Nearest Airports Page 737 and A320

[Speedwinner]

Guys,

how do you use this page on the 737? How helpful can it be,are the predictions accurate? Does the Airbus have a similar system?


Thanks for your help

[BOAC]

On 737 it is a most useful determinant for PNR/ETP and monitoring 'excess' fuel. Two appropriate airfields with missed approach selected for both as well if needed and another to taste.

[RAT 5]

Gentlemen, Would you care to elaborate on this 'page'. I must have missed something.

[K.Whyjelly]

On the Airbus you find it on the Data page at LSK5L (just above the Equi-time point key at 6L)

FCOM 4 info cut and pasted.................

The CLOSEST AIRPORTS page displays the four closest airports, from the position of the
aircraft, found in the navigation database (ref. FCOM, 4.03.28 for the page description), and
the 5th airport, as selected by the crew.
For each airport, the FM computes :
– The BRG/DIST/ESTIMATED UTC from the position of the aircraft to the corresponding
airport.
– The EFOB at the airport, assuming an EFFECTIVE WIND (defaulted or entered by the
pilot).
Note: When the CLOSEST AIRPORTS page 2 is selected, the list of airports is
automatically frozen, as indicated on the page.

[c100driver]

On the B733, alternate destinations.

I use it alot for PNR and ETP howgoesit type calculations.

You need to remember that it is just looking at distance from the aircraft position, not looking at shortest time.

It is not super accurate but give good backup to "fagpacket" calculations.

[Nightrider]

This all works fine only according to the airports stored in the database. There are plenty of operators around which have a very much tailored database and even some rare destinations are not hard-coded. Very recently an updated database did not show any of the three scheduled alternates as per operational flight plan.
Manual inputs are a daily job as the previous crew had to overwrite your yesterdays data.....

Costsaving is the reply from management, one database for all types of aircraft in operation.

[Old Smokey]

It is not super accurate but give good backup to "fagpacket" calculations.

TRUE, and the refresh rate is abonimably slow, about every 10 minutes:eek:

Regards,

Old Smokey

[BOAC]

I have to disagree there, OS, on the 737 I much prefer it to the fag packet (especially as a non-smoker) and the refresh rate is real time for estimates and (bearing in mind we use 100kg blocks for FMC fuel) likewise.

Rat - if you are enquiring about the 737, CaptainS&L:s web site will tell you.

[mr. small fry]

I seem to recall a similar thread where a poster asked how the FMS calculated PNR's and ETP's. Obviously forecast winds are programmed for the route to be flown, but does the box remember those forecasts that it has already passed along the route, or perhaps it takes note of the actuals that it passed, and remembers them?

But more importantly, how does it deal with offset diverts where no such data can exist?

[Metro man]

On the nearest airports page (A320) you can also manualy enter an airport of your choice at the bottom of the list.

Radial fix info (abeam) is also useful, as is continually updating the ETP airfields as you move along the track line.