OnCourse Software

mllgrennman wrote:

vololiberista wrote:

TOD is not ATCs responsibility it is yours.

So then why does ATC offer it?

ATC don't offer you a TOD. Their concern is to get you down in a timely and efficient manner. If you are flying at say FL370 and you are landing at Gatwick EGGK and you haven't requested a descent from French ATC then UK ATC will start you down as soon as you make contact. There is nothing incorrect in including a TOD in your submitted fpl thus advising ATC that at a certain point "more or less" you want to change altitude.

Look at this extract from my fpl from LIPZ to LOWI
UL615 PZ493 UT939 C/45N012WF140F240 ROKIB UZ468 GIKEB EKPEB/N250F200 BRENO/F140 INN/F120 RTT/F95
It says that at 45N012W I want to start my climb from FL140 to FL240. Note that 45N012W gives ATC quite a lot of leeway in terms of exactly when to clear me. The same format can be used for a descent too. See EKPEB/N250F200 BRENO/F140 INN/F120 RTT/F95. This is a REAL flightplan and you will see that different FLs are requested at actual waypoints.

thanks for the clarification and example...please give me some time to review it...thanks again

Dan77 wrote:

You can use waypoints based on geographical coordinates. They work fine in PF3.

yes, but some aircraft like the eaglesoft cx fmc does not accept geographical coordinates that are not native to flightsim...what now?

mllgrennman wrote:

yes, but some aircraft like the eaglesoft cx fmc does not accept geographical coordinates that are not native to flightsim...what now?

From http://www.eaglesoftdg.com/Layouts/cx20.htm:

Quote:

Cessna Citation X Extreme 2.0 Flight Management System Feature List
Exclusive: Supports Custom Waypoints

You have the previous version?

Yes I see that now....I was able to program waypoints into the CX by LAT/LONG and it worked...A lot of work, but very rewarding when done right...Thank you all for helping me with the subject...With Flightsim Commander, I now have the ability to create custom waypoints, and make sure PF3 has them where needed...(But if my request is ever met...I will still eat it up like candy!)

Thanks again...

And get them accents straightened out please

I'm a little confused. Do we need a waypoint where we want TOD to be? Also can we put altitude changes into the flight plan for PF3?

Hangar24 wrote:

I'm a little confused. Do we need a waypoint where we want TOD to be? Also can we put altitude changes into the flight plan for PF3?

You don't usually need to have a waypoint specifically for TOD. Most flightplans between major airports will have enough waypoints in the plan already.

Once you load a plan into PF3 it will take you to the flightplan adjustment page, or you can go back to it by selecting "adjust altitudes....Selected flight plan" button on the PF3 main display. There you can adjust altitudes for any waypoint/select end of SID/select start of STAR/set a hold.

Hangar24 wrote:

Do we need a waypoint where we want TOD to be?

PF3 needs the waypoint (s) to be within certain ranges if you are to get a proper TOD.

Hangar24 wrote:

Also can we put altitude changes into the flight plan for PF3?

pschlute wrote:

Once you load a plan into PF3 it will take you to the flightplan adjustment page, or you can go back to it by selecting "adjust altitudes....Selected flight plan" button on the PF3 main display. There you can adjust altitudes for any waypoint/select end of SID/select start of STAR/set a hold.

Jim, see the previous page (page 2) of this thread for an illustration of what Peter has described. Vololiberista has posted a screenshot of PF3's altitude adjustment page, where you can enter altitudes for waypoints. Note that this is optional. PF3 automatically generates an altitude profile for your flight plan and this usually works well, but you can adjust the waypoint altitudes if you wish. This is useful if you have charts and find that you need to be at a specific altitude at a waypoint.

Thanks for the insight. I've only been adjusting altitudes for the end of SIDs and the beginning of STARs. I thought PF3 would take care of the descent profile based on the descent rate entered into our aircraft profile. What's the purpose of the descent rate we entered into the aircraft profile then?

From the manual:

Quote:

Select Descent Rate – Select the rate of descent for your chosen aircraft.
Again the options range from 500 fpm to 4000 fpm in 50 fpm increments.
PF3 will use this information when calculating flight profiles, TOC, TOD, etc.

Since the aircraft profile seems to be ignored by PF3 I'll try adjusting the fllightplan altitudes and see if that works.

Edit: Maybe I shouldn't say ignored; just not working well when waypoints are far apart. I'll try to enter some custom waypoints using coordinates.