Insufficient fuel

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Today, for the second time, I took on a job after having all greens in the  flight management menu - only to find when I got into FS9 that my plane won't carry sufficient fuel for the job.

I thought that if this was the case, the relevant line should go from green to red? In any case, the green line was at less than maximum and it allowed me to accept the job.

Last time in the Caravan, I fell short by just 18nm. I managed to land and refuel just in time, but though I got to my home base well within the allotted time, I had to forfeit more than the amount I would have earned for the flight.

This time - my first task with the Twotter - I find myself short of fuel by a massive 1000lbs and unable to do anything about it.

This means that theoretically, I'd have to sit down with a calculator and work out exactly how much fuel I'd use with a certain cargo weight over the required distance before I can confidently go into FS9 for my flight, knowing I won't get a big fine again.

That sux. 

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JD-LincsUK Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Ground Crew Joined: 10 Apr 2008 Location: Pluto Points: 72	Post Options Post Reply Quote JD-LincsUK Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Insufficient fuel Posted: 19 Apr 2008 at 9:33pm
	Today, for the second time, I took on a job after having all greens in the flight management menu - only to find when I got into FS9 that my plane won't carry sufficient fuel for the job. I thought that if this was the case, the relevant line should go from green to red? In any case, the green line was at less than maximum and it allowed me to accept the job. Last time in the Caravan, I fell short by just 18nm. I managed to land and refuel just in time, but though I got to my home base well within the allotted time, I had to forfeit more than the amount I would have earned for the flight. This time - my first task with the Twotter - I find myself short of fuel by a massive 1000lbs and unable to do anything about it. This means that theoretically, I'd have to sit down with a calculator and work out exactly how much fuel I'd use with a certain cargo weight over the required distance before I can confidently go into FS9 for my flight, knowing I won't get a big fine again. That sux.

montkaissy Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Check-In Staff Joined: 05 Apr 2008 Location: Cairo-Egypt Points: 33	Post Options Post Reply Quote montkaissy Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 19 Apr 2008 at 10:12pm
	Hi, in the *fleet mangment, you can change the aircraft configuration*. in your case you can lower the fuel consumtion(LBS/HR), i think that might help M. KAISSY
	M.Kaissy

JD-LincsUK Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Ground Crew Joined: 10 Apr 2008 Location: Pluto Points: 72	Post Options Post Reply Quote JD-LincsUK Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 19 Apr 2008 at 10:30pm
	I now realise that the problem is that instead of showing the maximum fuel load on the relevant line, it's showing the maximum total payload. So I have to watch that the fuel weight doesn't go over what I know the aircraft can carry. Strange one this - it does the same with the Cessna Caravan but, strangely, the Andover has the correct fuel weight maximum shown. Think I'll have to ask JF about this with a support ticket as it does seem to be a bug. If not, it would be the same with all my aircraft, which it isn't.

allardjd Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Moderator in Command Joined: 02 Apr 2008 Location: Florida - USA Points: 4506	Post Options Post Reply Quote allardjd Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 19 Apr 2008 at 11:48pm
	There's something important to remember here... The Aircraft Configuration settings in the CP Fleet Management screens DO NOT effect the actual performance of the AC in FS. Those settings are only for use by CP in the Flight Management module, i.e. for cargo generation. They affect the quantity and distance of jobs generated and most importantly, control the settings of the green bars. You can tell CP that your Caravan will burn 5 lbs/hr and fly 500 knots, for 10,000 NM, and CP will happily generate cargoes that accomodate that and will allow you to accept them. None the less, when you get to FS, it's just a Caravan and will perform as Caravans always do. Beware fudging the values in Aircraft Configuration in a non-conservative direction or suffer the consequences. Your best path is to, a) put conservatively realistic values in Aircraft Configuration, b) know your aircraft's performance parameters and do a sanity check on the numbers before accepting a job, and c) allow a reserve. Remember that winds can make a huge difference in ground speed and thus in range. In the real world, IFR flights are required to have enough fuel to reach the destination, fly to an alternate, and have a 45 minute reserve beyond that at cruise power settings. Trying to coax the last mile out of your fuel tanks is not realistic. You can depend on getting caught on the short end of the dipstick once in a while if that's the way you plan your flights. One thing that helps is to do a fuel burn check early in your flight and see how the fuel consumption vs. distance is looking. If you're going to be short, throttle back - your flight will take longer, but you'll increase your chances of making it.

JD-LincsUK Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Ground Crew Joined: 10 Apr 2008 Location: Pluto Points: 72	Post Options Post Reply Quote JD-LincsUK Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 20 Apr 2008 at 11:19am
	All valid points, but still not what I mean. CP has the correct data for my aircraft's fuel load in the aircraft data page. This amount is in the aircraft.cfg file of the model and shows in FS9 too. However, on the flight management screen, CP quotes my maximum cargo payload where it should be showing the maximum fuel load. So it's acting as if I can carry as much fuel as I can cargo, in addition to the cargo. So I have to keep an eye on the fuel required part to see if I really have enough or not - which defeats the object of having the green "okay" lines - which, incidentally, I have never seen turn red as per the manual. So that's why I say it's a bug. Comprehendé?

Scooternjng Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List P/UT Joined: 02 Apr 2008 Points: 136	Post Options Post Reply Quote Scooternjng Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 20 Apr 2008 at 2:20pm
	That's one of those bugs that we want fixed on CP2.
	The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. --Edmund Burke, Irish philosopher & statesman

allardjd Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Moderator in Command Joined: 02 Apr 2008 Location: Florida - USA Points: 4506	Post Options Post Reply Quote allardjd Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 20 Apr 2008 at 2:26pm
	Go to the old forum at... http://forum2.justflight.com/forum/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=44 Download and install Service Pack 2. It fixes the bars. If you check your version (Click the office desk, lower left corner of the next screen) it should be 1.3.1 or greater.

JD-LincsUK Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Ground Crew Joined: 10 Apr 2008 Location: Pluto Points: 72	Post Options Post Reply Quote JD-LincsUK Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 20 Apr 2008 at 6:21pm
	Hmmm, that's quite daft. I just downloaded 10 days ago - you'd think this would be included in the download version now. As the download version is now larger than the size quoted on the download page, I assumed that this was the case. I already have the patch in case I needed it for the demo. Thanx for pointing out how to tell the version - mine is 1.1.0 . I'll install it now.

cpltom Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Check-In Staff Joined: 08 Apr 2008 Location: Michigan Points: 22	Post Options Post Reply Quote cpltom Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 25 Apr 2008 at 9:42am
	same here JD, and I used a CD to install.