G-CIVA

The EICAS advisory message FUEL TANK/ENG is normal when over 54t of fuel is loaded & it will happen everytime you fly with more than approximately 54t of fuel. Pages 303 & 308 of the PMDG 744 Manual refer.It is a milestone point in the flight that the pilot should be looking out for.B744 Fuel Sytem Logic:Fuel is burnt from the CTR & STAB Tanks (if used) before fuel in the wing tanks 1,2,3 & 4.This minimises stress on the airframe, with the fuel in the wings providing balance against the flex placed on the wings during flight...this reduces as the fuel in the CTR & STAB tanks is burnt away. The STAB Tanks start pumping into the CTR Tank when the CTR Tank qty reaches approx 47-45t.The CTR tanks then burn into all engines until 900kgs is left...>FUEL OVRD CTR EICAS advisories prompt the crew to turn these pumps off & the remaining 900kgs is scavenged into Tank 2 as this tank feeds the APU when it is in operation.Once the CTR & STAB tanks are empty the OVRD Pumps 2 & 3 then take over...there is a greater amount of fuel in Tanks 2 & 3 compared to 1 & 4, the OVRD pumps have more pressure than any of the pumps associated with Tanks 1,2,3 & 4 & therefore burn fuel from Tanks 2 & 3 into all four engines via the fuel manifold & crossfeeds 1 & 4 until the Fuel System Logic detects an equal amount of fuel across Tanks 1,2,3 & 4.Once the Fuel System Logic detects an equal amount of fuel across Tanks 1,2,3 & 4 it produces an EICAS Advisory >FUEL TANK/ENG...promting the pilot to turn off the OVRD 2 & 3 Pumps & close Crossfeeds 1 & 4...this occurs anywhere between 54-51t of fuel remaining.The fuel then flows from the associated tank to the engine, Engines 2 & 3 receive fuel from both Tanks 2 & 3 via the main fuel manifold & the fuel is burnt in a balanced way across the tanks & wing.If the OVRD 2 & 3 were left on then all 4 engines would burn fuel from Tanks 2 & 3 & this would create excess stress on the wings with a larger amount of unburnt fuel in Mains 1 & 4 compared to Mains 2 & 3.Your fuel imbalance occured because you did not set the fuel system to feed tank to respective engine when the 4 wing tanks all reached equality, the OVRD Pumps on Wing Tanks 2 & 3 kept pumping fuel from Tanks 2 & 3 into all four engines creating undue stress on the outer wing where Tanks 1 & 4 probably held in excess of 12.7t each.

Its not implemented AFIK...you will only see the next S/C green Doughnut on your ND...until the FMS/MCP ALT has been changed & the current S/C scenario has been commenced.What you saw in the DVD might well be a customer preference (& there are many) but I suspect the ALT entries were manually entered into the LEGs page e.g. 340S, 360S etc.

Normal procedure is to place the IRS Switches to 'OFF' then straight to 'NAV'Then initialise the FMS/CDU POS INIT page 1/3 in the normal manner.

Allan,Assumed Temp & Flex could be seen as one & the same.With regard to TOPCAT it depends on how you want to have do your TOPCAT calculations...as I only fly the 747-436 for BAV only the "allow assumed/flex temp take off" box is checked. If I need to do a MX flight to/from Cardiff with an empty aircraft I'll just go into the TOPCAT Aircraft file & make the changes for that flight, reverting to the above afterwards.Steve

Ed,I don't want to sound picky, nor am I trying to 'flame you' for your comments- that's definately not my obective here...this has been a really informative & lengthy post so far but I just wanted to clarify a few bits of detail:On an RNAV APP you are only going to use LNAV or HDG SEL as the ROLL MODE - LOC Mode will not work unless an LOC Beam is available, verfied & correctly tuned...nothing wrong with the Pilot Not Flying monitoring a NAVAID in RAW DATA as a crosscheck. LNAV is fine for RNAV, GPS, VOR & NDB approaches so long as they already exisit as a 'built approach' in the ARR section of the DEP/ARR Pages. If LNAV does not agree with the RAW DATA then HDG SEL should be used for the remainder of the APP.At the Derived DA (MDA + 50ft) you should be visual & therefore conducting a visual approach (monitoring instruments) - not following the computed VNAV PTH - as you are at or below the published minima for the approach...if no RWY environment is visible at the Derrived DA you should be going missed.BestSteve

No worries - glad to help.

BA 744s operating during normal line operations have their Take Off Performance Calculations usually calculated by a system based at Compass Centre near London Heathrow called 'CARD' using info entered by the crew using the centre CDU in ACARS mode. CARD allows better performance and higher take off weights vs the manual calculations from the Performance Manual which tend to err on the conservative side.CARD/ACARS spits out the figures which are then printed & entered into THR REF & TAKE OFF REF pages in the CDU/FMC...these are then checked against the final loadsheet which is sent to ACARS normally following the pushback, any changes which fall outside of the original CARD numbers (higher ZFW?) may require a new CARD take off calculation prior to arrival at the holding point.BA SOP is that all Packs are set to OFF for every take off above 300t, the rationale here is that this helps to keep engine temperatures slightly cooler thus preserving engine life. Packs are selected back to 'ON once CLB thrust is set after departure.Engine Thrust mode is normally 'TO' with (or without) an assumed temperature unless at very light weights, where TO-1 or TO-2 with/without an assumed temp may be used - such as an empty aircraft departing EGLL for Cardiff for maintenance or vice versa.TO-1 & 2 are fixed derates at 5 & 15% reductions in total thrust, BA do not normally use these unless recomended by CARD, prefering to opt for Full TO Thrust with or without an assumed temperature as stated above. The rationale is that if an ENG Fail occurs after V1 a futher press of the TOGA Switches will cancel any assumed temperature and command full TO thrust. Do the same with TO-1 or TO-2 with an assumed temperature and you will only get the maximum rated TO-1 or TO-2 thrust.CLB 1 is normally set once the aircraft is 'clean' & accelerating towards the ECON CLB SPD (calculated by the FMS against a CI of 0 for the climb).All of this info is from a RW source, albiet now 3 years old & forms part of our FCOM & SOPs used at BAV, somone with more current RW info might chip in.

Just remember to downselect the entry in question from the LEGS Page into the SCRATCHPAD before entering the PBD additions...the FMC Manual describes in detail.

There is a way but you will be left with the inevitable missmatch between the out of date Navigation Database native to FS & perhaps what is present if you use current DEP/ARR Plates & are an online flyer.The FMS with an up to date Navigation Database will perhaps give better results if you are using some sort of flight planning tool or website for you routes.Might be worth spending a few minutes putting .pln to .rte into you search engine to see what is revealed:http://forum.avsim.net/topic/102582-pln-to-rte-pln2rte-utility/

Sorry to sound obtuse but why did you bother spending your hard earned cash on this addon which (fairly) accurately replicates the RW FMS? IRL crews use either canned routes from the FMS database or construct them using the RTE Page...linking an 'anchor' FIX via Airways & DCTs to the destination.

:(

TOPCAT?http://www.topcatsim.com/

All this is massively confusing - The guy has asked a Q regarding the procedures required for a Non-Precision Approach (NPA), there are 2 options, an NPA using V/S - probably the easier of the two to learn & practice:http://www.rcoco.com/sdoc/data/pdfs//plane/boeing/B747/diagrams/B747-400-Instrument_Approach_(Using_VS).pdfor alternatively an NPA using VNAV:http://www.rcoco.com/sdoc/data/pdfs//plane/boeing/B747/diagrams/B747-400-Instrument_Approach_(Using_VNAV).pdfHopefully a picture paints a thousand words. Personally I would not attempt to try this type of app at San Diego...probably safer & to practice & master somwhere quiet with a nice long runway with no significant terrain issues affecting the approach.Hope this helps

At a guess I imagine there is some sort of >parameter< built into one of the files that runs the programme that needs to be met or exceeded in order for the sound file to play.Now you know why the PNF calls 'SPEEDBRAKE UP!' on deployment after touchdown.Steve

Normally the Speedbrake is armed by the PF as the Landing Gear is selected DOWN by the PNF...I have never experienced any issues arming the speedbrake in this manner, if you are then there is clearly an underlying issue at play.Are you absolutely sure that they are not deploying? Sometimes if you grease a landing they do deploy but the sound file does not play...that is not necessarly an indication that they have not deployed...I'm sure you have done this already but hawk the STAT Display on the Lower EICAS during landing to see if the spoilers actually do come up...or watch the throttle pedastal whilst doing the same.Steve

Real names are required here as per forum rules.http://forum.avsim.net/topic/245586-you-must-sign-your-full-real-name-to-posts-to-use-this-forum-posts-without-names-will-be-deleted/Have you tried a search on AVSIM or flightsim.com ?

Do you have pedals?You need a registered copy of FSUIPC & you need to calibrate your game controllers....create a null zone & remove the 'background noise' which is probably sending erroneous 'spikes' into FS.Give me a bell (pardon the pun!) on skype this week & we'll get it sorted.

Match the FS default A/T Discon key assignment with the same for PMDG.If you have a registered version of FSUIPC you can then map this common keyboard shortcut to a button on your yoke.

They will if you change the defaults.You need to match the default FS values & the PMDG keyboard assignments.

1 ATC tells KLM601 (AMS-LAX) to maintain 180kts until LIMMA intersection (FAF on the ILS25L)...most likely to maintain spacing for traffic on the same approach. The PF calls for Flap 10 & 180kts...a standard config during the intermediate approach phase.2 The direction of the tailwind is not the issue...the wind component is more important. A 240 degree wind landing westerly at LAX is actually a head wind anyway.Max tailwind component (TWC) for an autoland in the 744 is 15kts. LAX operates westerlies for most of the day...even with a light tailwind just like London Heathrow...the upper winds (3000ft) are also taken into consideration when ATC decides on westerly or easterly operations. I'm sure somone else with some local LAX knowledge will chip in.

'The above-mentioned process, however, is not entirely efficient. When flying to the West, airlines typically route their aircraft further towards the poles than you might think, because they can take advantage of the rotation of the earth when farther from the equator. Of course, there's somewhat of a tradeoff between the distance added and the time saved. The balance of those factors is how far towards the pole they'll go'Pardon the pun but....where on earth did you get that from?As Dan says the shortest distance between two points on a sphere is a great circle track. Put 2 'x' marks on a tennis ball & then join the two up with a piece of string...viola! a great circle!

With practice consistently good landings are possible with Flap 25...'greasers' can be bad for your health :( Reduced flap/idle reverse landings have economic (especially with carbon brakes) and noise/environmental advantages. To not use them on a long, dry runway seems overly prescriptive to me.At our VA we strive to mimic the SOPs of our RW counterparts. Its about the level of realism & how far you want to take it within the bounds of the flight simulation world.

Chris,The figure of 1.10-1.20 EPR is a good setting to stablise the engines on the take off roll.Around 1.20-1.30 (60-65% N1) should see you right on the app.There are some pretty good sets of sound files already available in the usual places...they can be a bit of a frame hitter on lower spec PCs...the default Roller sounds are actually quite nice...a background growl at high thrust settings is drowned out by the rushing air over the fuselage during crz.

Chris,Some bits & bobs from the other side of the world.Personally, & IMHO, use the PMDG Load Manager to set the ZFW...you can never be sure that a 3rd party programme has correcly fed data to the .cfg file.Landing Flap SelectionAt the VA we both know so well the normal landing flap selection is FLAP 25 unless RWY length/& or limiting conditions exisit in which case FLAP 30 should be used. Other factors that may influence landing flap selection include CAT3/AUTOLAND conditions where FLAP 30 should be used.So FLAP 25 unless the RWY is short, or you are landing in limiting conditions...somewhere like RWY05R at Mexico City where perhaps FLAP 30 would be preferential due to the high density altitude & resultant higher speeds across the ground...a slower approach using FLAP 30 may bring benefits including less reliance on the autobrake absorbing all that energy. If the weather is particularly gusty & bumpy FLAP 30 should be considered. Other conditions may include a steeper than normal ILS glidepath i.e. greater than 3 degrees...such as Maritius and Prestwick landing westerly. It goes without saying that in the freighter you would be normally landing at fairly heavy weights & that FLAP 30 is normally the better option wherever you are.The target approach speed should be VREF+5, VREF+10 or VREF+15 dependent on weather conditions & exceptionally VREF+20 should be used if windshear conditions exist. The SPEED BUG should be set to the TARGET SPEED.So in normal conditions VREF+5 kts should suffice.DO NOT make large or abrupt power changes as this may destabilise the approach. If the speed on a limiting RWY is in excess of VREF+15kts over the threshold the a GO-AROUND should be immediately initiated. Maintain the correct approach path using the ILS information (if available) and note that any external visual aids other than the PAPI should be ignored below 300ft AAL. DO NOT allow the SPD to decrease below VREF+5 kts as the drag induced at this stage will require a large increase in power. The aircraft should be aligned with the RWY extended centreline by no later than 300ft AAL. If this is not possible a GO-AROUND should be immediately intitiated. Only minor lateral corrections should be carried out below this height.LandingOn landing, to ensure a touchdown not more than 300m past the threshold the pilots' aiming point should be 600m past the threshold. At 100ft RA the nose of the aircraft should be very near the threshold, if the threshold has been passed then the aircraft is high. At 50ft RA the aircraft should be over the threshold, if the threshold is still in sight then the aircraft is low and a GO-AROUND should be immediately initiated. When the threshold passes under the aircraft nose and is out of sight the visual sighting point should be switched to the far end of the runway whilst maintaing a constant descent rate and airspeed. This will assist in maintaining a constant pitch attitude during the flare...this is the key to a smooth touchdown.Increase the pitch attitude by 2 degress as 30ft RA is passed, this will slow the rate of descent...the Radio Altimeter will be the cue if operational. Slowly reduce the Thrust Levers to idle aiming to have them at the Idle Stops at touchdown adjusting pitch to maintain the desired descent rate. Fly the aircraft onto the runway.Do not allow the aircraft to float and watch the pitch attitude...at 11.5 degrees nose up the rear of the fuselage WILL make contact with the runway in a wings level condition.FLY the nosewheel on to the runway and without delay. DO NOT attempt to hold the nosewheel off the runway as this will affect the braking capability of the aircraft. Track the runway centreline with the rudder pedals and ensure the SPEED BRAKE has deployed automatically...if not manually deploy it. In cross wind conditions maintain the into-wind aileron during the deceleration.Reverse ThrustMost airlines have three types of Reverse Thrust Policies:Idle Reverse - The normal seting when RWY and/or conditions are not limiting...also at noise sensitive ARPTs a certain times (early morning at SYD etc).Partial Reverse - Used when it is appropriate to reduce the energey absorbtion by the brakes - e.g 'Hot and High ARPTs'Full Reverse - Used when limiting conditions exists and down to 70kts or when a safe stop is assured. After touchdown the reversers should be selected to the interlock - i.e 'REV' in yellow is displayed above the engine tapes on the upper EICAS,then the briefed selection should be set.That pretty much it...pitch attitude and the smooth commencement of the flare with smooth and simletaneous thrust reduction to idle commenced at 30ft RA are the key.FLY the aircraft onto the runway!Practice, practice and more practice until the correct control inputs become instinctive is the key.Hope this helps & hope you are well mate.

That's fine as long as you are sure that TOPCAT is correctly loading the load stations that exisit within the .cfg file.If you have loaded the ZFW in the PMDG Load Manager (many months ago perhaps?) & did not use the tri-class PAX configuration & are now using an aircraft file within TOPCAT that does have a multi PAX configuration you will be loading the aircraft incorrectly. Can you be absolutely sure TOPCAT has loaded all of the load stations in the .cfg file correctly?That's why you are better off using the PMDG Load Manager...thats why they ship it as an integral part of the addon...which is why I believe that the advice we give to newer pilots here is to use the PMDG Load Manager until they are confident with what they are doing.I understand your strive for realism using FS passengers, but the actual PAX/Bag/Tin numbers are really irrelevant in the virtual world.The important number is the ZFW for fuel/flight planning purposes.