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Performance, Weight & Balance

This section outlines the standard procedures for performance calculations and weight & balance at Virtual Air Canada Airline.

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Aircraft Weight Limitations

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Airbus A220 (100/300)

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Airbus A319-100

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Airbus A320-200

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Airbus A321-200

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Airbus A330-300

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Boeing 737 MAX 8

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Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner

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Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner

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Boeing 777-300ER

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Bombardier CRJ900

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De Havilland Dash 8-Q400

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Embraer E175

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Load Sheet Verification

The PIC must verify that:
  • ZFW + Fuel = TOW ≤ MTOW
  • Center of Gravity (CG) is within envelope (%MAC)
  • Fuel distribution is appropriate
  • All cargo is properly secured and accounted for

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Performance Calculation Tools

  • Manufacturer provided tools (preferred)
  • TopCat for performance calculations
  • Simbrief integration for flight planning

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V-Speed Calculations

V-speeds should be calculated for each takeoff based on:
  • Runway length
  • Runway condition
  • Aircraft weight
  • Temperature
  • Pressure altitude
  • Wind component

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Runway Analysis

For each departure, consider:
  • Declared distances (TORA, TODA, ASDA, LDA)
  • Engine-out departure procedure (EODP)
  • Obstacles within 3 nm of departure path that are greater than 125 ft AGL
  • Minimum climb gradients

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Climb Performance

Standard climb profiles to be used unless ATC requires otherwise:
  • Airspeed/Mach climb schedule as per aircraft type
  • Use appropriate NADP (Noise Abatement Departure Procedure) when required
  • Step climbs should be planned to maintain optimum altitude

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Cost Index Reference

Cost Index (CI) is the ratio of time-related operating costs to fuel costs. It is entered into the to calculate the most economical speed profile for a given flight.
  • CI 0 = Maximum Range Cruise (MRC) - slowest, most fuel-efficient
  • Maximum CI = Minimum time - fastest, highest fuel burn
  • FMS scales vary by aircraft type (see table below)
Cost Index can be set in the Dispatcher Booking tool in Pilot Portal and in SimBrief’s Dispatch Options page. If unsure, use the recommended values from the table below.
The Dash 8-Q400 uses a Universal UNS-1 FMS which does not have a traditional ECON/CI mode. Cruise speed is set as TAS or IAS directly.

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How Cost Index Affects Flight Profile

  • Climb: Higher CI → higher climb speed (shallower climb, faster acceleration)
  • Cruise: Higher CI → higher Mach number (closer to Mmo)
  • Descent: Higher CI → later top of descent, steeper descent profile
  • Short-haul flights use higher CI because time savings are proportionally more valuable
  • Long-haul flights use lower CI because small speed reductions compound into significant fuel savings over many hours
FMS scales differ between manufacturers. Airbus uses 0–999, Boeing 737 MAX uses 0–500, and Boeing widebodies (777/787) use 0–9999. Do not use Airbus CI values directly in a Boeing FMS or vice versa.

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Descent Planning

  • Plan Top of Descent (TOD) using the formula: TOD = (Altitude Δ × 3) + 10 nm buffer
  • Early descent is preferred over late descent to maintain fuel efficiency
  • Speed control during descent should follow the profile in the Flight-Deck SOPs

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Landing Performance

Calculate required landing distance based on:
  • Aircraft landing weight
  • Reported runway conditions
  • Weather (temperature, wind, pressure)
  • Use of autobrake setting
  • Runway slope
Landing performance assessments must be completed:
  • During preflight planning
  • Before commencing approach when conditions change

Next Section: Winter & Adverse Weather

Continue to learn about operations in winter conditions and adverse weather