Hi All,

I'm doing an ETOPS flight from RKSI to KLAX (Asiaana 204). During preflight I followed the information I got from Simbrief and after entering the fuel data the FMC said insufficient fuel. I pressed the long button which eliminated that. I just get the feeling the fuel info from Simbrief I got wasn't right. Block fuel was 162.9 I believe that's in thousands of pounds. I chose 200 passengers. The only thing I didn't change was cargo and that's where I possibly made my mistake. The other thing was the route I was given had lat. and long. waypoints, which I admit I haven't programed into an FMC before (example 40N160E). And before anybody starts yelling at me to read the manual....I did but I also like to get hands on experience. I've flown the same aircraft from different developers but this is so much better!!! Assistance would be much appreciated

 

 

During preflight I followed the information I got from Simbrief and after entering the fuel data the FMC said insufficient fuel. I pressed the long button which eliminated that.

 

Long as in? Long range cruise? Must mean the amount of fuel is pretty close (enough that long range cruise speed is enough to clear the insufficient fuel warning)

 

The insufficient fuel warning happens when the following is met: The predicted amount of fuel at the arrival airport with the current wind predictions entered into the FMC is less than the "required fuel at destination" value entered by you, the pilot, into the FMC's performance page. If this number is 100 (Landing at your destination with 100 tonnes of fuel, = over max landing weight and enough fuel to fly for 12+ hours) then if the FMC predicts that you will land with 99.9 tonnes of fuel, it will bring up the "Insufficient fuel" warning, because it knows it can't get there with 100 tonnes of fuel remaining in the tanks assuming the wind prediction is correct. (and if you don't enter winds, then 0kts headwind 0kts tailwind is what it's assuming).

 

Obviously it would be silly to land with 100 tonnes remaining in the tanks. However if that's what you tell it in the PERF page of the INIT ref, then that's the amount of fuel it will need to be predicting at destination to avoid the "insufficient fuel" warning.

 

 

he other thing was the route I was given had lat. and long. waypoints, which I admit I haven't programed into an FMC before (example 40N160E)

 

40N160E is a co-ordinate that has to go in the legs page.

 

If you are entering these manually (rather than through a coroute save) then you need to hit LEGS on the FMC then enter the waypoints.

Boeing flips the letter/number so that 40N160E needs to be entered as N40E160

 

I'm using PFPX these days, and insert the following value as the required landing fuel:

Diversion to Alternate fuel + Minimum reserves.

 

I do not enter holding, taxying, extra 5%, any other extra time and contingency fuel.

 

That way the FMC only gives the "insufficient fuel" warning when all that holding, taxying, 5% & contingency fuel is gone and Diversion Alternate + minimum (45min) reserves is all that is left. Depending on how far the Alternate is, I'm usually seeing values between 6.4 and 10.5 kilogram tonnes. The FMS should be able to eat into the 5% contingency without bing bonging every 2 seconds.

 

 

40N160E is a co-ordinate that has to go in the legs page.
 
If you are entering these manually (rather than through a coroute save) then you need to hit LEGS on the FMC then enter the waypoints.
Boeing flips the letter/number so that 40N160E needs to be entered as N40E160

 

Actually in the 777 you can enter these on the right hand column on the Route page as well. You can enter N40E160, or N0400.0E16000.0 (would be needed if it were N0430/E160 for example)

 

 

Block fuel was 162.9 I believe that's in thousands of pounds.

 

Check if the plane is in pounds or kilos, and if simbrief is set to pounds or kilos as well. 

 

If that all matches up, it could very well be what Trent said about setting the reserves. I've been using simbrief to get fuel numbers, and it actually tends so far to be conservative and leave me more than I need at destination.

Thanks guys. I'll be referring to these posts on my next ETOPS flight One important thing I forgot to add, I also had no Vref speeds on the takeoff page even though I entered everything correctly (I think)

Thanks guys. I'll be referring to these posts on my next ETOPS flight One important thing I forgot to add, I also had no Vref speeds on the takeoff page even though I entered everything correctly (I think)

On the Take Off page in the FMC right hand side where the V1 VR V2 values are press the Line Select Key Next to each one this will make the numbers go into a larger font and you will see these speeds now show on the Speed Tape on the PFD.

 

On the Take Off page in the FMC right hand side where the V1 VR V2 values are press the Line Select Key Next to each one this will make the numbers go into a larger font and you will see these speeds now show on the Speed Tape on the PFD.

 

 

Hi Tony,

The problem was they weren't even there

  

 

Hi Tony,

The problem was they weren't even there

Have you made sure that the CG (center of Gravity) is entered in the Take Off Page. V speeds only show when that's entered.

Be sure you have activated and executed the flight plan. You don't get v-speeds until that is done.

I realized my issue. You need to enter a departure runway.