Introduction 

Alternates Group 

This topic covers the Alternates group on the Plan Screen. You will learn how each option in the group is used by the N-FP system and learn the static and dynamic aspects of automatic alternate generation. 

We estimate that this will take 3 minutes to complete.

Detailed Explanation

Alternates Group

The Alternates group allows the addition of the different alternates that may be required in flight planning. This topic will detail the components of the Alternates group.

Clicking on the double arrow next to Alternates will expand to show additional fields.  

Click the Alternates >> button.

If you have a takeoff alternate listed on the main Alternate group, it will show in the T/O field as well.  

The Altn input field must be blank in order to activate the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th alternate fields. 

The Route drop down menu for each alternate allows you to select a city-pair route from existing routes in the list. If a route does not exist, this field will be blank.  

Using the green arrow opens a path field that allows the manual entry of a route for each alternate listed.  

Set the maximum flight level for the route to the alternate in hundreds of feet. 

Set the maximum landing weight for the alternate.

Enter the IFR fuel in minutes for airport approach in the first box or set the fuel amount in the second. If both are set to 0 (default) there is no impact on the flight plan calculation.

The information in the MLF field is also found on the main Alternate group. 

The Burn drop-down 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.

The aircraft profile will default to the primary profile set in the FOMS menu or you can click the green arrow to exand and use a specific profile which allows you to choose from the dropdown. 

The PSR 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).

Enter a policy to use for PSR calculations. A policy can contain up to 6 scenarios and each scenario can create a PSR location. If blank, an ETP Policy is not used.

In the Reserve field there are four options:  Fuel, Time, Use Minimum Landing Fuel, and Use Scenario Hold Fuel. The calculation does not use any fuel that was originally planned for other purposes. The flight must land with the same amount of min 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.

In the TotAlt field enter the number of alternates to show in the Flight Package (up to 9).