MD11), then it would be possible to use the FMS for fuel calculations without fuel being added or removed. Once a fuel figure is arrived at, then the correct amount can be added by using the refuelling option. For me this would make the whole refuelling process more realistic.Am interested to see what other people think of this idea

I'm not sure I follow. That's exactly how it works in the NGX. Fuel isn't added or removed until you set the quantity in the fuel load menu.I suspect these people are referring to the fact that the FMS isn't taking into account the weight of fuel, because you are calculating the fuel required prior to loading it--i.e., prior to the FMS accounting for the added weight. But, as Ryan said in the tutorial, short of the proprietary (super double secret) fuel planning tables, this is the best option. It sure as heck beats the external fuel planner that use average fuel burn.

Edited March 6, 201214 yr by Lawyer+Pilot

My mistake I assumed that as you refined the calculations that the fuel loaded changed to match. I will use the FMS for fuel calcs on my next flight

Edited March 6, 201214 yr by Nixon

I suspect these people are referring to the fact that the FMS isn't taking into account the weight of fuel, because you are calculating the fuel required prior to loading it--i.e., prior to the FMS accounting for the added weight. But, as Ryan said in the tutorial, short of the proprietary (super double secret) fuel planning tables, this is the best option. It sure as heck beats the external fuel planner that use average fuel burn.

This is true but it's only going to be a slight error - you could further refine it by using the PLAN function on the PERF INIT page to look at exactly how things would change if you used slightly less or more fuel.

It would be cool of someone could put together a quick sheet that showed all the components of the fuel plan and how they are calculated in one short form or excel spreadsheet.Eric W

I will see what can be done...

Question...If the trip if very short, should you always plan to land with more than 2.000lbs in each main tank to avoid a "fuel warning" or it's aceptable in this case?

The length of your trip doesn't matter, what happens when you can't make it to your destination (be it the first time or at all), does.To give you an idea, on a flight we did last weekend, we took 7 metric tons of fuel with us, which is about 15.400 pounds. This was on a -700, in real life of course, not on the sim. :)The flight itself was only 69NM planned (without SIDS and STARS), so we would have used about 2 tons of fuel, leaving us with about five tons of fuel on landing (a little less really, but you get the point).The reason for this, we need to have fuel in case we divert, go around or go into a hold, for whatever reason. At my carrier, it's SOP to carry a little extra too.

The warning is totally dependent on what you put into the reserves field on the PERF INIT page. There's a physical minimum the plane would need to have for the pumps to work correctly and not cavitate, but it's a really low amount.

At the risk of seeming really silly, I have to say I love the way the MD11 adds fuel and would like to see an option for fuel load like that on all PMDG planes! Especially now with GSX not altering the fuel load logic... You could still have the Shell truck out there and watch the gauges fill up!Stupid right? I know! :Hypnotized:Ok back to your regularly scheduled thread...

It would be cool of someone could put together a quick sheet that showed all the components of the fuel plan and how they are calculated in one short form or excel spreadsheet.Eric W

Just create your own using excel and put in the required numbers for the calculations as listed in Tutorial 2.

The warning is totally dependent on what you put into the reserves field on the PERF INIT page. There's a physical minimum the plane would need to have for the pumps to work correctly and not cavitate, but it's a really low amount.

The fuel low warning comes up when there's less than 2.000 pounds in a main tank. So if your reserves are 3.000, you will get a low fuel warning by the time you arrive. Would that be ok??

I landed at Sydney with 5.0 left in the tank, still came up using reserve fuel for ages. Calculated right down to the dot lol

The fuel low warning comes up when there's less than 2.000 pounds in a main tank. So if your reserves are 3.000, you will get a low fuel warning by the time you arrive. Would that be ok??

I don't see you going around twice, staying in the hold for 45 minutes, diverting AND still have 30 minutes of fuel left with just 3000 pounds.

The standard 737 Fuel calculator available in the download section of PMDG website is really accurate. I use it with the NGX from short to long haul and, when you fill all the required data, I've got a close to zero gap.