How Does Cathay Pacific Do It

[nhagag 26]

Hi

 

Last year I flew Cathay Pacific flight 831 Boeing 777-300ER KJFK-VHHH. Its 14Hr 23min posted on Flight Aware

 

To My knowledge the Aircraft was fully loaded (not a single vacant seat) Don't know about Cargo.

 

I am trying to reenact their flight because it is unique in the sense it is East Bound and flies over Northern Canada, Greenland and Northern Europe and drops to Hong Kong across China.

 

 

FPXP indicates: insufficient fuel for the flight, fuel required exceeds Aircraft capacity of 325000lb.

I can't release the flight

 

 

Bill Hagag

[FlyGuy42 4]

Try checking the number of seats in the PFPX aircraft profile. There may not be as many in real life as in the profile, which was certainly the case in the some of the Emirates aircraft. That would bring down your ZFW, allowing you to make the trip.

 

Regards.

[Les1974 6]

The 300ER has a maximum range of 7,825 NM at maximum payload according to Boeing.In topcat, the flight distance is 7,300NM, so you're right at the edge. Does FPXP take step climbs into account for increased fuel efficiency? I would bet there is no cargo on the flight, just baggage and or it is not filled to max passenger capacity.

[Les Parson 99]

Greetings,

 

I worked for Continental (later UAL) many years and was familiar with our KEWR-VHHH B777-200ER operation. We were seldom weight restricted and if I recall correctly, operated the B772 with about 285 paxs. These segments require pure Great-Circle routes to the extent possible to insure mission completion, thereby avoiding very costly fuel stops. The majority of our flights were (and I'm sure still are) north over the Hudson Bay are, then northwest bound, north of PANC and onto the Polar Track System and into Russian airspace.

 

Another factor is the international "Re-Dispatch" or "Re-Release" procedure to reduce ICAO Flag Reserve Fuel requirements. Since I only fly GA in the FSX world, I don't know if you guys use these real-world procedures in the FSX Heavy Iron world. In short, it gets much more complicated than what I've described here.

[ybarshavit 0]

I'm not sure if you're familiar with simbrief or not, but it's highly recommended. I've looked up the route on flightware.com for UAL 117 KEWR-VHHH. I've copied the route from flightware to simbrief and created the flight plan. The amount of fuel required for this flight is 112000 KG to complete the flight with remaining fuel at VHHH 9900 KG. I have AIRAC 1408 and the route from flightware was compatible with AIRAC 1408. Basically it means, the real world matches the sim world, at least as far as I understand it. This is the route that I've pulled from flightware:

 

GREKI JUDDS MARTN KB06E YBC YWK LOPVI GRIBS 6500N 06100W EPMAN 7000N 05400W 7500N 04000W 7900N 02000W 8100N 00000E PIREL R705 DOSON R705 ROKDI R705 BRT G490 SERNA A310 POLHO G218 TMR B458 WXI A461 LIG R473 NNX R473 WYN W18 NLG W23 ZUH R473 SIERA SIERA6D

 

I hope this helps you solve the mystery of how the real world does it. I think you should always look for the shortest way to get from point A to point B, including the least amount of fuel to burn.

[Capt Speirs 52]

Greetings,

 

 We were seldom weight restricted and if I recall correctly, operated the B772 with about 285 paxs. 

 

I thought 285 was a lot, the Boeing web site shows the 200 and 200ER at 440 max, wow.

[BelowMinimums 32]

I was able to plan this flight with PFPX and did it just fine.

 

I had 290 adults and 16 children, with 14,483 lbs (6,569 kgs) of cargo and released with 316,010 lbs (143,339 kgs) of fuel and had a take off weight of 759,884 lbs (344,677 kgs) which is 15,156 lbs (6,878 kgs) below the MTOW.

[Les Parson 99]

I thought 285 was a lot, the Boeing web site shows the 200 and 200ER at 440 max, wow.

Correct what I said - It is currently 267 max. for the B772  (COA).  Of course this varies with operator.

[nhagag 26]

Thanks Guys

 

Reducing passengers number to 276 and 0 cargo did it.

 

Now I am on my way to Hong Kong

 

 

Bill

[Les Parson 99]

Thanks Guys

 

Reducing passengers number to 276 and 0 cargo did it.

 

Now I am on my way to Hong Kong

 

 

Bill

What is your FOD (Fuel Over Destination)?

[Topgunpilot14 0]

Cathay actually does this flight with as many people they can get on board and most of the time a belly full of freight. However, this route is very depended on winds that's why the cathay summer/winter route to KJFK-VHHH and vice versa always change. I've got family that worked with them and I ride to JFK on them a lot so if it helps I also know that they step climb at every chance they get on that route.

[nhagag 26]

Thanks

Interesting.

 

LPD1949 asked about fuel. Total Fuel was 326423lb  Inclusive of ETOPS and reserve a bit low of 6045lb. ALT is VMMC. No Chance. Got to land.

 

Bill

[MarkW 1,490]

Re-dispatch is available with PFPX. here is a detailed video from a real world dispatcher using PFPX.

 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0iOqVpjUprg

[ybarshavit 0]

Correct what I said - It is currently 267 max. for the B772 (COA). Of course this varies with operator.

Yes! My wife works for UA, and we checked in the intranet the seating on this one. For UA 117 they use the two class configuration 772 ex-con. However, the three class 772 legacy (United) have more seats.

[Mochi 82]

Very interesting posts, thanks OP and contributors