Alternates group fields | Description |
Island Hold | This dropdown menu allows you to enable the Island Hold function. If Island Hold is enabled, the flight planning engine will add enough fuel for the aircraft to hold for two hours since no alternate airports are available. This is used when the destination airport is on an island. When ISLD or None options are selected, the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th alternate fields; and primary hold fuel; hold time and flight level fields become disabled. For each alternate, this includes the: Alternate dropdown Route dropdown MFL field.
When blank, the aforementioned become enabled again. |
T/O | This field allows you to enter the ICAO/IATA code for a takeoff alternate. This alternate cannot be located more than 1000 nautical miles (or the distance set in the Aircraft Characteristics database) from the origin. |
1st | This dropdown list allows you to select the ICAO/IATA code for the primary alternate. By default, the first alternate on file for the destination is displayed, but can be changed.
When the Alternates group is expanded, the Route dropdown field appears to the right of the first Alternate dropdown. This allows you to select a city-pair route from existing routes in the list.
Also displayed when the Alternates group is expanded, the maximum flight level field to the right of the Routes dropdown field. This allows you to enter the Maximum Flight Level for the route of the flight to the first alternate (in hundreds of feet).
Clicking the informational context arrow  to the right of the first alternate field (or right clicking the field) after an alternate is entered, opens a box displaying View weather and NOTAMs. Click this box to view the weather and NOTAMs for the first alternate. This is only available when the alternates group is not expanded. |
2nd | This dropdown list allows you to select the ICAO/IATA code for the second alternate.
When the Alternates group is expanded, the Route dropdown field appears to the right of the second Alternate dropdown. This allows you to select a city-pair route from existing routes in the list.
Also displayed when the Alternates group is expanded, the Maximum Flight Level field to the right of the Routes dropdown field.
This allows you to enter the Maximum Flight Level for the route of the flight to the second alternate (in hundreds of feet).
Clicking the informational context arrow  to the right of the second alternate field (or right clicking on the field) after an alternate is entered opens a box displaying View weather and NOTAMs. Click this box to view the weather and NOTAMs for the second alternate. This is only available when the Alternates group is not expanded. |
3rd | This dropdown list allows you to select the ICAO/IATA code for the third alternate.
When the Alternates group is expanded, the Route dropdown field appears to the right of the Third Alternate dropdown. This allows you to select a city-pair route from existing routes in the list.
Also displayed when the Alternates group is expanded, the maximum flight level field to the right of the Routes dropdown field. This allows you to enter the Maximum Flight Level for the route of the flight to the third alternate (in hundreds of feet).
Clicking the informational context arrow  to the right of the third alternate field (or right clicking on the field) after an alternate is entered opens a box displaying View weather and NOTAMs. Click this box to view the weather and NOTAMs for the third alternate. This is only available when the Alternates group is not expanded. |
4th | This alternate dropdown list allows you to select the ICAO/IATA code for the fourth alternate.
When displayed when the Alternates group is expanded, the Route dropdown field appears to the right of the Fourth Alternate dropdown. This allows you to select a city-pair route from existing routes in the list.
Also when the Alternates group is displayed, the Maximum Flight Level field to the right of the routes dropdown field is expanded. This allows you to enter the Maximum Flight Level for the route of the flight to the fourth alternate (in hundreds of feet).
Clicking the informational context arrow  to the right of the fourth alternate field (or right clicking the field) after an alternate is entered opens a box displaying View weather and NOTAMs. Click this box to view the weather and NOTAMs for the fourth alternate. This is only available when the Alternates group is not expanded.
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Route | A route can be added and assigned a number in the City-Pair Routes menu (FOMS 305). This route number is available for selection if there are several routes for the alternate.
When selected, the informational context arrow opens a dialog to manually build an alternate path. Routes are constructed in the standard route string format as used in the NFP route tab. |
MFL | A Maximum Flight Level can be assigned to an alternate in the Alternates database (FOMS 110). This flight level is automatically populated in the MLF field. |
MLW | This field allows you to enter the maximum landing weight for the alternative. This field is populated from the Max Landing Weight (MLW) on the Aircraft Characteristics menu (FOMS 220). |
IFR Time/Fuel | Enter the IFR fuel in minutes for airport approach. This field is populated from the Alternates menu. Enter the IFR fuel amount for airport approach. This field is populated from the Alternates menu. If both are set to 0 (default) there is no impact on the flight plan calculation. |
Behaviour | If Time=X, Fuel=0: X added to descent time, no fuel (in KGS/LBS) added to the descent burn. If Time=X, Fuel=<blank>: X added to descent time, fuel (in KGS/LBS) determined by hold rate added to the descent burn. If Time=X, Fuel=Y: X added to the descent time, Y LBS/KGS of fuel added to the descent burn. If Time=<blank>, Fuel=<blank>: same behavior as having 0 in both fields – no impact on calculation.
Note: The same behavior occurs when fuel is set to a specified value (in KGS/LBS) and the time field varies (0, <blank>, time in minutes). |
MLF | This field allows you to enter the Minimum Landing Fuel for the alternate. |
Enrte | This field allows you to enter the ICAO/IATA code for an enroute alternate. The use of an enroute alternate allows for a reduction in the amount of contingency fuel required. |
Burn | This dropdown allows the user to select the method by which the alternate fuel is calculated: The maximum of all burns for the alternates The burn of the first alternate The larger of the burns for the 1st and 2nd alternates 1st via 2nd Alt - allows the route to go over 2nd alternate on way to 1st alternate No alternate burn at all.
By default it is populated by the Burn Alternate field in the Airline Code Parameters menu (FOMS 170). |
PSR | This field gives you the ability to calculate a Point of Safe Return (PSR). This calculates a PSR that allows the aircraft to return safely to the origin airport (or another airport based on your input in this field or weather conditions).
The PSR airport must have the origin flag set to <Y> on the Airport Suitability menu (FOMS 122). |
PSR Policy | Enter a policy to use for PSR calculations. A policy can contain up to six scenarios and each scenario can create a PSR location. If blank, an ETP Policy is not used. |
Reserve | Options are: Fuel Time Use MinLandingFuel Use ScenHoldFuel.
The calculation does not use any fuel that was originally planned for other purposes. The flight must land with the same amount of Minimum Landing Fuel (reserve, hold, alternate burn) as it would at its destination unless a custom reserve fuel is used in the Reserve field.
When Use ScenHoldFuel is selected, the ETP scenario hold fuel will be used as reserve fuel for the PSR calculation. If there is no reserve fuel used in the policy, Use MinLandingFuel will be applied.
You can set PSR to default to the origin station using the Default Pt of Safe Rtn field in the Airline Code Parameters menu (FOMS 170): |
TotAlt | Enter the number of alternates to show in the Flight Package (up to 9).
The additional alternates are selected based on the Alt List Source and Max Search Radius fields in the Alternate Defaults group in the Route Data tab on the Airline Code Parameters WebFOMS screen.
Alt List Source is called Populate List From on the FOMS 170 menu. The alternates are not included in burn calculations. You can also set this number as a default in the Airline Code Parameters menu (FOMS 170) or as an input default on the Input Defaults screen. A format change is required for this functionality, you can contact Support for further information. |
Escape Route Stations | Use these fields if you want NFP to restrict the escape route search to the Stations you provide. If any stations are defined here, NFP does not automatically attempt to define your escape route airports. The system informs you if not all airports were used. |
