FSX:SE C46 max. payload figure includes fuel?

[HighBypass 2,339]

As far as I can tell, a figure of 15000 lb is quoted.This is great and would seem to fit with the ability of carrying 3 Jeeps and personnel (a Willys Jeep empty is just under 2000 lb). However, to get anywhere close to that in FSX means the plane's fuel load is minimal. I know that plenty of aircraft do not, or cannot even carry full payload with full fuel, but the numbers seem a bit odd. With 100% fuel, the payload is less than 5000 lb. From wikipedia,  C46A data MTOW is 45000 lb and empty weight is 30669, yet 15000 lb is stated as the cargo capacity, but that would appear to include the fuel too...

Taken from the aircraft cfg file, give or take 1000 lb :) 

Standard fuel is 1406 USG in six wing tanks = 8436lbs
LeftMain  = 0, -8,  0, 703, 3
RightMain = 0,  8 , 0, 703, 3
fuel_type = 1 
number_of_tank_selectors = 2                    
electric_pump=1


[WEIGHT_AND_BALANCE]

reference_datum_position     = 0.000, 0.000, 0.000
empty_weight_CG_position     = 0.000, 0.000, 0.000

max_gross_weight   = 44000	;airline certification limit
empty_weight       = 30164	;fully equipped cargo configuration with no seats

maximum landing wt = 44000

44000-30164-600-8436=4800 

station_load.0 =   "600, 0, 0, 0, crew"     
station_load.1 =  "4800, 0, 0, 0  payload" ; this is max cargo with full fuel in airline service

I guess I'm not seeing the wood for the trees, but would probably put an overloaded plane into those trees LOL

[qqwertz 782]

I noticed that as well. I suggest to post this on the JustFlight forum.

Peter

[Chock 17,769]

2 hours ago, qqwertzde said:

I noticed that as well. I suggest to post this on the JustFlight forum.

Peter

I think that's a freeware C-46 Mark is referring to there, so posting on Just Flight's forum wouldn't elicit much of an answer. Having said that, coincidentally, JF's (Aeroplane Heaven developed) C-46 is currently a bit problematic in the flight model department, although the guy working on its FDE told me (just today in fact) that they're on it and hopefully that will be fixed very soon, as it is a bit iffy at the moment to say the least.

With regard to looking at a .cfg file from FS, it's not always the best guide and one shouldn't be surprised to see things which look 'incorrect' in a .cfg file which have been done that way to make the thing fly more believably. For example, the Curtiss C-46 has propellers with a diameter of 13.5 feet, but if you look in the Just Flight C-46, they are in there as 11 feet, and this isn't an oversight because it also has a note next to that parameter which states why it was tweaked down to that lesser value.

[qqwertz 782]

Hi Alan,

thanks for the insightful comments. Yep, "iffy" is the right word :)

Peter

[CW46 101]

All the C46's in the operation I flew for had a max takeoff weight of 48,000 pounds.I was so disappointed with the JF version that they honored a refund request and it was not just the flight model. I pointed out along with other users that bugs present when released were so painfully obvious a blind man would have seen them. And then I came across the Jahn DC-3, an absolute joy.

[HighBypass 2,339]

Thanks guys - yes, its the freeware one by Libardo Guzman.

https://simviation.com/1/search?submit=1&keywords=c46ga.zip&categoryId=

Gary I don't know if you wish to give it a try regarding the flight model, although after flying the real real thing it would probably be a disappointment! 

Ignoring the cfg file for a moment, what puzzles me is that empty weight for the real plane. If that doesn't contain fuel (empty weight usually means that it does not, I believe) then the stated cargo capacity of 15000 lbs would include the fuel, up to more than 8000 lbs of it with full tanks..

FWIW I've noticed that the freeware C46 comes with MIL and south American options (high speed superchargers equipped). The MIL option allows an overload MTOW of 50000 lbs, but with a lower empty weight of less that 30000 lbs.. The MIL option incidentally comes bundled with the 4-bladed Curtiss electric props model, but I guess I could possibly copy the aircraft.cfg file over so that Tinker Belle (she was military wasn't she?) uses those weights...

 

Thanks for the input, guys! ... and I thought I was more of a jet guy.. LOL