No news from OPUS... 8^(

 

 

Confused by what you mean by "no news from Opus", considering your posting is dated today (Dec 16)

 

Opus implemented real-world winds aloft in their software almost a month ago.

Confused by what you mean by "no news from Opus", considering your posting is dated today (Dec 16)

 

Opus implemented real-world winds aloft in their software almost a month ago.

 

Haven't got the news. OPUS said they would inform their registered customers about the winds/temps aloft per eMail...

Do I simply download a software update?

Is it still a beta version?

 

Does it provide an average head/tail wind for a given route as competing products do?

 

Thanx in advance.

 

Haven't got the news. OPUS said they would inform their registered customers about the winds/temps aloft per eMail...

Do I simply download a software update?

Is it still a beta version?

 

Does it provide an average head/tail wind for a given route as competing products do?

 

Thanx in advance.

 

It doesn't yet provide flight planning features but that will be coming in the near future.

 

New betas with new features are coming out almost daily. Check their web site and support forum for details and updates. They also have an unofficial forum right here at Avsim.

New betas with new features are coming out almost daily.

 

Yup, downloaded now the latest one. Much better now. No freezing blocks of fuel anymore. 8^)

Folks,

 

on my actual flight WADD-KLM83G-EHAM (over AKT) I face again TAT -42°C (and this time with the latest OPUS release it is correct, I think).

Flying at FL400 as fast as possible, ie. not M.822, but M.835 and after COLD FUEL RECIRC the temperature of the fuel again dropped to -40°C in the wing tanks.

 

Now, I had the idea to transfer as much fuel as possible from the wing tanks into tank No. 2 (max 29 tons, accepting FUEL OFF SCHEDULE) and feed the engines from the belly tank, if the fuel of the wing tanks clogs the engine feeds. Questions to the real jockeys:

 

1. Would this work? Is it done in real operations?

2. Or would pilots follow the advice and 'DESCEND TO WARMER ALTITUDE'?

 

Thanx and Merry XMas.

Add-ons:

 

re. 1: Well, tank 2 cannot feed the engines without fuel pumps. Consequently the answer will be 'No' I guess.

re. 2: Well, from the other thread on this topic we learnt about Jet A1 and Jet B as fuels with lower freezing temperatures. So, the answer could be 'yes, but Jet A1 is usually onboard, so no need to descend so often...'

This has been happening to me more and more lately

Yup, downloaded now the latest one. Much better now. No freezing blocks of fuel anymore. 8^)

 

I've been getting this with ActiveSky though as well, more lately. It could be some weather going around I don't know why.

 

Twice recently I've had FUEL TEMP LO.

 

VATSIM Weather is ticked in AS2012.

 

On the winds aloft, don't get rid of Opus just use it for the other aircraft. I only use AS2012 still for the MD-11 due to the flight distance and fuel systems depth. For the J41 and anything smaller I use Opus.

Guys, remember that it is now winter in the Northern Hemisphere.

 

Just like aircraft are weight restricted in the summer because it's hot and muggy and the engines can't get as much power out of it, aircraft will also have restrictions on max altitude if those altitudes present a hazard for freezing fuel. It's -56C over northern Minnesota at 39000 as we speak. That's completely normal. In order to avoid freezing fuel, operators will either fly a more southerly route, or cap the altitude.

 

Remember:

Optimum altitude is for optimum economy. It is not required, and you'll often be forced off of it for route considerations, weather, other traffic, or letters of agreement.

 

Furthermore:

Optimum economy assumes you have fuel to pump. If your fuel is frozen solid because you're flying in temps that are too cold, your optimum econ altitude doesn't mean a thing.

 

In order to compensate for this, when you're setting the aircraft up:

Set the route, set the altitude(s) in the climb schedule (with the altitude that will keep you warmer), and add in your assumed weights (including assumed fuel). Go look at a page that shows fuel at destination, and then come up with a fuel number that will give you the proper buffer of fuel on landing. In the real world, dispatchers have software that would give you the numbers from the less-efficient profile, but your FMC is the same thing without being standalone (and you have to go into the sim to fuel the MD11 anyway - might as well change the fuel type, too).

Just load JP4 into it through the FMC. I found out about this back when it released on a PANC to KEWR flight in the winter when both my outboard engines died after I ignored the warning.