Globe Cargo

Good day

Just join Globe Cargo as a probationary Officer and haven't yet done my first flight.
Having read the Pilot's manual there are a couple of questions I would like to ask.

I never use the PMDG B747-400F Load manager as I find it very innacurate and lacking in many ways
and prefer to use TOPCAT to load and configure all flights. Would this be OK to use instead?

Sometime while flying on VATSIM all sorts of things can go wrong such as CTDs, etc.
How does this affect the PIREP software and is there any special recovery method to ensure PIREP
continues after restart?

Looking forward to doing some flying with you all. Thanks.

Joaquin,

First off, welcome to Globe Cargo. For your questions:

-the PMDG Load Manager isnt required, but recommended. As long as you use the PMDG 747-400 or the RFP-747-200 for your flights, you can load it with a calculator if you can get that to work.

-The PIREP software has a feature that saves your flight at certain intervals (1 minute by default, changable by the user) during your flight. If you experience a CTD and are forced to restart FS, you can re-start GCP and from the menu on the top choose to load your last saved interval. This will recover all the info about your flight and allow you to continue un-interrupted.

If you have any more questions, just let us know, and welcome once again!

Welcome Joaquin,

I'm sure you will enjoy it here. Don't ever hesitate to ask if you don't know anything.

Where can I get information on this 'Topcat' program? I have tried googling but it gives a million finds....

Regards
John Khan

Thank you for your replies.

TOPCAT is a payware program. http://www.topcatsim.com/
It has some specific profiles for the PMDG passenger and cargo versions as well as for the Level-D, however
it will also allow you to configure other aircraft types also. Provides accurate loading of aircraft & fuel as well
as allowing take off and approach/descent/landing calculations. I basically use this tool now everytime I fly.
Suggest you have a good look around the site and have a look at the forum and download section so that
you can get a better idea of the full capabilitites of this program. I must add that I am in no way associated
with the developer of this program or benefit in any way from its promotion.

I've not been able to do my first flight because unfortunately I have to work today and tomorrow, but definitely
it will take place sometime over this Easter weekend.

Joaquin.

Thank you for the information on Topcat, I'll have a look at it over the weekend.

Don't stress about the first flight, there is no rush. Better to get everything set up correctly and then get at it.

Regards
John

John

I am presently doing my 1st flight for Global Cargo and thought it would be a good opportunity to show you some of the things TOPCAT can do by reproducing the Load sheet and Take Off reports for my flight:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
L O A D S H E E T CHECKED APPROVED DATE TIME
ALL WEIGHTS IN POUNDS 10APR09 1937
.......... ..........

FROM/TO FLIGHT A/C REG A/C TYPE CONFIG
SPIM/KMIA GTI46 PMDG747F GE B747-400F/CF6-80C2B1F FREIGHTER

WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION
LOAD IN COMPARTMENTS 193300 BAG/300 CARGO/168000 MAIL/25000 OTHER/0
PASSENGER/CABIN BAG 741 AD/4 C/0 I/0 TOTAL/4+0

TOTAL PAYLOAD 194041 LAST MINUTE CHANGES
DRY OPERATING WEIGHT 364526 DEST SPEC CL/CPT +/- WEIGHT
ZERO FUEL WEIGHT ACTUAL 558567 MAX 635000
TAKE OFF FUEL 189500
TAKE OFF WEIGHT ACTUAL 748067 MAX 755293 L
TRIP FUEL 133820
LANDING WEIGHT ACTUAL 614247 MAX 666000
TAXI OUT FUEL 500

UNDERLOAD BEFORE LMC 7226 LIMITED BY TOW

BALANCING/TRIM CONDITIONS
MACZFW 19.0%
MACTOW 21.7% TAKE-OFF TRIM: +6.0
MACLDW 23.0%

CAPTAINS INFORMATION/NOTES
STD WEIGHTS USED AD/185 C/77 I/0
BLOCK FUEL/ 190000 (28194 GALLONS)
LANDG FUEL/ 55680
TAXI TIME 5 MIN

END LOADSHEET GTI46 SPIM-KMIA

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--- T A K E O F F R E P O R T ---------------------------------------------

GTI46 SPIM-KMIA
A/C PMDG747F GE B747-400F/CF6-80C2B1F
TOPCAT 2.54 10APR09 1939Z

ALL WEIGHTS IN POUNDS

--- AIRPORT/RUNWAY ---------------------- CONDITIONS ------------------------

SPIM 15 (JORGE CHAVEZ INTL)
T.O.R.A. = 11309FT WIND = 190/4 (3 HEAD)
T.O.D.A. = 11309FT ALT = 29.85
A.S.D.A. = 11506FT TEMP = +25 °C
ELEV. = 46FT (14M) WEIGHT = 748067 LB
HEADING = 153°
SLOPE = +0.6%

SPEED SCHED : VREF30=168 F5=208 F1=228 UP=248 CLEAN=268

--- REMARKS -----------------------------------------------------------------

NONE

--- FLAPS 10 - D-TO2 - RWY DRY - AIR COND ON - ANTI ICE OFF -----------------

* INDICATES OAT OUTSIDE ENVIRONMENTAL ENVELOPE

TEMP°C N1 LIMIT CODE V1 VR V2 MARGIN
33 * NOT AUTH *
-> 31 100.3% 748884 FIELD 154-154 163 174 20FT

--- FLAPS 10 - TO2 - RWY DRY - AIR COND ON - ANTI ICE OFF -------------------

TEMP°C N1 LIMIT CODE V1 VR V2 MARGIN
27 101.6% 753266 FIELD 154-155 163 174 140FT
-> 25 101.3% 755293 FIELD 154-155 163 174 200FT
23 101.0% 757286 FIELD 154-155 163 174 260FT

--- OBSTACLES - SPIM - RWY 15 -----------------------------------------------

NONE

--- ENGINE-OUT PROCEDURE (EOSID) --------------------------------------------

NONE


--- END TAKEOFF REPORT PMDG747F GE SPIM-KMIA ------------------------------

Joachin

Very impressive, I downloaded it and tried it out and will use it for the group flight todayl

John

Welcome mate

Welcome aboard Joaquin

Thanks

Welcome, again, Joaquin!

If I'm not mistaken, there is a demo version of TOPCAT and it includes all the features for the PMDG 744F. I must give it a try at last.


Ralf

Ralf

I'm using it and it is good for loading the aircraft.

The fuel calculations do not seem to be very accurate, - if you compare them to what the FMC calculates, - but I think they can be altered in the program, I havn't had time to check it out thoroughly.

John