I read an article in this morning’s news discussing how extreme heat conditions (more common now with climate change) are affecting airline operations. Because hot air is thinner, airliners may not generate sufficient lift, and engines may not generate sufficient thrust, to takeoff safely given the Load Factor (fuel, passengers, cargo) affecting an aircraft’s weight at takeoff. In cities such as Phoenix frequently experiencing temps of 110 degrees or more, airlines are bumping passengers from flights, reducing fuel loads, or canceling flights altogether in extreme cases.

I’m curious to know if this temperature vs. Load Factor effect is simulated in MSFS, particularly with the more “study level” aircraft (e.g., PMDG or Fenix) where there is considerable attention to Load Factor in setting up a flight.

Rich

What this boils down to is the question of whether MSFS simulates the effect of density altitude on aircraft performance - and the answer is yes, it does, not just for study-level airliners but for all aircraft in the sim. Here's an article from Flying Magazine that tested the effect of density altitude on the performance of the standard 172:

FLYING Magazine

Turn Up the Heat in Sims With Density Altitude Games

Now that it is officially summer, I tested Microsoft Flight Simulator and X-Plane 12 for aircraft performance with different hot weather regimes.

Now, as to whether you'll see an effect on the payload you'll be able to carry out of a given runway depends on multiple factors. A short runway at high elevation with obstacles in the departure sector will start to see performance limits at lower temperatures than a long sea-level runway without any obstacles.

You can see these effects in the takeoff performance calculator in Simbrief or in high-level addons. Go to different airports, vary the temperature and other environmental factors, and you'll see the effect on the payload you can carry.

56 minutes ago, rlashier said:

I read an article in this morning’s news discussing how extreme heat conditions (more common now with climate change) are affecting airline operations. Because hot air is thinner, airliners may not generate sufficient lift, and engines may not generate sufficient thrust, to takeoff safely given the Load Factor (fuel, passengers, cargo) affecting an aircraft’s weight at takeoff. In cities such as Phoenix frequently experiencing temps of 110 degrees or more, airlines are bumping passengers from flights, reducing fuel loads, or canceling flights altogether in extreme cases.

I’m curious to know if this temperature vs. Load Factor effect is simulated in MSFS, particularly with the more “study level” aircraft (e.g., PMDG or Fenix) where there is considerable attention to Load Factor in setting up a flight.

Rich

What you call load factor is payload. Term load factor in aviation refer to G forces applies

To answer your question: Yes payload and density altitude (thinner air due to elevation or temperature) are simulated in MSFS

To be honest it would be difficult to even call MSFS a "simulator" if it didn't simulate something so basic as density altitude 😄

Thankfully it does simulate this quite well!

9 hours ago, sd_flyer said:

What you call load factor is payload. Term load factor in aviation refer to G forces applies

Confusingly, the term "load factor" in aviation can mean two different things. There's the aerodynamic meaning you refer to, but "load factor" can also mean "the percentage of seats that are filled". However, this is usually used when talking about how well an airline is able to sell tickets for those seats; when talking about performance, it would be more usual to refer to "payload", as you note.

Thank you gentlemen for your helpful replies.

Rich