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Hi, I have the Bundle PFPX + Topcat, but I'm having a problem. PFPX freezes all the time I try to set the Aircraft Performance File to integrate with Topcat. I made a video to show what's happening: https://youtu.be/6oDkdJldo54 Anyone had the same problem? Any idea how to solve it?

Hi all, Does everyone use TOPCAT for performance data and running their numbers? If not, what do you use? Gregg

Hi! In Topcat there is not correct configuration for PMDG 738NGX, for this reason i created a version. The next configuration is specially considered for El-AL 738NGX (142 passengers, 16+126); however if possible make minor changes for use in another 738. The next configuration contains in brackets the explanation (you need delete this data for your final configuration version): --- [GENERAL] Aircraft=PMDG Mixed Class Winglets NGX [title that you will see in TOPCAT] Units=LB [units used LB or KG] [CONFIGURATION] Config=C12 Y148 [seats configuration: "C" is bussiness class and "Y" the por pular class in the aircraft, with the seats associated; is the information for your default aircraft; in TOPCAT interface you can choose another configuration for your particular aircraft, for example 142 seats for El-Al Airlines] Pax=160 [total passenger configuration; for 738 can be 189 but you can use for a particular aircraft for example 160 in the TOPCAT interface ] Cargo=47000 [total carriage weight in 738; this value is MZFW-OEW, in this case is 138300-91300 = 47000 lb] Fuel=46063 [total fuel in pounds] DOW=94000 [Dry Operating Weight; is the OEW + operation weights (tripulation, tripulations baggage's, equipment for kitchen, etc); this value is variable, but you can estimate a maximum; in this case i choose 94000 lb, but for my particular aircraft i can choose in next sections a weight between OEW and DOW] MZFW=138300 [defined by Boeing] MTOW=174200 [define by Boeing; there is three variations, 174200, 172500 and 155500 aproximately, PMDG uses model with 174200 MTOW] MLW=146300 [define by Boeing; there is two variations, 144300 and 146300, PMDG uses model with 146300] Assumed=Y [you choose if use assumed temperature for thrust or not] Derate=Y [you choose if use derate thrust or not] Combine=Y [you choose if use assumed temperature and derate thrust or not] [AIRCRAFT] aircraft.0=B737-800_GE [it is used internally for TOPCAT choose the performance data from model information that have the software] [TRIM] wing_root_chord=18.9 [read from PMDG aircraft.cfg file] wing_area=1348.000 [read from PMDG aircraft.cfg file] wing_span=113.1 [read from PMDG aircraft.cfg file] wing_sweep=23.5 [read from PMDG aircraft.cfg file] wing_pos_apex_lon=-43.8 [use from PMDG FS9 TOPCAT file] empty_weight_CG_position = -57.77 [use from PMDG FS9 TOPCAT file] MAC_Shift=1.31 [is an adjust parameters for shows the correct %MAC; for example, if in empty weight the FMC shows 20.8% %MAC and with a MAC_Shift TOPCAT shows 15.0%, i need change MAC_Shift until the reading will be the same that FMC; is the process for calibrate the %MAC showed in TOPCAT] [MAC_LIMITS_ZFW] mac.0=80000;6;32.3 [data used for the graphics %MAC vrs weights; i read this data from Boeing 738 AFM] mac.1=105000;6;36 [same showed before] mac.2=143425;6;36 [same showed before] mac.3=144000;6.1;36 [same showed before] mac.4=146300;14.1;36 [same showed before] [MAC_LIMITS_TOW] mac.0=80000;6;26.1 [data used for the graphics %MAC vrs weights; i read this data from Boeing 738 AFM] mac.1=143425;6;34.03 [same showed before]] mac.2=144000;6.1;34.10 [same showed before] mac.3=156760;8.70;35.7 [same showed before] mac.4=173000;12;31 [same showed before] mac.5=174700;16.8;25.5 [same showed before] [MAC_LIMITS_LDW] mac.0=80000;6;32.3 [data used for the graphics %MAC vrs weights; i read this data from Boeing 738 AFM] mac.1=105000;6;36 [same showed before] mac.2=143425;6;36 [same showed before] mac.3=144000;6.1;36 [same showed before] mac.4=146300;14.1;36 [same showed before] [PASSENGER_STATIONS] station.0=40;-36.16;Fwd Cabin;1 [position read from PMDG Aircraft.cfg file, and adjusted for considering empty position CG show in TRIM section; the first data is the maximum passengers in this position; PMDG divides the passengers weights in three stations, the distribution that they use is 28,17% + 43,66% + 28,17%; for example, if for your flight there is 100 passengers, 28 will be load in station 0, 44 in station 1 and 28 in station 2] station.1=62;-58.16;Mid Cabin;2 [same showed before] station.2=40;-80.36;Aft Cabin;3 [same showed before] [CARGO_STATIONS] station.0=23500;-36.36;Fwd Cargo;4 [same concept that before; the difference is only two stations for cargo, and i divided the maximum possible cargo in two equals parts] station.1=23500;-78.66;Aft Cargo;5 [same showed before] [FUEL] tank.0=-61.370;4 [position read from PMDG Aircraft.cfg file, and adjusted for considering empty position CG show in TRIM section] tank.1=-54.144;1 [same showed before] tank.2=-61.370;7 [same showed before] ;1 Centre Tank ;2 Centre Tank 2 ;3 Centre Tank 3 ;4 Left Main Tank ;5 Left Aux Tank ;6 Left Tip Tank ;7 Right Main Tank ;8 Right Aux Tank ;9 Right Tip Tank ;10 External Tank 1 ;11 External Tank 2 --- The stab trim data obtained from TOPCAT is not same that PMDG NGX, for this reason i don't recomend use it. I hope that the explanation will be clear. Sorry for the bad english, is not my first language. ^_^

Hi all, I am currently flying the Aerosoft's Airbus serie IAE engined aircrafts and for a while now, I have decided to became a more sophisticated flight planner as well. The first thing I've done was to install PFPX and in time I learned quite a lot from it. It gives me pleasure to use it but I cannot use TOPCAT with PFPX, (I did not even buy it) since it doesn't support any Aerosoft aircraft. So I wonder if you have some advices of any alternatives to TOPCAT. Also there is a performance sheet printing feature in the aerosoft's Airbus as well and I cannot be sure if such an add-on is really necessary for realism. I am waiting for your advices. Best regards, Enis

Over the past few weeks (and months), there have been numerous threads and posts regarding calculating performance figures in the PMDG 777-200LR/F, especially takeoff figures including assumed temperatures and V-Speeds. In those threads that I participated in, I mentioned the use of numerous manuals, such as the FCOM and FPPM to gain some figures for take-off performance. This will be a guide on how to do so, particularly for the 777-300ER fitted with GE90-115B’s.I would like to stress that while this is for the 300ER, assuming you have the appropriate manuals for the 200LR, the same method can be used. While I tried to use the FCOM as much as possible, some things are just not available in Volume 1 and therefore I was forced to use the FPPM. First of all, before I start, I would like to make a note that is not how a real crew would calculate/obtain their takeoff performance. They would either use performance manuals created by the airline, which are airport and runway specific, or OPT software on the Boeing fitted EFB or on a small ‘e-laptop’ (10” screen netbook etc.). You will see throughout the guide that a lot of rounding/conserving occurs, therefore there would be some discrepancies compared to if you used OPT software. Some acronyms used throughout this guide are; FPPM – Flight Planning and Performance Manual FCOM – Flight Crew Operating Manual (and for the purposes of this guide, solely Volume 1) OPT – Onboard Performance Tool ATM – Assumed Temperature Method V Speeds – V1, VR, V2 RW – Runway TORA – Take Off Runway Available ETOW – Estimated Take Off Weight I would also like to add, that this is a very primitive way of gaining figures from the FPPM/FCOM. Really, if I was flying a real T7, and only had access to the FCOM or FPPM, and none of the tools I mentioned above, I would go through 5 different charts/tables which contain numerous considerations (Runway Slope, Obstacles, Tire Limits, Brake Energy Limits etc.). For the purpose of this exercise, I will only be using the figures from the Takeoff Field Limit chart and tables. For the purposes on a flight on FSX, this suffices fine IMO. In real life, the performance manuals provided by the airline take into consideration all these things, and therefore the time taken to come up with an assumed temperature and v-speed is considerably quicker than doing so through the FCOM and FPPM. Now, lets get started! First of all, the scenario that I will be using.Today, we are flying a 777-300ER, fitted with GE90-115B’s, out of Sydney (YSSY), with a planned departure of Runway 34L. RW34L, from intersection A6, has a TORA of 3900m (3962m to be exact). For weather purposes, we will assume there is a direct 10kt headwind (so METAR is reporting 335/10), and the runway condition is dry. Our company SOP’s call for a FLAP15 departure with a D-TO1 de-rate setting. The pressure altitude at Sydney is rounded to SLP (0ft). Our ETOW today is 312450 KG’s(312.4T). Now to calculate our figures; Step 1: The first step to complete is to get our compensated TOW which will take into account the 10% decrease in available thrust due to our selection of a D-TO1 de-rate setting. To do that, we go the FPPM. We are working backwards with this table, as with most tables/graphs in the manual. Now in the table, as you can see there is no exact match for our TOW (312.4t). With all these charts, you are taught to be conservative. So for our purposes, we are going to use the figures for a TOW of 314.7t. So looking at the table above, you can see that with a TO1 de-rate setting, with a TOW of 312.4t (conserved up to 314.7t for planning purposes), the TOW that we should plan our figures for is now an amended 340t. This is due to the fact that we will have 10% less thrust available on the take-off roll. N.B: If the airline dictates that D-TO2 is also available, there are similar charts in the FPPM which provide figures for 25% thrust decrease availability. Step 2: It’s now time to find our corrected runway length to take into considering wind component and slope. Now as FSX’s runways aren’t sloped, I won’t be doing any calculations related to the slope. However, I will do so for wind component. The headwind component on RW34L is 10kts. The TORA from A6 sourced from ERSA is 3900m. We now can go to the FCOM and pull out the ‘Field Corrections’ chart. We are once again going to be conservative and choose a shorter runway length then we actually have. In this case I have chosen 3800m. Going horizontally across from my runway length and vertically down from my headwind component, you can see that we arrive at a figure of 3950m. Due to the headwind component, we have virtually obtained another 150m of available takeoff runway. Step 3: It’s now time to find our assumed temperature. For that we have 2 sources. We can either use nice, pretty and easy tables in the FCOM, or a nice graph that we can plot on from the FPPM. For the purposes of this tutorial, I will be using the tables from the FCOM (as most people don’t have access to the FPPM). Once again, we start at our corrected runway length (which has been conserved back down to 3800m from 3950m), work horizontally across till we find our TOW (which has been conserved up to 341.6t from 340t), and go horizontally up to find our max OAT. Therefore today, our assumed temperature, with a D-TO1 rating will be 42°C. Step 4: Time to get those important V-Speeds! Luckily, in the FPPM, we have a table to find our V-Speeds for D-TO1 take-off. Let’s pull out the V-Speed charts, for a dry runway with a D-TO1 rating. Now, since this chart is taking into considering the 10% thrust reduction, we DO NOT use our amended TOW which was calculated in Step 1. With our ETOW being 312.4t, I have rounded it up to 320t. Going horizontally across from 320t, and vertically down from Flaps 15, we arrive at our V-Speeds. V1 = 156, VR = 170 ad V2= 176. However, since we have a 10kt headwind, we must account for that such wind. Therefore we must now pull out the ‘Wind V1 Adjustments’ table. Once again, going horizontally across from 320t, and vertically down from our headwind component of 10kt, a V1 correction of 1kt needs to be accounted for (Yeah, I know, not much!). Therefore our takeoff performance looks something like this; --------------------------------------------- YSSY 34L @ A6, 3960m TORA D-T01, 42C N1: 96.8% V1: 157 VR: 170 V2: 176 ---------------------------------------------- Step 6: Enter all the relevant data into the FMC. De-rate and assumed temperature is done through the THRUST LIM page, and the V-Speeds done through the TAKEOFF REF page. I hope this guide helps some of you when the T7 comes out, and helps you get some rough performance figures until either TOPCAT or another 3rd party developer (Aurasim etc.) is able to produce a 777 takeoff performance tool. Any questions please ask away!

The TOPCAT website says it only supports the GE engine variants of the MD11 but I'm hoping the website is just out of date. Does anyone here with Topcat see support for MD11F PW engines? Thanks

Hello everyone. I am looking for to configure the programs, the weights(DOW, MTOW,Fuel Capaticity, etc...) for my PMDG winglets (livery austrian airlines)! Which values should I enter so Efass and Topcat with my PMDG match? I've already read many postings, but there are always different opinions! Thanks for your help. Wolfgang

Hi, I have been wondering if there is such a thing as an optimum Flex Temp that can be selected when presented with a range of viable flex temp options all other things being equal, in TOPCAT? Is there a minimum stop margin for specific aircraft that comes into play or is this completely pilot discretion or what other logic comes into play to determine which flex temp is best suited for departure? With a little trial by error I have been selecting take-off parameters that give at least 600m margin in good weather conditions. There's not so much info about this specific topic re stopping margins and Flex Temp selection I could find, but did find this little piece of info from an Airbus training which stated:- "According to FCOM, use the configuration that gives the highest flex. If both of them provide the same level of flex thrust or if you cannot flex, use the one with the highest flaps setting. This may change in specific conditions. " I would be grateful if someone could provide some insight as to what needs to be considered and how to select the best flex temp when there is more than one Flex Temp available? I am aware that various field/aircraft limitations and weather criteria play a big part in this but I'm not completely clear. Last, do those same criteria apply to de-rated thrust departures? Thanks,