lassekronborg

And by the way: If you find that the word document provided in the download is missing som information about how the sheet works please say so. I developed the sheet alone, so there might be a lot of things I hadn't thought about not beeing obvious to everyone. Lasse

Unless the plane is full the PMDG will distribute the passengers randomly and calculate the CoG based on that. Try deload som passengers and then enter the same number of passengers and you will notice, that the CoG is not the same every time. As the sheet can't predict how the NGX distributes passengers it will distribute the weight of the passengers evenly along the cabin lenght. Thus CoG might be different from the PMDG CoG. One thing that is true, however, is that First class passengers often weigh much less than coach class per feet of the cabin length simply because the seats takes up more space. At the moment the sheet does not handle more than one class very good. I'm working on an update which will be uploaded in a very short time, where these differences between the three classes are calculated much more precise. As for the distribution of cargo and luggage: In older versions the sheet had a 40/60 rule build in, so that the it would automatically place 60% of the weight in the aft compartment. But after I intruduced CoG calculations I thought it would be nice to have more control over that figure by beeing able to shift weight back and forth. I can't seem to find any consistent information or standard procedures about the distribution of cargo weight. I did find something though (I believe it was in the airliners.net forum) that in the 738 the first 1-2 tons goes in the aft compartment and then spill over to the forward, still keeping more weight in the back. I'm glad that you all like the sheet. It is great fun for me to make and to constantly try to improve. Cheers and thanks for all you relevant questions, feedback and requests. Keep'em coming! Lasse Kronborg

Yes.... ok... not an aprils fool but something similar. http://travel.usatoday.com/flights/post/2010/07/ryanair-announces-6-vertical-seats--but-is-it-just-a-hoax-by-the-airline/98722/1 It's all about making money. It's called viral marketing. And it works.

Hi Mikkel, It is the type of seat Y= Standard or economy C = Business F = First Class I'm not sure these letters are common for all airlines though. Cheers Lasse

Hi Ian The link works. But every time I update the file it gets a new url by avsim. The current file is linked to in this topic in my post from july 22nd. Lasse. Thanks,I have no plans for an app. The sheets is programmed via excel formulas and as such nothing can be converted to an app. And also I have no app programming skills. But when I plan flights I do it on the computer and then put the file in my dropbox and open it on my tablet. It works very well. Lasse

Oh and by the way. You choose what standard pax weight you use. 79.32kg is used to "translate" whatever weight you use to a pmdg pax number since in the ngx you enter pax number and not pax weightin the setup. Lasse

Hi Paul. Glad you like my work. I have made a short comment about changing units in the instructions document. When you change unit every calculation will change accordingly. But the values entered by the user (in all the blue cells) don't change automaticaly. You'll have to do that. Use the unit converter in the bottom right. But if you use the ctrl-r function the random aircraft payload generator will use avarage weights more suitable for lbs i.e. pax avg weight around 160lbs etc. Then just export the values from the generated pax manifest by using the ctrl-e function. Lasse

Ha, I thought that was an Aprils Fool. It would really make the Center of Gravity calculations more challenging. During climb everybody would be lying on top of each other in the rear of the cabin and during descent they would be stacked outside the cockpit door. And if the passengers didn't bring any luggage a 737-800 would fit around 250 PAX before reaching maximum zero fuel weight. That's a lot of paying meat to have tumbling around in the cabin. Would I go on a plane like that....? Without hesitation yes! Btw, although I don't think the idea of standing passengers is a realistic dream, I have flown with a least one airline that had squeezed the seats so tight to fit more passengers, that it made me feel like if I was standing (I'm 2 meters tall). Cheers Lasse

Hi again everybody, The Dispatch sheet has been updated to version 4.6. If you enjoy the sheet, this is an important update, as I have cleared a lot of bugs and added some nice new features as well as finished the calculations for Center of Gravity and the Take Off Trim setting. The updated Flight Briefing Package has also been greatly expanded. These are the changes from version 4.5: - New option to generate completely random manifest. Contrary to the version 4.5 way which generates a load sheet based on the entered average weights and selected number of PAX. - Names generator now takes the statistical frequency of the names into account. Now many more Smiths and Johnsons than Vangs. - Calculation of PMDG PAX equivalent was set to use a PMDG PAX weight of 84kg. This has been corrected to 79.32kg. - Corrected bug in passenger manifests that could show less names than the indicated number of passengers. - Mitigated scrolling when creating manifests. - Manifests can now be created no matter which sheet is active. - CG and T/O trim calculations are now valid. - Corrected trim /CG calculation error when using Lbs. - Corrected manifest export when using Lbs - Renamed flight briefing page to "Summary" and Load sheet page to "Flight Briefing" - Expanded the load sheet to cover a full flight briefing package (without weather and specific route information). - Added a feedback sheet for gathering fuel/time usage statistics to improve further versions of the sheet. - Rebuild of database sheet to (hopefully) mitigate some rarely seen failures in runway lengths at some airports. - added minimum reserve fuel figure to the fuel section of the planner. - Changed MTOW of PMDG aircraft to reflect the FMC limit and not the FCOM vol1 figures, which were very low. Remember that it is necessary to allow macros to use the passenger/luggage generator. As you can see from the above list, I have added an extra sheet. The idea is, that those of you who want to help me refine the fuel/time calculations send in a few flight details via mail. When I have received enough reports, I'll be able to use the statistics to make small changes in the calculations and thereby hopefully make the predictions even better. The link to avsim file library: http://library.avsim.net/esearch.php?CatID=fsxutil&DLID=178441 Cheers everybody - and so many thanks for your kind words and for taking the time to make suggestions and requests here and via the support mail address. Lasse Kronborg

Hi Kevin, Many thanks for the very good description of the problem which lead me almost directly to the solution. It turned out to be my mistake and not excel's, though I hate to admit it. I'll have a new version uploaded on AVSIM very soon. I also found some errors in CG calculations when using Lbs. The new version will also enhance the load sheet quite a bit. Expect to see a very professionally looking Flight Briefing Package printable in the good old pin printer style. Cheers Lasse

Hi again, I can't reproduce that error at EHAM. Are you using Excel 2007 or newer? When I enter EHAM I get correct runway lenghts. Any others having the same problem? Cheers

+1 like

You are right. I just never thought of the need of bringing fuel for return flight.

Hi, Only MS excell works flawless. Check the screenshots. They'll show what you are supposed to see. When airport codes are entered you should see apt name, city, country, and elevation. Lasse

Thanks. Ill check that EHAM error. It might be the database that I'm using. As for the reserve fuel that IS the way it is calculated. But I can see what you say. There should be a line called minimum reserve fuel required. The reserve fuel figure is what you should enter in the fmc. That also why it is rounded. Ill consider it for the next version as well as an update of the database. Lasse.

Hi All! Lots of new features in version 4.5 which has just been uploaded to the avsim file library: http://library.avsim.net/esearch.php?CatID=fsxutil&DLID=178269 You will need excel 2007 or newer to use the sheet, and to use all feature you will also need to allow macros. Cheers!

Hi I've updated the dispatch sheet to version 4.3 http://library.avsim.net/esearch.php?CatID=fsxutil&DLID=176737 Revision 4.3 - Improved landing distance calculations - Choose between autoland or manual landing - Now possible to enter IATA codes for airports as well as ICAO (i.e. EKCH = CPH) - Optional unit for runway distances. Can now be read either in feet or meters - 737-700 now accept up to 146 seats total. - Added total estimated fuel burn to the flight statistiscs section - Opposite runway end displaced threshold is no longer calculated as stopway and subtracted from TORA. TORA is now allways the full runway lenght. The database does not include stopway information. - Added a third sheet to simulate a standard loadsheet. Thanks for all your input on the forum, PM and mail. Enjoy, Lasse Kronborg

I allways get that message at TNCM (VOR-DME) and EKVG. (ILS-DME). I seems to be linked to specific beacons and not to an aircraft failure.

Well, as soon as I can get my hands on the PMDG777 and the full range of performance documentation, I'll start working on a new sheet. But it's probably not only a question of changing a few max and dry weight from the NGX. The whole logic has to be reviewed and tested again and again. Lasse

In toturial 2 fuel and reserve fuel is estimated based on a few basic guidelines. This sheet splits the flight in small bits or phases and calculates fuel and time for each bit. There's a lot more factors going in to the equation than the estimates in the tutorial. You'll probably find the fuel prediction in the sheet to be very close to actual usage. The fuel usage is not based on the tutorial but on actual fuel performance information. But it uses the same rules for fuel requirements: contingency, holding, taxi fuel... and so on. TOPCAT is really great. The airport database has much more information than the freeware database I have used. Hence the performance calculations are more precise. But TOPCATs fuel calculations are not very good. I can only recommend TOPCAT. And I'm really looking forward to the upcomming PFPX from the same developer. But try the sheet and see if it suites you.. It's free :-) Lasse

Hi Dmitrij Thanks for the kind words. I hope you are a little less confused by now. In the upper section of the sheet, where you choose the aircraft type, you can also choose the seat configuration. So you are only limited to the number of seats that is the maximum of that type of aircraft: 736 = 130 seats, 737 = 144 seats, (PMDG has place for 146, this will be the limit in the next version I'm working on), 738 and 739 = 189 seats. As for the BBJ I got the max seat numbers from Boeings sales webpage. I'm not sure they are true. you can combine the classes of seats as you want. You can even have three classes: Y,C,F. So you should'nt be limited at all. I'm going to stick with the passenger stuff, as I'm working on a way to calculate Center of Gravity. It's getting complicated, but I'm getting there :-). Besides aircraft performance is very much defined by load weights including PAX. So to make accurate calculations this information is needed. Thanks again for your feedback. Lasse

Look at this topic on the forum. http://forum.avsim.net/topic/405110-free-alternative-to-topcat/ The sheet offers help with fuelplanning. It does performance calculations as well. It might look like a very busy sheet at first. But don't panic. It is quite intuitive and easy to use. Regards Lasse

Hi all, I have learned that flight planning is not close to as simple as I thought at first. It all started with a simple sheet that combined information from route planners. performance planners (TOPCAT) and weather software. Then I thought "hey it could be fun to see if i could do some of the functions in the sheet itself. I started with a very simple fuel calculation, that step by step evolved into a complex calculation. But it wouldn't be really good, if it couldn't take cost index into account. Then I did the cost index, then the option to step, then, then, then... and before i even knew it it became what it is: big!. When I found a place on the internet, where I could get the airport and runway databases I could't resist taking it one step further and do the performance part also. I'll be looking forward to your feedback. //Lasse

Hi all, During the past few months I have developed an excel sheet to be used for weight and performance planning. I've designed it at tested it with the NGX. The sheet has been updated quite a few times and by now it can do almost everything that TOPCAT does (with much better fuel calculations). It can be downloaded at avsim. (use link below). The sheet can be used for fuel and weight planning and the latest versions can also calculate reference speeds V1, Vr, V2 Vref and Vapp, and takeoff performance (derates and assumed temperatures). The sheet is build around an airport and runway database. - Enter departure, destination, and alternative airport as ICAO codes - Select from the available departure and destination runways - Enter weather for departure, destination and en route. (can be found online or with most weather software) - Enter departure and destination runway conditions and slope - Enter number of passengers and luggage weight - Enter criteria for fuel calculations (holding, taxi, contingency....) - Read optimal and max cruise altitude and select cruise altitude - Read wind components for takeoff, en route, and landing - Estimate fuel and time usage based on many factors as altitude, weights, weather, and COST INDEX or long range cruise. - Read aircraft approach classification based on expected landing Vref - Read ZFW, TOW, LW - Find optimal landing flap settings and autobrake settings - Calculate effects of derates at takeoff - Weight can be entered as Lbs og Kg - Barometric pressure can be entered as InHg or MB (HPa) - Plan for 737-600,700,800,900 with or without winglets and short field package. - Calculate effects on takeoff performance based on engine and temperature derates, environment, anti-ice settings, PACKS on/off, flaps setting, and more - Calculate effects on landing roll based on approach speed, environment, flaps, autobrake, and more) - Read V-speeds for your specific airport, runway, and route selections - See a graph showing the flight profile - All information is combined in a briefing sheet to be used for reference during flights. - Briefing sheet contains comm frequencies for departure and destination airport - Documentation included for optimal use. I have used all available free performance information found online as well as the PMDG NGX documentation to create the background calculations. Some of the performance data was only available as poorly scanned graphs, so I had to try to design functions that would closely give the same results as the graphs. Most performance tables are rewritten to some kind of function. Thus the result might differ slightly from what you'd get from reading the tables/graphs. I have found, though, that when testing with the PMDG NGX I get very close to the "real" values. I.e. predicted fuel usage is pretty close to the actual fuel usage. I've designed the sheet using excel2007. I haven't tested on earlier versions of excel, but it might work okay, as I have only used standard functions. No macros are used. I have no professional experience with either dispatch planning or real life flying. So I might have made a few mistakes here and there. But again: I've found the calculated values to be very close the what I've actually experienced conducting flights with the NGX. Any comments, request for improvements or pointing out bad calculations are greatly apprieciated And the link: http://library.avsim.net/esearch.php?CatID=fsxutil&DLID=176426 Cheers, Lasse Kronborg

It depends on your landing speed. C is common for 737-7,8,900 whereas the 600 often is B Look here for the ICAO rules. FAA differ a bit. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_approach_category