Delivery Flights

[Mean Aerodynamic Chord 269]

Okay, I'm confused on how to do them.

 

Yesterday at about 7PM central time, I started my NGX with the GOL 737-800 livery at KBFI (Boeing Field) to do a simulated delivery flight from Seattle to Rio De Janeiro. I went on Rfinder to find a route, and it went on the FMC perfectly. I went on the payload page and put Empty, then I went on the fuel page and put Full. I left my Center Tank on the entire time, but I did not Cross-Feed. Okay, so I departed then reached my cruising altitude of FL380 (I changed it to FL400 later) and went to sleep. Today at about 7AM central time, I woke up and found my NGX flying over Manaus FIR, which means I'm already in Brazil. However, I had a alert next to the Master Caution clear button that said FUEL. I checked my fuel on the FMC and I had a little over 8%. Mind you, I woke up at 2AM to make sure my computer didn't blow up and I was over Kansas City ARTCC and I "refueled" because I was low... (That means I went on the FMC fuel page and clicked FULL again)

 

Does anyone know how to do these flights correctly?

[Fabo 213]

Direct to Rio with an 800 is pushing it WAY much. It may not seem so, but it is almost as far as Sydney is. You should make it with one stop in Carribean though.

 

The master caution could be because you had center pumps on with no fuel.

 

Other than that, watch OPT level, first climb should only be to whatever FMC shows as OPT, then set stepclimb either 1000 or 2000 and climb when FMC tells you to.

 

You could play with wind-based routing and altitudes, but I dont think you would be able to do that at this point, not without specialised planning software.

[Mean Aerodynamic Chord 269]

Thanks for your fast reply!

 

Direct to Rio with an 800 is pushing it WAY much.

That's why I want the 777 and 747 so bad! :P

 

You should make it with one stop in Carribean though.

If you "stop" in the Carribean, that means that you are planning from KBFI-TNCM for example, right? Not KBFI-TNCM-SBGL?

 

The master caution could be because you had center pumps on with no fuel.

 

Other than that, watch OPT level, first climb should only be to whatever FMC shows as OPT, then set stepclimb either 1000 or 2000 and climb when FMC tells you to.

Okay, so to step climb, you just put 1000 feet higher than you're cruise on the CRZ page, and then wait for it to say STEP POINT: NOW? Sometimes it says UNABLE.

[Fabo 213]

If you "stop" in the Carribean, that means that you are planning from KBFI-TNCM for example, right? Not KBFI-TNCM-SBGL?

 

You would be planning something like KBFI-MKJS, and then second flight MKJS-SBGL. Land in Montego Bay (or Kingston, or somewhere else, though Jamaica is pretty much halfway point for BFI to Rio great circle route), full fuel, and depart for Rio.

That is about 3000nm each, not exactly 737 sweet spot, but should be doable.

 

Okay, so to step climb, you just put 1000 feet higher than you're cruise on the CRZ page, and then wait for it to say STEP POINT: NOW? Sometimes it says UNABLE.

 

No, you set up STEP SIZE in (IIRC) CRZ page, and then it will tell you when it makes the best sense to step climb, provided the atmospheric conditions are the same. It will tell you something like Step to FL380 and Step point 1300Z/300NM or STEP POINT: NOW once you reach that.

 

Then you enter 380 as cruise level, dial 380 on MCP and climb. FMC would then say Step to FL390 and again step point xyz.

 

It says UNABLE when it is either uneconomical to do a further stepclimb on the route, like if you are about to descend already anyway, or if it is unable to climb more because it is out of ceiling, note that by default the step size is ICAO, and that is 4000ft, so once you reach say 380 there is nowhere to climb to, since you can never climb to 420.

[Mean Aerodynamic Chord 269]

Thanks Peter, I will try that on my next flight.

 

The whole stopping in the Carribean is just for realism because you can just refuel in air. :LMAO:

[TheGoat 0]

All delivery flights for GOL stops at Caracas for refueling, and then proceed straight to SBCF for customs services. No exceptions, as I red somewhere.

[Mean Aerodynamic Chord 269]

All delivery flights for GOL stops at Caracas for refueling, and then proceed straight to SBCF for customs services. No exceptions, as I red somewhere.

 

 

Ahh! Thank you Jon, I didn't know that!

[VOR_Active 4]

Hello Diego,

 

Im parked at KBFI too but I am going on a different direction to the north. PANC that is. :lol: .

I hope you made it safe

[Mean Aerodynamic Chord 269]

Hello Diego,

 

Im parked at KBFI too but I am going on a different direction to the north. PANC that is. :lol: .

I hope you made it safe

 

Hey,

 

I did make it alive, after refueling 2 times... I posted a video of the landing on YouTube.

[adamant365 28]

No, you set up STEP SIZE in (IIRC) CRZ page, and then it will tell you when it makes the best sense to step climb, provided the atmospheric conditions are the same. It will tell you something like Step to FL380 and Step point 1300Z/300NM or STEP POINT: NOW once you reach that.

 

You put the altitude you want to step to in that box, not the increment. So, if you're at FL350 and you want to step by 2000 feet, you put in FL370. The FMC of the 737 requires you enter each step to altitude as you step. I think other Boeings can have the step size entered, but not the 737 with this revision of the FMC.

 

If it says "UNABLE," that's because you never get to a low enough weight to step economically to that altitude during the duration of your trip. For instance, yesterday I flew a SFO to BOS segment in the -900. After I stepped from FL350 to FL370, I entered FL390 in the step box but got UNABLE. Even though the -900 is perfectly capable of reaching FL390, my ZFW was high enough that it would never be economical to do so, regardless of how much fuel I burned.

[rsvit 16]

Then you enter 380 as cruise level, dial 380 on MCP and climb. FMC would then say Step to FL390 and again step point xyz.

 

Or just set new altitude on MCP and press ALT INTV.

[Fabo 213]

You put the altitude you want to step to in that box, not the increment. So, if you're at FL350 and you want to step by 2000 feet, you put in FL370. The FMC of the 737 requires you enter each step to altitude as you step. I think other Boeings can have the step size entered, but not the 737 with this revision of the FMC.

 

Could be, I dont think I have ever used stepclimb in a 737.

 

Nice town, Lexington, btw.!

[adamant365 28]

Nice town, Lexington, btw.!

 

It is a nice town and a great place to live/raise a family. Nice people. I like it anyway. It's one of those cities where a broad range of people can come to and find something they like about it, but there isn't any one thing that stands out as "wow," if you know what I mean.

 

EDIT: Okay, maybe if you get into men's college basketball like I do, you can be "wowed" by the UK (University of Kentucky) fans here. We really are quite the crazy bunch. Just look at pictures of right after we won the NCAA Championship this year. Downtown was a zoo!