October 18, 200520 yr I created a flightplan with Flight Sim Commander 7.5 using the Boing 727 (I flew DF727-200 padssenger). According to the plan a total of 1830 lbs of fuel was required. I filled the plane with about 8000 lbs. Still I crashed because I ran out of fuel. Why could that be?The flight didn't take ant significant longer time than estimated.
October 18, 200520 yr Did you select Boeing 727 as the aircraft type within FS Commander?1800 lbs is virtually nothing and would normally be less than the reserve fuel required under an IFR flight plan, so it sounds like the aircraft type was incorrect.More generally, flight planners don't usually allow for the effects of wind on the flight, so if you are flying into an 80 knot headwind all the way it can make a big difference to the amount of fuel required. Obviously, the longer the flight is the greater the difference between the fuel according to the flight plan and the actual fuel required. Matthew Spedding
October 18, 200520 yr >Did you select Boeing 727 as the aircraft type within FS>Commander?Yes and my printed flightplan has Boeing 727 stated as aircraft.>1800 lbs is virtually nothing and would normally be less than>the reserve fuel required under an IFR flight plan, so it>sounds like the aircraft type was incorrect.>Distance was 162 and flightlevel 250 and flighttime 00:20.>More generally, flight planners don't usually allow for the>effects of wind on the flight, so if you are flying into an 80>knot headwind all the way it can make a big difference to theNo extreme weather. ASV realtime weather around Seattle.
October 19, 200520 yr IRL, a leg like that would take a fuel load of 15,000 to 18,000 lbs depending on your alternate. Are you sure your flight plan didn't say 18,000 lbs?Cheers,JohnBoeing 727/737 & Lockheed C-130/L-100 Mechanichttp://www.sstsim.com/images/team/JR.jpg
October 19, 200520 yr >IRL, a leg like that would take a fuel load of 15,000 to>18,000 lbs depending on your alternate. Are you sure your>flight plan didn't say 18,000 lbs?>Yes I have the flightplan printed out and in front of me and I readFuel (in lbs) Total: 1830,00Climb 1485,00 Cruise 53,00 Descent 166,00 Approach 126,00
October 19, 200520 yr It is obvious that the 727 data file in Flight Sim Commander 7.5 is very inaccurate. 53 pounds of fuel in cruise? A trip like that would have a fuel burn of approx. 8,000 lbs. Add in your reserve and alternate fuel and you wouldn't fly that leg with anything less than 18,000 pounds of fuel on board. This would allow you to have 10,000 pounds on board when landing, 3,333 pounds in each tank.Cheers,JohnBoeing 727/737 & Lockheed C-130/L-100 Mechanichttp://www.sstsim.com/images/team/JR.jpg www.sstsim.com
October 19, 200520 yr Author I don't use the FS Commander, but I would like to ask, what were your throttle settings during the flight? I have created flights and ran out of fuel because I was flying faster, using more fuel than I should have.The Captain said," Ladies and Gentlemen I am glad to announce that we are ahead of schedule."That would be the last line in the NTSB report....:D
October 19, 200520 yr That's not the problem. The flight planner only gave ifri a load of 1830 lbs for 162 miles. No matter how you fly, you won't even get past 10,000 ft on your climbout with that load. Like I said earlier, 18,000 lbs would be more in line for that kind of leg. Even when ifri loaded the aircraft with 8000 lbs, it still ran dry. Simply a flight planner problem.Cheers,JohnBoeing 727/737 & Lockheed C-130/L-100 Mechanichttp://www.sstsim.com/images/team/JR.jpgwww.sstsim.com
October 19, 200520 yr >I created a flightplan with Flight Sim Commander 7.5 using>the Boing 727 (I flew DF727-200 padssenger). According to the>plan a total of 1830 lbs of fuel was required. I filled the>plane with about 8000 lbs. Still I crashed because I ran out>of fuel. Why could that be?>The flight didn't take ant significant longer time than>estimated.Don't know why but I'm really facinated with your flight.When you ran out of fuel what was your initial reaction? Did you have a chance to react? Did you start emergency procedures? Where were you when it happened: climbing, altitude or finals? Where you able to get pointed to a nearby airport? Did you try to restart the engines?
October 19, 200520 yr >>I created a flightplan with Flight Sim Commander 7.5 using>>the Boing 727 (I flew DF727-200 padssenger). According to>the>>plan a total of 1830 lbs of fuel was required. I filled the>>plane with about 8000 lbs. Still I crashed because I ran out>>of fuel. Why could that be?>>The flight didn't take ant significant longer time than>>estimated.>>Don't know why but I'm really facinated with your flight.>>When you ran out of fuel what was your initial reaction? Did>you have a chance to react? Did you start emergency>procedures? Where were you when it happened: climbing,>altitude or finals? Where you able to get pointed to a nearby>airport? Did you try to restart the engines?First time with 2000 lbs I run out of fuel about midway. I first noticed that only one engine was running and then none. I tried landing at a nearby visible airstrip but I failed.The second time I got to final approach before empty tanks. Couldn't do much and didn't get to the runway but I wasn't far from it.
October 19, 200520 yr >That's not the problem. The flight planner only gave ifri a>load of 1830 lbs for 162 miles. No matter how you fly, you>won't even get past 10,000 ft on your climbout with that load.>Like I said earlier, 18,000 lbs would be more in line for that>kind of leg. Even when ifri loaded the aircraft with 8000 lbs,>it still ran dry. Simply a flight planner problem.>Yes that seems to be the case. The DF727 has a tutorial flight. I entered that flightplan in FSC. FSC estimated that fuel requirement to be some 8900 lbs. But the tutorial tells me to load 21649 lbs.
October 20, 200520 yr Next time when you're in cruise sitting on your thumbs, take a look at your fuel flow gauges and your time to destination and if you need a fuel stop than pull over and get some gas.http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/130460.jpg
October 20, 200520 yr <? Did you try to restart the engines?With what? hehehe sorry could not resist ;-) No gas means no restarting unless he's got a ram/scramjet. :-)
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