Longest Sim 737NGX Flight Without Refueling?

[Gazzareth 808]

 

Furthest flight for me has been Deadhorse PASC to Edinburgh EGPH approx 3100nm, would love a BBJ to try the longer flights......

 

G

[Timberleaf 1]

In Real-Life, we did a family trip to Anchorage, Alaska (PANC) from Houston, Texas (KIAH), non-stop, years ago. I believe, a 737-800. Regardless, it was roughly an 8.5 hour flight, at around 2900 nm (though Simbrief rates the flight at 7.5 hrs). Let me tell you, it obviously made the flight-distance, but for the passengers, cramped, not fed, and only feeding peanuts was about the dumbest and worst flight of cramped--ness I had ever experienced with any airline (as well as the longest, for me). The scenery below was stunning. The flight was in late June.

 

If I were to do this flight again, I think I would rather go out of Seattle, than Houston, just to shorten the flight. It was uncomfortable, and I felt cramped the whole flight. Not to mention, no food is just ridiculous for an 8.5 hour flight. I never knew these small planes could be so versatile on long-haul flights. I never realized that these smaller planes could fly so far, for so long.

 

However, I see why Boeing is retiring the 747 since their smaller planes can literally do the same longer flights that they couldn't years ago. Considering the flight from New York to London is around 3100 nm miles, perhaps there will be a change from the airlines to the smaller 737? Seems the business model is steering that direction.

 

I took a video of the landing, and posted on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=takH6csSTpo).

[scandinavian13 5,192]

 

 

However, I see why Boeing is retiring the 747 since their smaller planes can literally do the same longer flights that they couldn't years ago. Considering the flight from New York to London is around 3100 nm miles, perhaps there will be a change from the airlines to the smaller 737? Seems the business model is steering that direction.

 

The 747 isn't disappearing because smaller planes can take its place. The 747 is disappearing because similarly sized (or slightly larger) aircraft can do the same work for less fuel due to fewer and more efficient engines: 777, 787, and A350. Large aircraft are still needed for longer routes to be able to carry more fuel without compromising the ability to bring in revenue (via passengers or cargo), the ability to carry higher loads at a particular time (as opposed to higher frequency with lower comparative loading), and fly much longer distances than the 737 could without additional tanks.

[738 73]

Boeing Field - Dublin.

 

Ryanair delivery flight

[downscc 1,327]

I just added a BBJ livery to my B736 yesterday and flew her from home KCRP to KLAS.... wow she was fun to fly and loaded 24 pax instead of 120 (business class seating only) she was a rocket.  Now I want to look for a long distance route to take her on. Guess I got tired of flying nothing but scheduled routes.  I've made the KCRP-KLAS trip many times in the C-414 so it was nice to bypass refueling at KELP haha... I know the VFR arrival very well but elected the RNV19R and parked at the FBO.

[el_kab0ng 29]

In Real-Life, we did a family trip to Anchorage, Alaska (PANC) from Houston, Texas (KIAH), non-stop, years ago. I believe, a 737-800. Regardless, it was roughly an 8.5 hour flight, at around 2900 nm (though Simbrief rates the flight at 7.5 hrs). Let me tell you, it obviously made the flight-distance, but for the passengers, cramped, not fed, and only feeding peanuts was about the dumbest and worst flight of cramped--ness I had ever experienced with any airline (as well as the longest, for me). The scenery below was stunning. The flight was in late June.

 

If I were to do this flight again, I think I would rather go out of Seattle, than Houston, just to shorten the flight. It was uncomfortable, and I felt cramped the whole flight. Not to mention, no food is just ridiculous for an 8.5 hour flight. I never knew these small planes could be so versatile on long-haul flights. I never realized that these smaller planes could fly so far, for so long.

 

However, I see why Boeing is retiring the 747 since their smaller planes can literally do the same longer flights that they couldn't years ago. Considering the flight from New York to London is around 3100 nm miles, perhaps there will be a change from the airlines to the smaller 737? Seems the business model is steering that direction.

 

I took a video of the landing, and posted on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=takH6csSTpo).

 

You'd get this same sort of 'treatment' flying to Hawaii from the continental US. Anything that does not involve a landing outside of US borders is treated as a 'domestic' flight, subject to all the normal service restrictions you'd find on a 45 minute hop between Houston and Dallas.

[downscc 1,327]

Today I am enroute in the B736 with BBJ livery PHLI Kauai HI to homebase KCRP. FP distance is 3525 nm 7+28 flight time. ZFW as limited to 101.6 klbs fuel released was 44,381 lbs with US Flag fuel policy, which is about 97% full. Given that this had light tail winds, I think 3500 nm is a practical limit.

[mtrainer 136]

Thanks for all the kind responses.  

 

For some reason I'm partial to taking off from the Hawaiian Islands and seeing just how far I can get.

 

PHLI (Lihue) to KCRP (Corpus Christy, Texas) sounds like a really fun flight- I just may have to give this one a shot.   Let us know how it goes Dan!

 

Mark Trainer

[downscc 1,327]

 

 

Let us know how it goes Dan!

 

It went very well, and I didn't take the shortcut across Mexico. Here's the planned route: LIH.V15.OGG.R577.ELKEY..MZB.J2.FST..SAT.J25.CRP which I pretty much flew as planned except I went direct OGG to overfly Oahu and Maui, which was scenic, and then at FST I flew as if all the military MOAs where cold and turned direct to CRP at FST.

[Luis_KMIA 242]

Sometimes I simulate delivery flights from KBFI to Europe, which means fuel 100%, payload just pilots.

[magicmike 10]

i prefer short flights in the ngx no more than two hours but my longest flight was from miami international to saint marteen\

 

Billy Bob

[ClearedtoLand 149]

For anyone interested in non commercial routes on the 737, you can consider getting a nice scenery file for the US base at Diego Garcia, and use that as a refuelling stop from anywhere in Asia to back to the USA. My longest leg was a BBJ from Diego Garcia to somewhere in West Africa, I can't remember the exact route, but it came in at over 11 hours. Full fuel, pilots, four passengers, and not much in terms of luggage.

[metalmike 34]

Boeing Field - Dublin.

 

Ryanair delivery flight

Same here! 

 

It was quite a while back, so I don't remember the exact length.

 

With almost zero weight in the back you can go quite a ways.

[downscc 1,327]

 

 

US base at Diego Garcia

 

I believe it is a UK property RAF Diego Garcia; however it is leased to the US who paid for the expansion of the runways awhile back.  My unit deployed a team of controllers and maintainers with a RAPCON unit during Desert Storm for the B-52s deployed there. According to Wiki it is used as an ETOPS alternate but I'm sure you need prior permission to land (except emergency of course), and a good reason. The equipment and people filled a C-5, which was flown non-stop from Tinker AFB (Oklahoma City) to Diego...., a very long trip in web seating. On arrival there's no rest for the Air Force as they now set up the RAPCON and put it into operation. Everyone was real proud of that team.  We lost one B-52 when I cartwheeled on landing, which had to be hard to watch.  There's a nice officer's club on the North beach apparently, but no one goes to the South waters where Great Whites like to hang out.

[ClearedtoLand 149]

I believe it is a UK property RAF Diego Garcia; however it is leased to the US who paid for the expansion of the runways awhile back.  My unit deployed a team of controllers and maintainers with a RAPCON unit during Desert Storm for the B-52s deployed there. According to Wiki it is used as an ETOPS alternate but I'm sure you need prior permission to land (except emergency of course), and a good reason.

As usual, Major, you are spot on. Diego Garcia is on a rolling lease (If I remember correctly) from the UK. The island does have a bit of a controversial history and makes the news here in the UK from time to time, but that is not a subject to be discussed here. I think that if you are going to be based anywhere on US Armed Forces deployment, Diego Garcia has to be one of the most scenic bases. And I think you more than most here knows its strategic value to the US Airforce, as such, one can't just rock up there on a pleasure flight and ask to go sight seeing. For the flight that I did I imagined I was flying some high ranking military officials back to the USA. The scenery I used for my flight had the B 52s parked outside, but it's been a while since I installed it so I don't remember all the details about it. Now I am tempted to go and look for it again.

 

I enjoyed reading your bit of insider history on the island, it's always good to get a glimpse of just how professional and skilled our men and women in uniform are.