Package System Generation Refinements?

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Cat
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Package System Generation Refinements?

Post by Cat » Thu Oct 29, 2020 5:04 pm

Just curious - Is there any way to reduce the huge amount of international packages at "podunk airports" and repurpse those resources to more local destinations?

Example shown: Twin Falls, Idaho KTWF

Who is going to come get these single 88's to fly across the globe? My guess is NOBODY. So wouldn't it be far better to repurpose the resources needed to generate all these useless packages to something we would actually pick up and deliver?

It probably sounds like a simple idea, yet as I don't know anything about the coding, it will end up being a huge PITA for you Joe. Sorry in advance.

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joefremont
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Re: Package System Generation Refinements?

Post by joefremont » Thu Oct 29, 2020 9:55 pm

Well something is up there, the code for 40kg packages is supposed to set a maximum distance of 500nm so why are so many bound for EDDT/Berlin
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joefremont
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Re: Package System Generation Refinements?

Post by joefremont » Thu Oct 29, 2020 10:38 pm

Ok, found a bug in the package generator that basically rendered the maximum package distance useless, which is now fixed. It will take two weeks for the old packages to expire but no new ones.

As I was looking into it, I had set the maximum distance for 200kg packages to 4000 nm, as I was thinking about it, there are a decent number of aircraft that have a range of more than 4000 nm and are limited to 200kg packages. So I will modify it so that 90% of the 200kg packages will go to destinations within 250 nm and 4000 nm and 10% will go to destinations within 2500 and 8000 nm. 2000kg packages have a maximum distance of 12000 nm which is enough to go anywhere (the longest flight on FSA was 10797 nm, LEMO to NZAA).
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Re: Package System Generation Refinements?

Post by Cat » Fri Oct 30, 2020 3:18 am

Way cool Joe, thanks! You rock, as always!
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Cat
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Re: Package System Generation Refinements?

Post by Cat » Fri Oct 30, 2020 3:31 am

Hmmmmm something still not quite right (to me at least). KTWF is a regional airport with an 8600 foot runway .... so the only way these packages are getting out of country is if some VA has a regional freighter to move these to a big airport where a super jumbo can operate ... and who is going to do that for 1 package here and 1 package there? Not us. I guess I'm just saying the local guys flying more GA oriented stuff don't have a lot to choose from ... and with MSFS2020 now being mostly GA, I see that as a possible problem cropping up.

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joefremont
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Re: Package System Generation Refinements?

Post by joefremont » Fri Oct 30, 2020 6:08 am

Cat wrote:
Fri Oct 30, 2020 3:31 am
Hmmmmm something still not quite right (to me at least). KTWF is a regional airport with an 8600 foot runway .... so the only way these packages are getting out of country is if some VA has a regional freighter to move these to a big airport where a super jumbo can operate ...
Believe it or not, when I designed the package system I was hoping that is what would happen. But tomorrow I will try to dig into it more and see if I can purge out some of these spurious packages.
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Cat
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Re: Package System Generation Refinements?

Post by Cat » Fri Oct 30, 2020 1:30 pm

Well the main problem we have as a VA is our pilots have real lives and the package shelf life is so short, there is no way we can do any type of "collection" to a warehouse to get enough packages to put on a long haul flight. They would be expired long before that aircraft reached the final destination. So we, like the the majority of virtual airlines, we are relegated to package delivery only on what we can do in a day or two max.

The other downside to "connector" flights is the fact the connector pilot doesn't make much for flying the connector package flight.

I flew a 752 CYYZ - KLAS with packages on board for KPHX. When I got to KLAS, I moved those packages to a smaller 737C freighter and then delivered them. That flight only made $158K but it added another $1.5 million to the 752 flight. So the long haul boys get all the big bucks and the little regional pilot gets very little even though that pilot is a very important link in the chain. So again, at this point, our mode of operation is for each pilot to fly their own regional legs when needed as no other pilot wants to clean up another pilot's mess for chump change. On the return trip, I put in 70 biz class seats into that Combi 737 that has quick change seating in rl and made $413K on the return flight from KPHX - KLAS that had no packages to move - just passengers and generic cargo.

We even put in a 500-1000 mile rule for our 2 aisle jumbo's, just so they wouldn't scarf up all the packages away from the regional pilots. Anytime a jumbo flies a trip less than 500nm, they are required to fly the next one at least 1000 nm. It's our SOP to protect the integrity of our system and the regional pilots who are working their way through our Career Path to make it to Senior Captain and the jumbo jet type ratings.
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