Chatper 3: Flight Planning
Not intended for real world pilotage. For entertainment purposes only. Consult your manufacturer, operator, and/or local regulatory body for all operational requirements.
Cost Index
Most operators use variable cost indices to optimize the operating costs of a flight against weather, fuel costs, and scheduling needs. FedEx also employs variable CIs to control aircraft sequencing into hubs. We recommend pilots use SimBrief's automatic cost index feature to simulate this.
However, if a standard cost index is preferred, use the following standard CI values:
- A300/A310: 55
- B757/767: 80
- 777: 150 (or 15 for addons that model CI as 0-99)
- MD11: 200 (or 15 for addons that model CI as 0-99)
Weight and Balance
Each aircraft add-on is modeled by the developer to represent different subvariants and reference aircraft, and so it is impossible for there to be a standardized aircraft weights and payloads across the FDXvirtual fleet.
The A300 has a minimum flight weight of 198,410 lbs. This means the aircraft cannot be flown empty and must have ballast added until the minimum flight weight is reached. This can be added via an increased fuel load or via freight/cargo weight to represent ballast weights.
Fuel Requirements
It is each pilot’s responsibility to ensure when planning their flight that they carry enough fuel on board to reach their destination, as well as fuel for any required alternates and/or contingency fuel.
Pegasus will detect any and all instances of fuel changes in-flight, and any PIREP with a fuel increase during flight is subject to immediate invalidation without appeal by the admin/staff team.
If a flight cannot be completed due to the fuel load, the pilot should divert to the closest company airport rather than increase fuel in flight. Diverting appropriately combined with an honest assessment in the required PIREP comment will upgrade the resulting PIREP from invalidation to rejection (hours granted, no points).
Extra Fuel and ETOPS Planning
When booking a flight via the Dispatch via SimBrief method, a pop-up window will appear offering an Extra Fuel amount – defaulted to zero pounds – and a tick box to enable ETOPS planning.
The ETOPS Planning tick box corresponds to the ETOPS Planning tick box in the New Flight screen on the SimBrief site and selects whether SimBrief should find ETOPS alternates if the route requires them.
Domestic Fuel Reserves
All flights within the contiguous United States must be dispatched with enough fuel to a) reach the planned destination airport, b) fly to and land at the most distant alternate airport included in the dispatched flight plan, and c) to fly for 45 additional minutes at normal cruising fuel consumption.
International (Flag) Fuel Reserves
Any flights with the departure or arrival airport outside of the contiguous United States must be dispatched with enough fuel to a) reach the planned destination airport, b) fly for a period of 10% of the total time required to fly from the departure airport to the arrival airport, c) fly to and land at the most distant alternate airport included in the dispatched flight plan, and d) fly for thirty (30) minutes at holding speed at 1,500 feet above the alternate airport under standard weather conditions.
Weather Minima
A flight may not depart if the arrival airport is forecasted to have visibility below the published approach minimums at the time of arrival. If the weather deteriorates enroute, visibility must be above the published minimums for that approach prior to beginning the final approach segment. If visibility drops after beginning the final approach segment, the approach may be continued but a missed approach must be executed if the runway cannot be seen visually at minimums.
Alternate Airports (3-2-1 Rule)
All flights must be dispatched with at least one (1) alternate airport included in the flight plan, unless the following condition is met: for at least one (1) hour before and one (1) hour after the estimated time of arrival at the destination airport the forecasted weather indicates the ceiling will be at least 2,000 feet above the airport elevation and the visibility will be at least 3 miles.
Diversions
If it is necessary to divert, make every effort to divert to an airport that is in the company's network. If you do not know what airport that is, Pegasus will display the nearest company airport. However, if the issue is severe enough to warrant it, you can also divert to the nearest suitable airport.
For a diversion to a company airport, vAMSYS will automatically book a temporary, one-off flight to the intended arrival airport, allowing the pilot to complete the original trip. If, after diverting, the pilot jumpseats to another airport, that flight will no longer be available.
For a diversion to a non-company airport, vAMSYS will provide the pilot with two options: 1) move the pilot to the intended arrival airport or 2) move the pilot to the original departure airport.
Altimeter Procedures
At or below the transition altitudes, express the vertical position of the airplane in terms of altitudes.
At or above the transition levels, express the vertical position of the airplane in terms of flight levels.
While passing through the transition layer, express the vertical position of the airplane in terms of flight levels when ascending and in terms of altitudes when descending.
For flights en route, express the vertical position of the airplane in terms of:
- Flight levels at or above the lowest usable flight level;
- Altitudes below the lowest usable flight level.
Altimeter Changeover
The height at which altimeters are reset between QNE and QNH (transition altitude/level) varies by location and is published on route manual charts. At some locations the transition altitude/level is issued by ATC.
Inches / Hectopascals / Millibars / Millimeters
At many foreign locations, altimeter settings are issued in hectopascals (sometimes called millibars) or millimeters rather than inches of mercury. Some locations issue inches of mercury on request while others routinely give both. The method of issuing altimeter settings is listed on route manual approach charts.
Definitions
- QNE: Altimeter set to 29.92 inches of mercury or 1013 hectopascals/millibars. Used when flights are required to maintain a flight level. Altimeter displays pressure altitude.
- QNH: Altimeter set to local station pressure. Used when flights are required to maintain an altitude above Mean Sea Level (MSL).
- QFE: That altimeter setting that would result in the altimeter reading zero feet with the aircraft on the runway.
- Transition Altitude: The highest altitude that may be assigned by ATC. At or below the transition altitude, set altimeter to QNH.
- Transition Level: The lowest flight level (pressure altitude) that may be assigned by ATC. At or above the transition level, set altimeter to QNE.
- Transition Layer: When the transition altitude and transition level are not the same, the airspace between is called a transition layer.
Altimetry Differences
This section summarizes the altimeter procedures to be used when operating in areas where ATC clearances reference meters QNE above transition altitude and meters QFE or QNH below transition level.
Altitudes in Russia and China are based on metric measurements, using:
- QNE for operating altitudes above the transition altitude.
- QNH or QFE in areas below transition level.
Setting Altimeters: Transition Altitudes and Transition Levels
Unless specific country rules direct otherwise, use the following procedures to aid in preventing failure to change altimeter settings during climbs and descents in international operations.
Takeoff
Set appropriate QNH (local altimeter).
Climb
Set QNE (29.92 or 1013) when passing the Transition Altitude.
Descent
Set QNH (local altimeter) when passing the Transition level.