I just tried to use the Fuelplanner.com loadsheet for the first time with my PMDG 737 NGX. It looks like this:

 

L O A D S H E E T		  CHECKED	   APPROVED			    EDNO
															    0
ALL WEIGHTS IN POUNDS
DATABASE JUN/12 // AIRBUS A300-600-PW4158
FROM/TO	    FLIGHT	 A/C-REG	 VERSION    CREW   DATE	 TIME
EHAM/LFPG	  6869	   __PUZ	   12JN21	 2/03   30DEC12  1219
					 WEIGHT  DISTRIBUTION
LOAD IN COMPARTMENTS	 005155   B171/30
PASSENGER/CABIN BAG	  035685   Y183/195
									    EFU.9873/  RSV.13641
TOTAL TRAFFIC LOAD	   040840
DRY OPERATING WEIGHT	 201000
ZERO FUEL WEIGHT ACTUAL  241840    MAX 286600
TAKE OFF FUEL		    023514	   
TAKE OFF WEIGHT ACTUAL   265354    MAX 375800
TRIP FUEL			    009873
LANDING WEIGHT ACTUAL    255481    MAX 308600
							  ++--------------------------------+
							  |			 LAST MINUTE CHANGES |
							  | DEST   SPEC  CL/CPT  + - WEIGHT |
							  |								 |
							  |								 |
							  |								 |
							  +---------------------------------+
UNDERLOAD BEFORE LMC	 110445			    LMC TOTAL + -
---------------------------------------------------------------------
SI BLOCK TIME 00:54   RESERVE 01:15   TIME TO EMPTY 02:09   CI 47
END LOADSHEET		  [ A300 ]	    [ EHAM-LFPG ]	  [ 30DEC12 ]
=====================================================================
Copyright 2008-2012 by Garen Evans and FuelPlanner.com

However... I have no clue where to enter those numbers! Fuel is clear (just enter it at the top of the fuel screen and it will divide everything automatically over the tanks) but I can't figure out what to use for First class, Coach class and both cargo spots... The only other thing I need (I think) is ZFW but that's no problem. (Although I do wonder if the pounds used in this sheet are the same as in my plane...)

Most other FMC's I have used besides the pmdg ones usually don't let me input anything, most screens worked but i think they were more for display purposes only, could not actually input any

proper figures into it and had to use fsx to enter the fuel quantity levels and cargo weight etc, but these were freeware.

 

The "real" or pmdg fmc is new to me, so I'm getting used to manually inputting data aswell. I've changed the settings for weight type from pounds to kg as for UK and European routes, but

some of the levels still show in pounds despite the change.

I noticed I posted the wrong loadsheet... Here is a correct one:

 

L O A D S H E E T		  CHECKED	   APPROVED			    EDNO
															    0
ALL WEIGHTS IN POUNDS
DATABASE JUN/12 // BOEING 737-800 (IFLY/PMDG)
FROM/TO	    FLIGHT	 A/C-REG	 VERSION    CREW   DATE	 TIME
EHAM/LFPG	  6583	   __HZR	   12JN21	 2/03   30DEC12  1816
					 WEIGHT  DISTRIBUTION
LOAD IN COMPARTMENTS	 003070   B102/30
PASSENGER/CABIN BAG	  021255   Y109/195
									    EFU.4414/  RSV.6098
TOTAL TRAFFIC LOAD	   024325
DRY OPERATING WEIGHT	 090560
ZERO FUEL WEIGHT ACTUAL  114885    MAX 136000
TAKE OFF FUEL		    010512	   
TAKE OFF WEIGHT ACTUAL   125398    MAX 174200
TRIP FUEL			    004414
LANDING WEIGHT ACTUAL    120984    MAX 144004
							  ++--------------------------------+
							  |			 LAST MINUTE CHANGES |
							  | DEST   SPEC  CL/CPT  + - WEIGHT |
							  |								 |
							  |								 |
							  |								 |
							  +---------------------------------+
UNDERLOAD BEFORE LMC	  48801			    LMC TOTAL + -
---------------------------------------------------------------------
SI BLOCK TIME 00:54   RESERVE 01:15   TIME TO EMPTY 02:09   CI 51
END LOADSHEET		  [ B738_PMDG ]	    [ EHAM-LFPG ]	  [ 30DEC12 ]
=====================================================================

Load the fuel as you normally would and when it comes to passengers the sheet tells you 109 out of 195 seats full. It also tells you you are load 3070 lbs of cargo not sure about the distribution.. Hope that helps.

TAKE OFF FUEL 010512

That's the total fuel you load into the NGX. 10,512lb.

 

PASSENGER/CABIN BAG 021255 Y109/195.

That's the total passengers you load. 109 passengers.

 

LOAD IN COMPARTMENTS 003070 B102/30

That's how much cargo you distribute evenly, 3070lb.

 

RSV.6098

That's your reserve fuel. 6098. Entered as 6.1 in Reserves in the Performance Initialization Page.

You load the information in TWO places in the FMC.

 

First, under FUEL you load Takeoff fuel 10512 in the TOP LINE of the FUEL display, the software will split up the fuel between the two wing tanks and the center tanks as necessary.

 

Then under the LOAD page, you load the ZERO FUEL WEIGHT of the plane as a decimal figure. If you're on the correct page, you CAN modify the Zero Fuel Weight. If you're on the FUEL page, you CANNOT enter Zero Fuel Weight. Thus you need to be on two different pages as I describe herein.

 

You would enter: 114.8 (the FMC will round it off slightly different than the figure you entered in it might end up as 114.3 or some such, but it will work fine.

 

When you are initializing the plane itself pre-flight, you would set RESERVE FUEL as 5 (5000 lbs).

 

Should work fine for you. ALSO the C/I (COST INDEX) needs to be entered into the FMC preflight when you are initializing the FMC for your flight.

 

Use the CI figure on your LOADSHEET (51 in the above example). You SHOULD use the loadsheet Cost Index if you don't you may use up more fuel than you planned on. The CI is going to determine the climb and descent characteristics of your flight. Higher CIs mean more performance while lower CIs mean better fuel economy. Higher CIs also mean steeper descent profiles in addition to faster climb rates.

 

When you file your flight plan, the BLOCK TIME is the estimated flying time blocks to blocks, the time to empty is the total flying time available with your current load of fuel.

 

So in FSInn or Squawkbox your estimated flight time would be 00:54

and your total fuel would be 02:09 as additional data entry points for your flight plan filing.

 

HTH

Ok, thanks for the info!

 

I've got two places where I can enter passengers: it doesn't matter where I put them as long as the total is the right number?

 

BTW I noticed the number for passengers and cargo always is the same... so I might as well forget about that loadsheet and simply use the fuel only...

I would STILL use the ZFW (ZERO FUEL WEIGHT) in addition to the fuel-only. Also, be sure to use the C/I (Cost Index) shown on your loadsheet. That will help you reach your destination with the proper reserve fuel aboard, provide you didn't have other factors interfering (such as flying a holding pattern) or flying at greater speed or climb rates than initially programmed with the C/I on your loadsheet...

I would STILL use the ZFW (ZERO FUEL WEIGHT) in addition to the fuel-only.

 

But if I change the passengers load, the ZFW also changes, doesn't it? So if I use the ZFW form the loadsheet and then change the amoung of passengers or cargo, the ZFW won't be the same anymore as on the loadsheet... so why still use it?

I just use two things

 

FUEL

ZERO FUEL WEIGHT

 

then the Cost Index

 

and of course the Blocks Time (time of your flight)

 

plus Time to Empty (includes the extra flying time your RESERVE FUEL gives you)

 

you need those last two for filing your flight plan, not for the FMC.

 

The Zero Fuel weight will adjust the passengers and cargo automatically to "match" the Zero Fuel Weight, so you can skip entering the Passengers and Cargo in your FMC.

 

The PMDG FMC will calculate the CG (Center of Gravity) automatically. If you're not flying the PMDG then that might be where the loadsheet comes back in...

 

Cheers.