Hello, guys

 

I'm doing a little research on how to fly the NGX with step climbs, thanks to our new toy, PFPX.

Before PFPX, I used to just select a cruise FL around 360, setup the FMS and then go to the progress page, check witch was the optimal FL, set that to the new cruise FL, and the set the next FL in the step climb line to do a step climb.

 

Now, for example in the flight I did today, PFPX gave an initial cruise of 16000 due to an airway limitation, after that a step climb to FL280,  80 miles after this, an optimal FL of 360; and after quite a while another step to 380.

 

My question is, how is it managed in real life?

• If I set 16000 as cruise level in the PERF INIT page, then I can't set the other restrictions in the waypoints cause FLXXXS doesn't seem to work with this FMS version.
• If I set 380 as a cruise level then i can set the restrictions in the waypoints but then the engines will remain in CLB performance until we reach FL380; and it is not suposed to be that way, right?
• The last option, and I think this is the only way in the NGX, is to set the initial cruise altitud at 16000 and then to the steps climbs manually until 360, and then use the step climb line on the CRS page to do the last step.

 

What do you guys think?

 

This is the route just in case: KDCA/19 N0413A160 NATNL3 DCA V8 MRB/N0460F280 J162 MGW/N0461F360 J162 DJB J34

           DLL J68 GEP/N0458F380 J70 ABR J90 HLN J34 ODESS EPH6 KSEA/16L

 

Thanks a lot.

I'm not at my pc to check and I've been flying the 777 too much, but in the 777 you could enter 16,000 as the initial alt, then on the legs page enter "FL360S" where you plan to step. Worth a try.