Transoceanic flights

[Boeing or not going 578]

If the aircraft you are flying has an FMC (The PMDG 777 will have a great one) then that can help you alot with the routing, planning and flying. Also, you should become familiar how to enter NAT tracks into the FMC because some of the waypoints will be Lat Long points like 5160N, which I believe would be entered as 51/60 (I am not sure though). Also, make sure you have the current AIRAC cycle.

In the LEGS page you would enter N51W060

[flyerguy7773 6]

If the aircraft you are flying has an FMC (The PMDG 777 will have a great one) then that can help you alot with the routing, planning and flying. Also, you should become familiar how to enter NAT tracks into the FMC because some of the waypoints will be Lat Long points like 5160N, which I believe would be entered as 51/60 (I am not sure though). Also, make sure you have the current AIRAC cycle.In the LEGS page you would enter N51W060

 

Thanks for clarifying that. Make sure you follow this guys answer not mine!

[Adam T Lutley 12]

I exclusively use either Vataware or FightAware for flight planning to use real world flight routings and its free. Navigraph is a great payware site to update nav data for all of your add-on aircraft FMC's. It will greatly reduce the dreaded "not in database" message. The default Fsx flight planner is only able to handle direct GPS for long overwater flights.

[flyerguy7773 6]

Also, I am assuming you wont be spending the whole entire flight at your computer (6-8 hours at a computer aint fun), so make sure your computer wont go to sleep while you are gone. For some reason (and this happens to me, I dont know about others) when the computer goes to sleep and I have FSX running, when I turn FSX back on it tells me that it cannot run in a remote desktop session and it will now exit. So, your whole flight is gone if that happens. 

[Piper9t3 25]

 

I am assuming you wont be spending the whole entire flight at your computer (6-8 hours at a computer aint fun),

I probably would increase the sim rate to 4x during the crossing to cut back on time.

Any thoughts on ATC?  Would RC be able to detect when I enter and exit the NAT?  Perhaps other ATC programs may be better suited to handle transoceanic flights?

[g_precentralis 191]

The best way would be to try some online network as IVAO or VATSIM. 

[vc10man 732]

So will a program like FSBuild autogenerate a flight plan using north atlantic tracks? What flight planning program do you use for Atlantic flights?

I use a combination of FS Commander and/or AivlaSoft's EFB to build the trans-Atlantic route via Route Finder. If using FSC I make sure I choose NATS Tracks from it's drop-down menu and the same with EFB otherwise you'll end up with a route that takes you South of the Canary Is. before dog-legging back to the Eastern Seaboard, which makes it over 6500 miles when in fact the NATS tracks are more realistically around the 3200-3500 miles mark.

[David Vega 348]

I probably would increase the sim rate to 4x during the crossing to cut back on time.

 

Any thoughts on ATC?  Would RC be able to detect when I enter and exit the NAT?  Perhaps other ATC programs may be better suited to handle transoceanic flights?

 

I've done this hundreds of times.  Yes, RC will be fine.  You will hear the correct controllers along the way.  Yes, FSBuild is aware of the NATS and yes it could autogenerate a flight across.  Like it has been suggested, you have the alternative to look for a route used in vroute, or even a recently used on in flightware.com and drop it in FSbuild, generate the plan, and off you go.  Since you use vroute premium, you may not need FSBuild for fuel figures.  You could also go to RouteFinder, autogenerate the route (using NATs), and drop it in FSBuild.  

 

Bottom line is that you already have the tools.  Have fun with those long flights.  

[speedyTC 195]

Comprehensive NATs website:  http://blackswan.ch/nat/

It will also give you Winds forecasts as well as SigWx reports. Updated daily.

[wims80 121]

...

Any thoughts on ATC?  Would RC be able to detect when I enter and exit the NAT?  Perhaps other ATC programs may be better suited to handle transoceanic flights?

RC wouldn't be anything like real life ATC, especially in regards to oceanic procedures. It would be quite horrible actually. No computerized ATC addon is capable of that, but then again, no computerized ATC addon does a good job at simulating ATC at all. I recommend flying online with real humans as ATC, as humans are capable of doing this job. Flying online does of course require a bit more skill and commitment from the pilot as well.

[flyerguy7773 6]

I would just use VATSIM or IVAO if there are any controllers on. In fact you should fly the VATSIM westbound flight event next Saturday. It is really fun, the controllers are all on all the way across the Atlantic and you can learn alot. <br /><br /><br />Remy Mermelstein<br />777-300 FS Pilot

[kenz 33]

On ivao there is an Oceanic training this Sunday 23th March 1300z and 1700z

[Piper9t3 25]

 

I would just use VATSIM

I am actually registered with VATSIM but haven't taken the time to join a VA and learning all the rules.  Seems like its the way to go for most realistic ATC simulation. 

[metalmike 34]

So will a program like FSBuild autogenerate a flight plan using north atlantic tracks? What flight planning program do you use for Atlantic flights?

 

 

FSBuild DOES have NATS and PATS tracks.  :smile2: Radar Contact will recognize the NATS/PATS waypoints entered in your FP as it would any other waypoint.

[ESzczesniak 128]

Well, there's quite a lot for planning.  As others have eluded, the simple route itself is not too different.  However, there are many more rules that govern how that route can be flown.  Most of these relate to limitations set forth in ETOPS (Extended-range Twin-engined Operational Performance Standards).  The trans-atlantic routes are perhaps the most well known in flight simulator communities.

 

At the most basic level, a crossing will take place on a NAT (North Atlantic Track).  This consists of defined entry and exit points with LAT/LONG points between, typically at 10 degree longitude increments.  So, some of the different points:

 

1. Your original flight clearance actually only clears you to the entry point.  Along your route you will contact the oceanic center for your clearance to enter the NAT track.  This will give you a window to pass your entry point.  If you fail to fly over the entry point in this window, your clearance is void.

 

2. You are not under radar control on the NAT track.  As you pass the NAT points, you will make position reports of the time you passed it and your expected time at the next point.  This is monitored by oceanic centers for traffic, but you are much more on your own.

 

3. There can be a lot of traffic on NAT tracks, so much communication comes from an HF SEL-CAL (selective calling) method.  This basically hails a specific code (represented as AB-BA or some other letters).  This will play a chime in the cockpit of the aircraft and then they call back on the radio.

 

4. Alternate planning is much more...should we say ineresting.  Airports on either end in Gander and Shanwick centers are typically two alternates on either end of the crossing with Kelfavik in the middle.  An aircraft, crew and operator all individually need to be certified for ETOPS.  The aircraft comes as an ETOPS XXX where XXX denotes a time in minutes within which a divert field must be available.  So ETOPS 120 means an aircraft must reach a divert field from any point in the flight plan within 120 minutes.  As you're flying, this means you'll also need to be monitoring ETP (equal time points).  This is when you are exactly in the middle of two divert fields.  Anything before the ETP you turn around for the field behind you and after you fly on to the one in front of you.

 

5. Fuel planning has several extras seperated out below:

 

5a. Reserve fuel will be calculated as a percentage of your planned trip fuel.  By FAA rules, this is 10%, which can be >20,000lbs.  A very large quantity, and this is in addition to your holding time, FAR reserve, missed approach, etc.

 

5b. As a result of 5a, many companies use what they call "redispatch".  Basically, you fly your overland segment by normal overland rules "planning" to land at the end of it.  You're not really planning to land here, but it allows you to fly with normal overland reserves.  At a redispatch point shortly before this destination, you are refiled to fly overwater.  The key here is that if you've already flown 1,000 NM or so of your flight plan, your flight plan fuel requried is lower by that 1,000 NM you've already travelled and the 10% of it is also much lower.

 

5c. You plan your fuel such that at any time in your flight plan you may lose one engine, need to descend to 10,000' MSL and make it to your nearest alternate.  This obliterates some of the fuel savings you get by being able to plan on flying at high altitudes.

 

5d. Your APU on a twin engine needs to be on from entry to exit of the NAT track.

 

6. Weather is more "mysterious".  There are just fewer reporting stations, so you need to be more attentive.  You can also encounter head or tail winds exceeding 100 kts fairly commonly.

 

There are a lot of other details, but I think that covers a lot of the key topics.