737 Experience Landing

[FridayChild]

Why the swearing?  ;D

[ashaman]

Felt like it.

Really, if that you call swearing, you would not survive half hour around where I live.

[Conan Edogawa]

Is there any mathematical formular which gives someone the ability to calculate it in an easy way (I mean, how much fuel you need)?

PS.: I know, that the IFR plan calculates it itself. Just want to have some alternatives.

[pepper_airborne]

FL / 2 + IAS = TAS

Distance / TAS = Time

Time * FEUL = payload feul

then take some extra for climbing, landing, holding pattterns, etc.

[ashaman]

My method is a lot more empirical. Let's just say I have to fly from city A to city B...

Here I have the first problem, because there are no cities on this planet that are called either A nor B.



Sorry, I'm in a silly mood.

Seriously now; my method is to establish either the max distance the plane can cover with max fuel or the number of hours said plane is able to fly with full tanks. Having one or the other value, I extrapolate the fuel I need empirically, allowing a purposeful error for excess for obvious reasons.

1) Let's say that this 747 is capable of 16 hours of flight. This means that for every 10% of fuel I put into the tanks I fly for a little more than one and half hours. I have to fly from LIRF to KJFK. Estimated time of flight: 8 hours. I need 60% of total fuel that would allow me for a little in excess of 9 hours and 30 minutes of flight. more than enough for reserves and captain discretion (Note that it would suffice me only 55% of total fuel, but then I would find myself tight on reserves if something happens like a stronger headwind or, for those who fly online, to be put in wait for other traffic to land before me).

But seen that usually I only find the max theoretical range in nm I found myself using the following, somewhat less precise method more often than the one already given.

2) This MD82 is told capable of 2000 nm of range. This means every 10% of fuel in the tanks allow more or less for 200 nm of range. I have to fly from LIRN to LIPE, distance 360nm. I need a little less than 20% of total fuel. This calculated fuel I have to correct by the estimated weather and add the reserves, and here things go hairy. In the end I approximate for excess a lot.

I know perfectly that this way of calculating fuel is arbitrary and not really precise, then again, FS way to calculate fuel is even more arbitrary end even less precise. If I did load the fuel FS suggests me for a whatever flight and then I add a 50% of the same value between reserves and captain discretion, I'd have to declare fuel emergence WAY before destination airport.

With the given methods, the only time I've found myself in a tight spot was that time in a Bae146 when I performed my mythical worst CAT III landing in Bangkok, when, unable to see anything, with a plane that did not have autoland nor a HUD, I landed the plane with no flare (the only reason it did not crash surely was because that plane had the damnedest nose-up attitude in landing). And could not divert, because I had so much fuel remained that the engines went dead while taxiing to the gate.

[vololiberista]

In reality a fully loaded 747 won't land it will crash!! You have to at the very least ditch most of the fuel. And then if that's notenough to bring yourwieght down chuck the pax out one by one until you reach max AUW landing.
Vololiberista

[Conan Edogawa]

FL / 2 + IAS = TAS

Distance / TAS = Time

Time * FEUL = payload feul

then take some extra for climbing, landing, holding pattterns, etc.

Thanks, but was does TAS mean?

[ashaman]

...if that's not enough to bring yourwieght down chuck the pax out one by one until you reach max AUW landing.

It's nice to know that you're not a airliner pilot, Volo.

Thanks, but was does TAS mean?

True Air Speed.

[Conan Edogawa]

I'm sorry, I only flew too much CFS2 the last few days...

[ashaman]

Nothing to be sorry about. No one here is infallible nor all-knowing.

[pepper_airborne]

I doubt the FAA likes it that you throw out the PAX, i think you need ATC permission for that.

[vololiberista]

I doubt the FAA likes it that you throw out the PAX, i think you need ATC permission for that.

Actually no!! As pilot in command you have the absolute authority to chuck people of your a/c!!!!!
Vololiberista

[pepper_airborne]

That is good to know!

[ashaman]

Actually no!! As pilot in command you have the absolute authority to chuck people of your a/c!!!!!
Vololiberista

I know I'm repeating myself, but I think no one's going to complain when I reiterate that it's nice to know that you're not a airliner pilot, Volo.

[vololiberista]

Actually no!! As pilot in command you have the absolute authority to chuck people of your a/c!!!!!
Vololiberista

I know I'm repeating myself, but I think no one's going to complain when I reiterate that it's nice to know that you're not a airliner pilot, Volo.

I'm only quoting from the "Air Navigatino Order" which is part of UK air law!!! But don't you think chucking pax off one by one to achieve a safe C of G landing weight is the best idea  8-)
It's the most effective method!!!!
Vololiberista