Did any airlines actually operate BAEs at anything close to maximum passenger capacity given these weight limitations?
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So, the default SimBrief values for passenger weight and baggage is 175 lbs/79 kgs and 55 lbs/25 kgs, respectively.
The JustFlight SimBrief profile has a passenger weight of 77 kgs and 0 kgs for baggage. (Side question if someone from JF can answer, why was the baggage weight set to 0 kgs/pax?)
The max capacity of the B463 is 128 passengers as modeled. At the JF weight of 77 kgs each, that comes to 9,856 kgs. Added to the aircraft's empty weight of 25,642 kgs you are already at a ZFW of 35,498 kgs -- leaving only 3,511 kgs for fuel and baggage before you hit the aircraft's maximum landing weight. SimBrief calculates 30 minutes of reserve fuel at around 811 kgs, reducing your headroom to about 2,700 kgs for baggage and alternate, contingency, extra fuel, etc. At 25 kgs each, 128 passengers would bring with them 3,200 kgs of bags. The problem is immediately apparent!
This payload capability seems extremely constrained. Does anyone here know how operators generally coped with this? I have a 2001 United timetable that includes Air Wisconsin's 146s in the cabin maps and it lists the capacity for the -300 at 100 seats, and if I've counted right an old Ansett New Zealand timetable puts the -300 cabin capacity at 87, so I assume capping the capacity well below the capacity JF has modeled was the norm. But, I'm interested to hear if anyone has any background from how other operators handled this.
Second side note for JF: The -300 appears to have been modeled with 122 seats, 6 fewer than the upper limit in the EFB.
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I had a similar problem with those JF's 146-300 weights and I asked here in this forum help to understand a correct weights values. I got answeres that check the manual but there is only some kind average weights given but not exactly to every variants of the plane. I had a one Simbrief profile where was Service Ceiling set 35 000 but manual says that this is 30 000 and some real life specs I found 31 000.
I understand that every airliners use a different things but would be nice to get those weight values from the devoloment team - give us a real Simbrief profiles with a corrects weights or at least a corrects weights that we can use as we plan a flight.Than You
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I don't believe we ever published our own SimBrieif profiles for the 146. The ones listed on SimBrief are all user-created so the values used will have been set by the creator. We have made a note to investigate this and to publish our own SimBrief profiles if necessary.
With regards to the service ceiling, the 146 has several different service ceilings depending on its configuration. With its traditional avionics fit, the aircraft wouldn't be RVSM compliant, so that would limit the service ceiling at 28,000ft for modern-day operations. Excluding RVSM limitations, the service ceiling of the 146 is determined by the type of pressurisation system fitted. In the version we have modelled, the service ceiling is 31,000ft.
Mark - Just Flight
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@Mark Re: the service ceiling, the cabin altitude selector on the overhead only goes up to 29,000 as modeled in the JF 146, so unclear how it would attain the stated service ceiling of 31,000 feet? Seems like it has a de fact ceiling of 29,000 feet.
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I seem to recall that 29,000ft is the standard maximum altitude that the 146 with the semi-automatic pressurisation system fitted (which is what is fitted in our simulation). Certain aircraft then have a modified pressurisation system that increases their maximum altitude to 30,000ft or 31,000ft. This requires a change to the positive relief control valve's setting in the pressurisation system, which changes automatically based on the aircraft's altitude.
So I believe the correct procedure would be to select 29,000ft on the pressurisation controller, and then if the aircraft is certified for 30,000ft or 31,000ft the positive relief control valve will automatically control the pressurisation above 29,000ft.
There are then aircraft fitted with a fully automatic pressurisation system, which are cleared up to 35,000ft and that is the system we are simulating in the upcoming RJ Professional.
Mark - Just Flight
