Okay, i really hope that the´ll add a feature to raise the passenger capacity, but this will be only "nice to have". At this time i calculate a ZFW for my 777-200LR, filled with 301 passengers, their luggage and extra cargo. 

 

In your case i would do it this way: 

 

14 first  /32 business /316 econ = 362 passengers (OMG!!!^^). This is a weight of 70590 LBS (362X195LBS). 

 

Now we have to add the weight of passenger luggage: 23892LBS (362X66LBS). 

 

And now you could add some extra cargo. I carry about 17636LBS extra cargo each flight!!! 

 

All together is a total payload weight of about 112118 LBS in your case! 

 

Now you have to calculate the ZFW: Dry Operation Weight (344.244LBS) + Payload (112.118LBS) = 456.342 ZFW (WOW...heavy^^)

 

After you calculated your specific ZFW, all you have to do is adding this 456.3 ZFW into the FMC. And after that the aircraft is automatically distribute the weights to the sections for getting a good CG. Now your aircraft has the weight like it is carrying 362 passengers with luggage and extra cargo. 

 

OH: And don´t forget to add the nedded fuel^^...!  

Okay, i really hope that the´ll add a feature to raise the passenger capacity, but this will be only "nice to have". At this time i calculate a ZFW for my 777-200LR, filled with 301 passengers, their luggage and extra cargo.

 

In your case i would do it this way:

 

14 first /32 business /316 econ = 362 passengers (OMG!!!^^). This is a weight of 70590 LBS (362X195LBS).

 

Now we have to add the weight of passenger luggage: 23892LBS (362X66LBS).

What! Is that possible? I didn't know that a user entered value in the zfw would change the load. That would make things easier. BTW does the same method work for the NGx?

 

 

And now you could add some extra cargo. I carry about 17636LBS extra cargo each flight!!!

 

All together is a total payload weight of about 112118 LBS in your case!

 

Now you have to calculate the ZFW: Dry Operation Weight (344.244LBS) + Payload (112.118LBS) = 456.342 ZFW (WOW...heavy^^)

 

After you calculated your specific ZFW, all you have to do is adding this 456.3 ZFW into the FMC. And after that the aircraft is automatically distribute the weights to the sections for getting a good CG. Now your aircraft has the weight like it is carrying 362 passengers with luggage and extra cargo.

 

OH: And don´t forget to add the nedded fuel^^...!

What! Is that possible? I didn't know that a user entered value in the zfw would change the load. That would make things easier. BTW does the same method work for the NGX?

What! Is that possible? I didn't know that a user entered value in the zfw would change the load. That would make things easier. BTW does the same method work for the NGX?

Yep.

What! Is that possible? I didn't know that a user entered value in the zfw would change the load. That would make things easier. BTW does the same method work for the NGX?

YES! After you type in your ZFW, the airplane automatically distribute the weight. It could be that the "passenger page" in the fmc shows you that you don´t have the full pax on board but you can be sure that the rest of the weight is at the other sections in the airplane! Your airplane has the weight like you would carry about 362 passengers, with luggage and extra cargo

What! Is that possible? I didn't know that a user entered value in the zfw would change the load. That would make things easier. BTW does the same method work for the NGX?

 

Golly...the things people would learn if they only read the intro manual.

...or the tutorial.

 

Yes.  To both.

Golly...the things people would learn if they only read the intro manual.

...or the tutorial.

 

Yes.  To both.

Haha that's right, the operative word is skim or browse. I am guilty XD. I just look for the major points not the finer ones like this.

Haha that's right, the operative word is skim or browse. I am guilty XD. I just look for the major points not the finer ones like this.

 

While it's natural to do that every once in a while, it's almost unavoidable in the tutorials.

 

That's part of the problem with simmers, really.  They get a new sim and assume that, since they could operate the last one, all the new one needs is a quick brush up with the new documentation and they'll be fine.  It's the exact reason I was saying may of the NGX owners would be at a disadvantage with the 777.

 

If you only skim them to try and pick up knowledge, then it's even more of a reason to check there first before coming here.  If you've only skimmed them, then I can guarantee you're missing out of a lot of the cool tips, tricks and features that are in there.  Please read it next time you're at cruise.  I guarantee you won't regret it.

Standard passenger weights X the number of passengers (assume first and business are ahead of the wing - can compensate in the FWD hold weight) = group weight.

 

Follow the standard private pilot stuff for CG calcs (weight X arm = moment, etc).

 

Honestly, you're never going to see a plane take off with zero cargo - ever.  Passengers are honestly cheaper to leave behind than bags (I'm not joking), so they'll stuff the bins and leave people behind in the end.  Cargo accounts for a significant portion of the weight.  Airlines make a lot of money off of their shipping, not their passengers: http://www.deltacargo.com/ (ever see a dedicated Delta Cargo plane?  Nope.  So where does it go?  Passenger flights.)

 

So, while I see what people are getting at every time they bring up the weight distribution, you can just adjust the values in the cargo holds to accommodate this.  Honestly, even if you could adjust those numbers, I doubt PMDG has access to the data that would tell them exactly where these seats would be (if anything, they probably take the mean arm for the class).  All that to say, even if the numbers were editable, you're still not going to get the exact same CG as the real plane.  You'd have to adjust for differences in the arms for each class, and those change as the number of seats change for each group.  That's a lot of intense work for a nearly meaningless passenger count, really.

 

Again, weight is weight.  Utilize the cargo entries to adjust for the CG difference.

 

Actually what I do is I use the ZFW value I have in PFPX and set that to ZFW entry in PMDG 777. It will randomly allocate passengers and cargo such that the sum value would be around the PFPX ZFW value.

 

I also set the fuel value derived from PFPX plus minus few 1000 lbs. In the end I generally get a load factor of 70%. (Isn't that a low value for 14 hr flight ?)

 

However, I still like the idea of knowing that I am flying 399 passengers (including children/infants) from YYZ to HKG.