QF27 SYD-SCL Flight Levels - need some informed input!

[VHOJT 150]

Hi guys,

 

Just having a look at the recent flight plans for the Australia - South America flights, and almost all of the seem to have this unusual flight level profile planned:

 

310 - 330 - 310 - 330 -310 - 350 - 370 - 360 - 390 (see below).

 

Some other examples are 310 - 330 - 350 - 330 - 310 - 330 - 350 - 370

 

It seems like a lot of bobbing around, and unfortunately, it is pretty difficult to confrim if the aircraft actually does this on its route due to the lack of FR24 coverage etc.  It doesn't seem to.  I am wondering if it is planned this way for any particular reason - the only one I can think of is fuel freezing as this doesn't really look like the sort of thing they do for wind?

 

EDIT - having run the plan through PFPX, TAT does not seem anywhere near enough to be worrying about fuel freezing, so maybe that theory is out the window...

 

Any ideas?

 

DCT OPTIC DCT 3815S15810E 4142S16249E 4149S16300E 4318S16525E/M084F330 4553S17024E 4909S17743E 5126S17508W 5334S16154W/M080F310 5425S15619W 5525S15015W 5621S14140W/N0468F330 5637S13100W/N0457F310 5633S12836W 5606S12000W 5606S11959W/N0472F350 5446S11000W 5430S10832W 5355S10549W 5213S10000W 5205S09936W 4942S09351W/N0479F370 4748S09000W/N0476F360 4700S08831W/N0479F380 4511S08526W 4132S08000W/N0484F390 3845S07627W 3830S07606W 3741S07500W DCT SOSTA DCT ALGEK UQ808 EROLO

Edited November 25, 2018 by VHOJT

[mwa05 108]

Today’s QF27 as extracted from the flight planning pilot’s app...

That is the profile the flight planning system has selected for optimal fuel usage based on the grib winds.

It is unlikely the crew will fly that profile however the system does profile this way to show the optimum vertical profile over the route st time of planning.

QFA27  /257.VHOEF. ETD 01.50z FTI 11.58  STAB 14.10z  ETA 251401z

SYDSCLB01 DIST 6173 OALL WIND 271/053 (P045) F310 TEMP -43/ISA P03

 

OPTIC 3815S/15810E 4142S/16249E 4149S/16300E 4318S/16525E

4553S/17024E 4909S/17743E 5126S/17508W 5334S/16154W 5425S/15619W

5525S/15015W 5621S/14140W 5637S/13100W 5633S/12836W 5606S/12000W

5606S/11959W 5446S/11000W 5430S/10832W 5355S/10549W 5213S/10000W

5205S/09936W 4942S/09351W 4748S/09000W 4700S/08831W 4511S/08526W

4132S/08000W 3845S/07627W 3830S/07606W 3741S/07500W SOSTA ALGEK UQ808

EROLO

 

PLANNED ZFW 239.980 TOW 374.212 LGW 249.049 MINRES 005.060

CRZ FL310 CI40 EOD 01.15 FOD 010.070 FL200 THA 00.38

TROPOPAUSE 31694

 

YSSY/310/4318S16525E/330/5334S16154W/310/5621S14140W/330/5637S13100W/

310/5606S11959W/350/4942S09351W/370/4748S09000W/360/4700S08831W/380/4

132S08000W/390/

[VHOJT 150]

5 minutes ago, mwa05 said:

Today’s QF27 as extracted from the flight planning pilot’s app...

That is the profile the flight planning system has selected for optimal fuel usage based on the grib winds.

It is unlikely the crew will fly that profile however the system does profile this way to show the optimum vertical profile over the route st time of planning.

QFA27  /257.VHOEF. ETD 01.50z FTI 11.58  STAB 14.10z  ETA 251401z

SYDSCLB01 DIST 6173 OALL WIND 271/053 (P045) F310 TEMP -43/ISA P03

 

OPTIC 3815S/15810E 4142S/16249E 4149S/16300E 4318S/16525E

4553S/17024E 4909S/17743E 5126S/17508W 5334S/16154W 5425S/15619W

5525S/15015W 5621S/14140W 5637S/13100W 5633S/12836W 5606S/12000W

5606S/11959W 5446S/11000W 5430S/10832W 5355S/10549W 5213S/10000W

5205S/09936W 4942S/09351W 4748S/09000W 4700S/08831W 4511S/08526W

4132S/08000W 3845S/07627W 3830S/07606W 3741S/07500W SOSTA ALGEK UQ808

EROLO

 

PLANNED ZFW 239.980 TOW 374.212 LGW 249.049 MINRES 005.060

CRZ FL310 CI40 EOD 01.15 FOD 010.070 FL200 THA 00.38

TROPOPAUSE 31694

 

YSSY/310/4318S16525E/330/5334S16154W/310/5621S14140W/330/5637S13100W/

310/5606S11959W/350/4942S09351W/370/4748S09000W/360/4700S08831W/380/4

132S08000W/390/

Thank-you very much for the detailed explanation, Mark!  Very helpful.

[1290SASRider 26]

10 hours ago, mwa05 said:

Today’s QF27 as extracted from the flight planning pilot’s app...

Mark, which app is that specifically?

[mwa05 108]

5 hours ago, 1290SASRider said:

Mark, which app is that specifically?

Electronic Flight Folder on the Company provided Flight Crew iPad.