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PFPX-TOPCAT : Take Off Weight

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Hi,

 

In PFPX, when I push "Take-Off", it does open the TOPCAT window and many data are feed automatically from PFPX such as the runway or the weather.

 

I do not understand why I have to enter manually the Take Off Weight since the data is available in PFPX.

 

Any idea or advice is welcome.

 

 

1431804496.jpg


- TONY -
 

 

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Have you calculated the flight before invoking Topcat?

 

Topcat should be the last thing before releasing the flight.

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Wes is right. COMPUTE the flight in PFPX first before topcat


Neil Andrews.

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Also if you compute then TOPCAT and find that you are too heavy, go back to PFPX and reduce weight, recalculate then TOPCAT again watch out.  TOPCAT will be stuck at first TOGW and not any recalculations.  It's not a biggy, I just manually enter the TOGW that I want TOPCAT to run.


Dan Downs KCRP

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Also watch out for the Flaps section. I always wondered why Topcat gave me Flaps 1 when using Optimum but some youtube videos I see chose flap 5. Then I found some SOP's from some airlines, I think Ryanair maybe, and it states always use flap 5

 

 

---

Chris Harries

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When you comput first then and only then does topcat know you take off weight and landing weight.

 

Sometime after topcat it asks to recalculate the flights.

 

With the NG flaps 5 is the normal take off setting, if you use a short airfield I set to optimum and often get flap 25


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Also watch out for the Flaps section. I always wondered why Topcat gave me Flaps 1 when using Optimum but some youtube videos I see chose flap 5. Then I found some SOP's from some airlines, I think Ryanair maybe, and it states always use flap 5

 

what is wrong with flaps 1 when you are not runway limited? Flaps 1 wont get you airbone as quick like the flaps 5 but flaps 1 gives you the best climb angle when off the ground


Vernon Howells

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On the NGX from long runways like Auckland I would use flaps 1. From shorter runways I go with 5 or more if needed.

 

On the 777, usually 15 but sometimes 5 if light and a long enough runway. Less so in the -300ER, this tends towards flaps 15 usually, probably for enhanced tail strike protection

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On the NGX from long runways like Auckland I would use flaps 1. From shorter runways I go with 5 or more if needed.

 

On the 777, usually 15 but sometimes 5 if light and a long enough runway. Less so in the -300ER, this tends towards flaps 15 usually, probably for enhanced tail strike protection

 
Tail clearance at rotation on the -300ER is the same regardless of F5, F15 and F20. Refer to the FCOM. This was done intentionally and achieved by artificially increased VR speeds.
 

what is wrong with flaps 1 when you are not runway limited? Flaps 1 wont get you airbone as quick like the flaps 5 but flaps 1 gives you the best climb angle when off the ground

 

Nothing wrong with it. However F1 will require more runway than F5. And as you said F1 climb gradient will be superior to F5.

 

Ultimately up to the operator to set the parameters defining OPTIMUM within the takeoff perf. calculator.

 

A major soon to be former 737NG operator in Germany has set their takeoff perf calculators to first attempt a F1, improved climb takeoff when OPTIMUM is selected (default). If that flap setting doesnt work then F5, F15 and F25 are next in order

 

However, another operator which did not purchase the F1 takeoff performance numbers from Boeing, has their takeoff perf calculators set to first attempt a F5, improved climb, takeoff when OPTIMUM is selected. Then F15, then F25.

 

So there is no rule of thumb that F5 is used over F1 or F15 over F5. It all comes down to the individual operators requirements, what they purchased from Boeing, and how they set up their takeoff perf calculators and hence what the individual takeoff conditions define the OPTIMUM to be.

 

Leo Cal

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Hi all,

 

Thank you for your help.

 

Hitting "Take Off" just after "Computing" and before "Releasing" solved indeed my problem and the Take Off Weight was automatically taken into account my TOPCAT.


- TONY -
 

 

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On the NGX from long runways like Auckland I would use flaps 1. From shorter runways I go with 5 or more if needed.

 

On the 777, usually 15 but sometimes 5 if light and a long enough runway. Less so in the -300ER, this tends towards flaps 15 usually, probably for enhanced tail strike protection

 

So you just choose flaps 5 because you take an estimited guess on the length or do you check this against PLC?

Nothing wrong with it. However F1 will require more runway than F5. And as you said F1 climb gradient will be superior to F5.

 

Ultimately up to the operator to set the parameters defining OPTIMUM within the takeoff perf. calculator.

 

A major soon to be former 737NG operator in Germany has set their takeoff perf calculators to first attempt a F1, improved climb takeoff when OPTIMUM is selected (default). If that flap setting doesnt work then F5, F15 and F25 are next in order

 

However, another operator which did not purchase the F1 takeoff performance numbers from Boeing, has their takeoff perf calculators set to first attempt a F5, improved climb, takeoff when OPTIMUM is selected. Then F15, then F25.

 

So there is no rule of thumb that F5 is used over F1 or F15 over F5. It all comes down to the individual operators requirements, what they purchased from Boeing, and how they set up their takeoff perf calculators and hence what the individual takeoff conditions define the OPTIMUM to be.

 

Yes very true leo all company SOPs


Vernon Howells

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No nothing wrong with F1 whatsoever, I just meant it's not actually what some airlines use. I just pointed that out some airlines don't use F1 for take-off, not something I knew until I actually stated looking in to it. If you're shooting for realism, it helps to know these little pointers.

 

And to go further, on landing it always picks F40, I have heard that, other then strong cross wind etc so even in calm weather, flap 30 is used depending on the situation. What I'm getting at is that I took the numbers in Topcat when I first loaded it up to be what I should use But that's not completely true.

 

I've also noticed, maybe someone here knows, that in the runway condition section it's always dry, even if Active Sky tells me it's raining at that airport. Should it auto-select and mine does, or is that a manual selection?

 

 

---

Chris Harries

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Any idea or advice is welcome.

 

Have a look at your picture. You're still on the Flight tab and not on the Results tab. The Flight Tab doesn't have your computed fuel, so you can't have a TOW. The Results tab has all of your calculations completed, which means you will also have a TOW.

 

As with the last post, while I appreciate PFPX is a vital tool to getting more out of our products, these posts are better posted over in their forum.


Kyle Rodgers

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So you just choose flaps 5 because you take an estimited guess on the length or do you check this against PLC?

 

Just to elaborate on this - most operators like to use standard flap settings for takeoff and landing to avoid inadvertent selection of the wrong one.

 

If you mix and match between F1 and F5, you introduce the possibility that you could run the figures for F5 but inadvertently select F1. If you use both regularly, or indeed if you use F1 most of the time (for example, normally operating out of long runways where you're not field limited) that might not get picked up -- because it looks normal. On the other hand, if you always use F5 and accidentally select F1, you're more likely to pick that up when you're running the checklists, because it's out of the ordinary.

 

Of course there may be occasions where a non-standard flap setting is an operational necessity, in which case this would normally be indicated in the route information manual.

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Have a look at your picture. You're still on the Flight tab and not on the Results tab. The Flight Tab doesn't have your computed fuel, so you can't have a TOW. The Results tab has all of your calculations completed, which means you will also have a TOW.

 

As with the last post, while I appreciate PFPX is a vital tool to getting more out of our products, these posts are better posted over in their forum.

 

Thanks for your explanation.

 

All right, I will not post anymore topics regarding PFPX, ASN, and the like. It's a bit sad for me but I will comply with the rules.

 

Maybe you see my post as a formal support request to PMDG.

 

On my side, I just want to exchange with other 777 PMDG pilots and I thought this is the best place. I saw this place a 777 community forum and not only support.


- TONY -
 

 

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