For $53.00 this is unacceptable.  Pass! Thank You!

 

After a full day with the software, I feel it's an incredible value as it replaces the long time neglected dispatch package (FOC) with many substantial improvements and an excellent UI. You simply set up the planes as your need them.  I mean if you are going to spend 30 minutes setting up a flight plan and pre-flight, taking 3 minutes to customizing the aircraft seems trivial. 

 

Bob 

If the weights aren't right, the fuel is not going to be right.  This was the problem in TOPCAT.  I'm sure the application does a lot of other things, but weights and performance and fuel is critical for accurate dispatching.  I hope they get this straightened out.

The NGX is a different matter so I loaded up each livery and zeroed out the pax, cargo and fuel then read the FMC zero fuel weight for PFPX to use as the DOW. I think this is correct, if not please let me know. Interestingly for the -900 and -700 the weights were way off in PFPX, they seemed ok for the -600 and -800 in my setup.

Is this how it is done to find DOW? If so it is just a matter of a few minutes to update the profiles,save them and never have too worry about it again.

 

Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk 4

 

This is a dispatch planner, not an aircraft database.  It was designed to allow easy editing of the aircraft parameters.  Even the real planners though need customization of the aircraft database to account for company policies and equipment options.  I'm sorry, but this rant just demonstrates a lack of understanding about the intent of what the program is designed to do.  Sure, planning needs accurate aircraft information, but all those numbers can be edited to fit your fleet.  And once that is done, it gives fantastic results.  I'm running <100 lbs fuel difference off predicted vs actual on the PMDG 738 winglet over 2-300 NM flights.

Ok.. seems a good tutorial how to create our planes library is needed!

This is a dispatch planner, not an aircraft database. It was designed to allow easy editing of the aircraft parameters. Even the real planners though need customization of the aircraft database to account for company policies and equipment options. I'm sorry, but this rant just demonstrates a lack of understanding about the intent of what the program is designed to do. Sure, planning needs accurate aircraft information, but all those numbers can be edited to fit your fleet. And once that is done, it gives fantastic results. I'm running <100 lbs fuel difference off predicted vs actual on the PMDG 738 winglet over 2-300 NM flights.

This may be he case but it could have been explained and implemented better.

Is this how it is done to find DOW? If so it is just a matter of a few minutes to update the profiles,save them and never have too worry about it again.Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk 4

Yes, that's exactly what I did to determine the weights for the PMDG 737-700NG, (using the included IFly 737-700 template as a starting point). i.e. I loaded the NGX on the ramp, zeroed out all pax, baggage and fuel to determine the proper empty weight. I then loaded a full 146 passengers, took the resulting payload figure from the FMS and divided that number by 146 to determine what PMDG has assigned for the weight of a single passenger. Turns out to be 175 pounds. By default, PFPX assigns 184 pounds as the weight of a single passenger, but that is easily changed in the global setup menu.

 

From the FMS, I was also able to determine maximum fuel load, maximum cargo, maximum gross weight, maximum zero fuel weight and maximum landing weight.

 

I plugged all those figures into my 737-700 profile and saved it with a specific tail number. Once that is done, it is an easy task to clone the profile for a whole fleet of aircraft, all of which will have the correct weight figures.

 

Now, the resulting aircraft profile will still be a bit "off", in terms of its performance figures, since the original template was based on the IFly non-winglet 737-700, not the PMDG 737W, but even so, the results I have been getting over the course of 3 test flights (using FSGRW weather) have been remarkably close, with fuel burns from takeoff to landing within +/- 6% of what PFPX predicted.

 

Yes, it would have been great if Flightsimsoft had included a broader range of aircraft performance templates in this initial release, but if they had, how, much longer would we have had to wait to get the program?

 

The important point is this: the program comes with a very full set of built-in tools to create and modify aircraft performance templates, allowing a great deal of flexibility and customization, and once a template is created, it can be easily distributed by anyone, and easily incorporated into PFPX to expand its capabilities. I have no doubt that we will soon see many user-created performance templates for a much broader range of aircraft that what has been included in this initial release of PFPX - just as we are already seeing many custom airline-specific OFP templates being created by PFPX users for the benefit of the whole community.

 

 

 

Yes, that's exactly what I did to determine the weights for the PMDG 737-700NG, (using the included IFly 737-700 template as a starting point). i.e. I loaded the NGX on the ramp, zeroed out all pax, baggage and fuel to determine the proper empty weight. I then loaded a full 146 passengers, took the resulting payload figure from the FMS and divided that number by 146 to determine what PMDG has assigned for the weight of a single passenger. Turns out to be 175 pounds. By default, PFPX assigns 184 pounds as the weight of a single passenger, but that is easily changed in the global setup menu.

 

From the FMS, I was also able to determine maximum fuel load, maximum cargo, maximum gross weight, maximum zero fuel weight and maximum landing weight.

 

I plugged all those figures into my 737-700 profile and saved it with a specific tail number. Once that is done, it is an easy task to clone the profile for a whole fleet of aircraft, all of which will have the correct weight figures.

JR, by any chance could you post the raw figures you got for the -700? Save me a bit of time as that will leave just the -800 to do. Thank you

I like the idea of someone making a simple tutorial on how to create and define the Aircraft Profile, most of all show where to get the information such as the different weights of the aircraft, engines, people, cargo, fuel, ect....... Just me asking this question, shows that I am just getting into the nuts and bolts of this new add-on hobby of creating a load dispatch plan and flight plan in a real as it gets setting...

 

Yes I know that most of the info can be validated via the FMC...., I guess I was thinking that this program would give us the information from the PFPX plan so we can input that information in the FMC, not the other way around.... I hope I said that right?

 

I am sure this is a great program, I was hoping that the learning curve wasn't so steep... I am sure for the advanced sim flyers the program is Great... I am just hoping I can say that sooner than later....I know this old man is spoiled, I want my cake and eat it toooooooooooooo. :-)

 

Anyway I second the idea of some making a tutorial for us lame ducks..... :-)

+1 For what Tabs stated in both post...! I am happy with PFPX and don't mind a little tinkering here and there...

JR, by any chance could you post the raw figures you got for the -700? Save me a bit of time as that will leave just the -800 to do. Thank you

Here you go - all weights in pounds

 

Empty Weight: 83,300

 

Max Zero Fuel: 120,500

 

Max Takeoff: 153,500

 

Max Ramp: 154,500 (not 100% sure on this)

 

Max Landing: 128,000

 

Pax Capacity: 146

 

Cargo Capacity: 11,900

 

Fuel Capacity: 46,067

 

These figures came specifically from the Southwest Airlines 737-700W N727SW. Any other PMDG owners, please feel free to check my math here... but I'm pretty sure that the numbers I extracted from the FMS are correct.

 

I calculated that the NGX, by default, uses a weight of 175 pounds for a single passenger. PFPX default single pax weight (for scheduled service) was 184 pounds, so I changed it to 175. PFPX default baggage weight for a single pax is 22 lbs for domestic flights - I left that "as is".

 

Important to keep in mind that PFPX will automatically add that 22 lbs per passenger baggage weight to the total ZFW, based on the number of passengers you enter into PFPX when planning a flight.

 

I use the U.S. Domestic fuel policy for my NGX flights.

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Here you go

JR, thanks a million! Food for thought, a long time ago a guy who worked for Alaska airlines was posting in the NGX forum back when it came out about weights. He stated that the average bag weight they used was 40lbs. I have been using that figure ever since. He also stated that the max cargo they carried was around 2,500lbs. They also divided that 2,500lbs *I think* at 70% rear hold, 30% forward hold. I will confirm those percentages tomorrow morning. Been using these figures without issue for a long time. I use 40lbs bag weight in pfpx global settings. My belief in this 40lb average is confirmed every time I fly and see the bags at baggage claim.

 

Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk 4

 

JR, thanks a million! Food for thought, a long time ago a guy who worked for Alaska airlines was posting in the NGX forum back when it came out about weights. He stated that the average bag weight they used was 40lbs. I have been using that figure ever since. He also stated that the max cargo they carried was around 2,500lbs. They also divided that 2,500lbs *I think* at 70% rear hold, 30% forward hold. I will confirm those percentages tomorrow morning. Been using these figures without issue for a long time. I use 40lbs bag weight in pfpx global settings. My belief in this 40lb average is confirmed every time I fly and see the bags at baggage claim.Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk 4

I agree! I do a lot of flying on various airlines for business, and based on what I see at the check in counters (to say nothing of the carry-on bags), the default of 22 lbs/pax is probably a serious underestimation!

 

If the PFPX had been designed to "by itself" picking up info from the aircraft cfg-files you would have to have it installed on the same comuputer as your FSX. I think there is a lot people having a dedicated computer for flying and then a laptop or so for other stuff, so I think this is a smart way of designing this tool.

 

If there is specific informtion we need in order to use more advanced flightplanners etc we would rather request the developers of the aircraft addons to supply that information in the future with their releases, but as many said, almost every aircraft have it´s own specifications, and it can also vary from flight to flight. The number of cabincrew may vary depending on booked passengers, and the weight of luggagde depending on if its a scheduled flight or a leisure flight. Isn´t it a part of the fun to fly advanced add-ons (such the B737NGX), and use advanced tools like the PFPX that we have to do some thinking by ourselfs? 

 

Regards

Johnny 

Guys, would it be relatively easy to add other engine options to the database?

For example there' s only the GE available for the 763 and I would like to use others.

What fuel burn information is required to be able to add RR and PW?

Thanks.