Hello,

 

the cost index in the B738 runs from 0 to 500 while the cost index on the 777 has the range 0 to 999.

 

So to calculate a good cost index in the 777 I just need to double the 737 cost index to get a usable 777 cost index, right?

 

... I thought not, but any good reads on the subject?

 

- Andrew Wold

Cost Index = [Time Cost ($/hr) / Fuel Cost ($/lb)] * 100

Read more: http://www.skybrary.aero/bookshelf/books/1956.pdf

CI of 0 = maximum range because time is free (0 time cost).

Thanks that was a good general explanation. However it says the cost index range for the 777 is 0-9999, while the PMDG Tutorial says the range is 0-999. Some specific cost indexes for the 777 would be helpfull!

 

-Andrew Wold

45

Cost index is company related and varies largely, sometimes even depending on route and flight stage. I use 100 for my BAW flights as this is what they use.

For FedEx?

I use 250 gives me a Mach number of about 0.84.

I use 250 gives me a Mach number of about 0.84.

Same here I place higher emphasis on speed vs fuel savings.

M.84 is a very good speed for the 777.

I have been told the 777 was designed for M.84

 

So whatever CI rsults in that speed during cruise would be a good one.

 

The real 777 has a CI range of 0 - 9999.

I have not tried if you can put 9999 in the PMDG777 but even if 999 is the max....thats more than enough, lol.

 

For the Airline I am familiar with, I have not seen a CI of more than 250, ever!

So 999 or 9999, it does not matter as both are not used very often.

(however that might be different for other airlines....maybe they calculate different.....maybe they get their fuel for free....or maybe CI can be tailored per company so that CI50 for one airline is not the same as CI50 for another airline. I realy dont know)

 

In FSX fuel, maintenance and labour all cost nothing, but if you want to simulate real life economics then start with a low number. Something ike 20 - 25.

Then as you get to your cruise FL take a look at your ETA and Fuel at destination.

Then experiment with CI a little.

Try 50, 70, 100, etc and each time note how much faster you get to your destination and how much more fuel this costs.

Yes, this is done in real life too :-)

Make sure you have not entered any cruise Step Climbs or Mach numbers on the Legs page for this excersize as you want the FMC to calculate optimum levels!

(for NAT this is not possible of course).

It is very realistic if it costs 100KG more fuel burn (fuel at Destination on the progress page is 100KG less than before) to get to destination one minute quicker.

At some point you will see that in order to get to destination one minute quicker, you would be burning 200KG more, then 500KG more, etc etc.

This way you can determaine what additional fuel burn you find acceptable for being a little earlier at destination.

 

or, you can say I dont care about economics with FSX and just enter 9999 :-)

 

On a side note, besides speed, CI also influences your cruise FL.

If you enter low numbers (20) you will see lower cruise FLs in the legs page along your route than we you enter 100 or 250.

In the 1st AoA Flightwork video he suggests that some airlines even use a dynamic cost index that's changed throughout the different phases of flight. Makes sense for this kind of long range aircraft. How they figure it is another story....

Same here I place higher emphasis on speed vs fuel savings

Yea since fuel in FS is free I figure why not just put it high.

List of CI for major airlines:

http://forum.avsim.net/topic/336375-cost-index-database/

 

Note that higher CI also decreases your range, so you may not be able to make a flight on CI = 999 at MTOW that you could otherwise at CI = 0.

However it says the cost index range for the 777 is 0-9999, while the PMDG Tutorial says the range is 0-999.

Seems like PMDG tutorial has a typo. I verified in-game that it can take 9999 as a CI.

BA use 0 for climb and 0 for most east coast USA-UK flights and flights to Singapore.

 

Other than that they use 100 in cruise.

Enjoy!

 

 

Air Baltic

28

B757 CI: 50

Air Berlin

30

 

Air Canada

B767s :100

 

Air France

Short/medium haul flight : 35

La Navette (France) : 250

Longhaul : 45

Delayed shorthaul : 250

Delayed longhaul : 135

 

Air Malta

B737 CI: 25

 

Air New Zealand

B767: 45

 

Austrian

35

 

British Airways Airbus Fleet:

A319/A320/A321

Climb at: Cost Index 0

Cruise at Cost Index 20

Boeing Fleet:

Boeing 737-300/400 and 500 Series

Climb at: Cost Index 0

Cruise at Cost Index 28

Boeing 747-400

Climb at: Cost Index 0

Cruise at Cost Index 90

Cost Index 0 (Sometimes used on East Coast USA to UK Flights and less often on UK to Singapore/Bangkok flights)

Boeing 757-200 and Boeing 767-300

Climb at: Cost Index 0

Cruise at Cost Index 40

Boeing 777-200

Climb at: Cost Index 0

Cruise at Cost Index 100

Cost Index 0 (Sometimes used on East Coast USA to UK Flights) 

 

British Midland

40

 

Cathay

B744 CI:80

 

China Airlines

85 (Nur B747)

 

Condor

Boeing 767-300ER: 30

Boeing 757: 18

 

EasyJet

Airbus A319 Cost Index: 12

Airbus A320 Cost Index: 12

Airbus A321 Cost Index: 23

 

EL AL

737's: 15-30

747's: 39(short/mid haul- Europe)757's: 20-40

767's: 30-45(30-40 for Europe, 40-45 long haul)

777's: 71(long haul, ex KLAX)

 

Emirates

Airbus A330-200 Cost Index: 25

FlyGlobespan

Boeing 737-700 Cost Index: 14

Boeing 737-800 Cost Index: 13

 

FlyNiki

35

 

Hamburg International

Airbus A319: 40

Boeing 737-700: 30

 

KLM

F70/100 Climb/Cruise : 30/15

737 Climb/Cruise : 30/15

A330 Climb/Cruise/Descend : 60/150(300)/30

MD11 Climb/Cruise/Descend : 50/100/20

777 Climb/Cruise/Descend : 50/100/20

747 Climb/Cruise/Descend : 150/300/50

 

Lufthansa

Airbusse: 30

Boeing 747-400: 70

Airbus A300-600: 35

Boeing 737-300: 25

 

Lufthansa Cargo

80

 

Luxair

50

 

Nordavia

Boeing 737-500 CI-27

NordStar Airlines (??????)

B737 NG: CI 30

 

Qantas

B744 CI: 100

Cost Index 40 for domestic flights

Cost Index 20 for most International plans, however they may be planned up to CI250 to meet schedule/duty limits

 

Ryanair

Boeing 737-800 Cost Index: 30

S7

30

SAS

45-50

 

Singapore Airlines

B747/B777 CI:150

 

South African

50

 

Southwest Airlines

737-300/500 CI:28

737-700 CI:36

 

Swiss Airlines

A32S:

FL290 and below: CI 10

above FL290: CI 20

A330-200 and A340-300:

LRC: CI 30

M.082 Cruise: CI 30 for Climb/Descend and Cruise up to FL280, above M.082 manually edited

M.083 Cruise: CI 150 for Climb/Descend and Cruise up to FL290, above above M.083 manually edited

 

Thomson Airways

Airbus A320 Cost Index: 13

Airbus A321 Cost Index: 17

Boeing 737-300 Cost Index: 10

Boeing 737-800 Cost Index: 9

Boeing 757-200 Cos Index: 10

Boeing 767-300

Long Haul Cost Index: 19

Short Haul Cost Index: 11

 

Ukraine International Airlines

cost index: 14

B737 Classic: 19-20

B737 NG: 28

 

United Airlines

Flight with duration < 4 Hours:

A319 and A320 = Cost Index 27

B737-300 and B737-500 = Cost Index 35

B747-400 = Cost Index 90

B757-200 = Cost Index 80

B767-300 = Cost Index 65

B777-200 = Cost Index 85

Flights with duration > 4 Hours:

A319 and A320 = Cost Index 22

B737-300 and B737-500 = Cost Index 30

B747-400 = Cost Index 85

B757-200 = Cost Index 75

B767-300 = Cost Index 60

B777-200 = Cost Index 80

 

Virgin Atlantic

A340-300 CI = 30

A340-600 CI = 40

B747-400 CI = 73 - 93

B747 :150

Westjet

 

B737NG :20-25