Staying on Flight Plan routes

[Whine Lover]

Sitting up, leaning over, and punching the new fix or route into the box is too tiresome....The path of least resistance is FPR.




YKW

 

[Cardinal]

Requested the 'filed route' much more often at my turboprop regional.

1 - Single-engine performance over the rockies. The release only guaranteed terrain clearance 5 miles either side of the filed route. To otherwise ensure technical compliance at lighter weights you had to dig out a performance chart + enroute chart, at heavier weights phone patch dispatch over Airinc to have the flight planning software chew on the new route, or just make sure it was really cold at altitude.

2 - Our worthless manuals left no wiggle room with dispatch even when the route was shortened. We were supposed to call them, period. Again, no Acars meant a ridiculous Airinc phone patch. If a fed was observing us, the ensuing conversation was going to be so professionally embarassing that it was much better and lower risk to stay on the route.

 

[say again]

Speaking from the "other side of the release", at SWA we run best winds routes when they would possibly be advantageous. Once you calculate crossing restrictions, etc, if the savings is enough you'll (in my experience) see the recommendation to stay on the best winds route.

I try to include the note "directs negate the savings", and the amount of time and fuel the route should save so the crew knows that if they stay on the filed route they will save xxxx lbs of fuel and save xx mins. While I have no problem loading the bird up with fuel when needed, if a best winds route will save 1500 lbs of fuel and 14 mins of flight time and a crew still chooses directs (with no specific reason why other than habit), that's when we have an issue because they're burning my profit sharing check.

Turb/Mtn wave avoidance routes get the same notice on the release and the directive to not deviate if at all possible while in the zone.

Thanks SKC for the explanation from the other side. Being a corporate guy, I do my own flight planning. Is the software you use available to outsiders? I currently use FltPlan.com, which is a very good site.

 

[cale42]

Requested the 'filed route' much more often at my turboprop regional.

1 - Single-engine performance over the rockies. The release only guaranteed terrain clearance 5 miles either side of the filed route. To otherwise ensure technical compliance at lighter weights you had to dig out a performance chart + enroute chart, at heavier weights phone patch dispatch over Airinc to have the flight planning software chew on the new route, or just make sure it was really cold at altitude.

Same... luckily our performance charts are pretty easy to reference. But certain weights and temps I know I can't meet driftdown over the hills.

cale

 

[ATLplt]

I get paid by the minute, and getting to the overnight faster by accepting direct doesn't pay the bills. If I could leave out 10 min early and arrive 13 min late every leg I'd do it. Even just 10 minutes x 3 legs = an extra half hour of pay every day. Multiply by 12-15 days per month and you get 6-8 hrs extra. Over the course of a year that's nearly an extra months pay for flying safely and adhering to the flight plan that the dispatcher and flight crew agreed upon.

 

[Tweaker]

What he said. But wait...there's more!

I ain't payin' no dolla' fifty cents for no coke (in the terminal). But I am gettin' a coke (from the galley).

1.50 x 2/day x 180 days / year @ work = a monthly new truck payment which I paid off in two years! Bada bing!

 

[SKC]

Is the software you use available to outsiders? I currently use FltPlan.com, which is a very good site.

I'm sure if you wanted to pay Jeppesen some money, they would give you access to jetplan.com for flight planning.

 

[BoilerUP]

Thanks SKC for the explanation from the other side. Being a corporate guy, I do my own flight planning. Is the software you use available to outsiders? I currently use FltPlan.com, which is a very good site.

Universal & ARINC both can plan best-winds routing for you on a given city pair.

 

[say again]

Thanks for the replies gang!

 

[igneousy2]

Great Circle Route ......

737 and EMB FMC's give you a GC. I'm pretty sure Buses and bigger Boeings do the same.

 

[PeanuckleCRJ]

Our releases are noted if due to winds or some other reason we cannot accept direct (or we need to stay on planned route for wx).

Otherwise direct it is...