Ok - so I see this topic being beat to death in several threads. The general consensus is this from what I gather

 

1) Nothing is going to beat the FMC - it seems everyone is in agreement with that.

2) Use FSBUild for route building and TopCat for runway analysis and derate

 

I am ok with that. However, what gets me is if you use FSBuild to do preliminary fuel planning and then load that fuel information into Topcat to generate vRef speeds, aren't you just begging to be inaccurate for the vRef compared to what the FMC is going to tell you? I suppose it would only be a few knots in the end?

 

I guess I am just hesitant to run out and get both programs if in the end, the reference speeds and fuel calculations are only approximate and I still get the true data by using the PROG page fuel + APU + Taxi + Contingency method outlined in the tutorials. What would be the point of using either of them if the information outside of derate and runway goes out the window once you start loading fuel and generating vref calcs,

 

Andrea1 - can you share the profile? I usually fly the -800 winglets model.

 

Maybe I am making this too complicated.

TOPCAT. There is no other that comes close. It's simple and all you need really.

Just added the 738 plane... haha. Trying to make sure I am putting in the correct weights for the configuration.

Guys use this:

 

use this:

 

737 LBS KGS

DOW 83000 37650

MZFW 120500 54600

MTW 153500 69600

MTOW 153000 69400

MLW 128000 58060

 

738 LBS KGS

DOW 91300 41400

MZFW 138300 62700

MTW 174700 79200

MTOW 174200 79015

MLW 146300 66360

Make sure you got FSBuild and TOPCAT set up with the same values ! VERY VERY important.

That way You'll have access to accurate values in terms of performances, thats to say (flaps config, N1 %, derate .......etc)

Hi Benjamin,

I don't know if anybody else has mentioned it but is use a program called UTOPIA for the derate calculations, is not as complete as TOPCAT but its free and works really well.

I think you can find it on AVSIM under the name Universal Take Off Performance Information Application (UTOPIA) 1.2, it's a fs2004 utility but works just as well for fsx.

I use a purpose 737 fuel planner that also works very well with the ngx and i found ends up with approximately the same fuel as calculations computed via FMC, its called Boeing 737 Fuel Planner and you can find it here http://www.volny.cz/fs2002/B737FPL/B737FPL.htm. It's very good and not the usual fuel planner. The catch is that you got to calculate the reserves, wich I do in accordance with the manual (minimum fuel, usually 2600lb+5% of trip fuel+holding fuel).

Having found these I've never felt the need to buy TOPCAT, even if the programs don't give you any landing calculation.

Hope it helps,

Matteo Capocefalo (MED1473)

Thanks Matteo- Now you tell me! Ha, just kidding. I finally broke down and bought both FSBuild & TopCat last night. I messed around with them for a while but I need to just keep at it to make them work for me. I haven't quite figured out the sequence of how to work between the two apps.

 

I will have to read some more and watch examples of more folks planning (I will have to watch Kaman's video again)..

 

Benjamin.

I am using the following formula for my fuel planning with the NGX.

 

(PAX * 0,9) * (Distance) * 0,05926 = TRIP FUEL!! (in kg)

 

- Distance in NM

Something wrong with this formula - for 500nm 10 pax means about 290kg, 100 pax means 2900kg (as you'd expect if you're multiplying by pax!)

 

If I can't be bothered with a careful calculation, I find 6000/6500 (depending on weight) per hour, plus an hour for reserves, works pretty well as a rule of thumb.

 

But the FMC approach is so quick and easy, that's what I tend to use. Just remember to go back and reset ZFW and CG once you've changed the fuel.

 

Paul Scholey

It seems (but I could be wrong) that you calculate the derate in Topcat based on the preliminary fuel load. The calculation by Topcat could be more accurate if you calculate the required fuel in the FMC first and then use the ZFW and fuel to calculate the derate in Topcat. I have noticed a few times that even relatively small differences in fuel load can be important in hot and high conditions. Staying under the maximum takeoff weigths in such conditions be a challenge, as well as the flap selection.