OPTIMIZATION

Cruise Altitude Optimization
in the FMC
Rob Root
Airline Support
Boeing Commercial Airplanes
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Copyright © 2013 Boeing. All rights reserved.
Leveraging Newer Flight Deck Performance
Capabilities to Optimize Performance
Traditional (paper) approach to cruise optimization:
1. Optimize the airplane’s performance assuming theoretical
conditions (still air, standard day)
2. Expect flight crews to mitigate real world conditions (e.g. winds,
temperatures aloft) in real time (based on little or no formal
guidance)
Modern FMC’s can do better:
1. Uplink/update forecast winds and temperatures aloft in the FMC
as necessary to maintain accurate real-time weather picture,
and…
2. Allow the FMC to adjust target speeds, altitudes, and step climb
locations whenever possible to optimize airplane performance
in real world conditions…
Copyright © 2013 Boeing. All rights reserved. FMC Cruise Optimization_Rob Root.2
FMC Cruise Altitude Information
The FMC provides altitude information for following scenarios:
• Preflight – OPT/TRIP altitude
• Cruise – displays optimum (OPT), maximum (MAX), and
recommended (RECMD - 757, 767, 777, 787, and soon 747-8)
altitudes for current aircraft conditions
• Step Climb Predictions - provides advisories for step climb altitudes
as well as optimized step climb locations along the route of flight
(767, 777, 787, soon 747-8), earliest step climb location (737).
• Flight Plan Predictions – incorporates vertical cruise profile into
predictions of time/fuel/distance downpath to destination (except
737)
• Engine Inoperative – displays engine inoperative maximum altitude
based on optimum driftdown or other selected speed schedule.
FMC’s for some models may also include OPT and RECMD for
engine inoperative (767, 777, 787, soon 747-8)
OPT, MAX, and RECMD
Optimum (OPT) altitude is the

altitude at the current gross weight
and target speed schedule that
minimizes instantaneous cost
(for ECON mode), or maximizes
instantaneous fuel mileage (in LRC,
EO, CO, or SEL modes)
It is based on still air performance
FMC Optimum altitude (OPT) does not consider winds or

temperatures aloft.
OPT, MAX, and RECMD
Maximum (MAX) altitude is the altitude at the current gross weight,
temperature deviation, and selected speed schedule that meets
both thrust limit and initial buffet criteria as selected by default or
by airline policy:
If the airplane’s maximum altitude is limited by thrust,

it will change as temperature aloft changes!
OPT, MAX, and RECMD
Recommended (RECMD) cruise flight level is:
• An appropriate current cruise altitude for our
airspace and direction of flight…
• Provides:
‒ lowest cost (ECON)
‒ most fuel efficient (LRC, pilot-entered
speed/Mach, EO modes
• Evaluated out to 250 – 500 nm
beyond the current location (distance depends
on step size)
• RECMD is adjusted for the effect of forecast
winds and temperatures
FMC recommended altitude (RECMD) does consider

forecast winds and temperatures aloft.
Optimizing Future Step Climbs For Wind
and Temperature…
Wind Trade Step climb algorithm provides:
• Optimized downpath cruise altitude(s) for our

airspace and direction of flight…
• Also provides the optimum step location(s)

• Altitude and location selected to:
‒ minimize trip cost (ECON),
‒ minimize trip fuel (LRC, SEL
speed/Mach)
• Evaluated out to 250 – 500 nm
beyond the step initiation point (distance
depends on step size)
• Wind Trade Steps account for the effect of
forecast winds and temperatures
• Wind Trade Steps will NOT recommend step

descent
STEP SIZE and Candidate Altitudes
• Defaulted per company policy
• Modifiable on PERF INIT (on
ground) and/or CRZ page. Valid
entries are:
– “I” for ICAO (4000 ft steps)
– “R” for RVSM (2000 ft steps)
– 100 ft altitude increments from
0 to 9000
– “0” inhibits step climbs
When ICAO/RVSM, or a non-zero value is

in STEP field, the FMC is free to optimize
both optimum STEP TO altitude and also
the location of step.
1. Identifying candidate cruise altitudes:
FMC infers appropriate direction from current cruise altitude and

STEP entry (e.g. cruising at FL330 in RVSM Eastbound flight
levels)
RECMD will look at altitudes below current cruise altitude – as
low as 9000 ft below current altitude, or FL240*, whichever is
higher. Wind trade steps never looks below the current flight
level. * Assumes all-engine operation with MAX above FL290
Altitudes above MAX will be eliminated from consideration
1. Identifying candidate cruise altitudes: RECMD
Current Cruise altitude FL330, in RVSM airspace
FMC infers eastbound (odd) flight levels:
Altitudes below FL240* FL230
or more than 9000 ft
FL250
below cruise altitude
are eliminated FL270
FL290
FL310
FL330 Current ALT
FL350
FL370
MAX ALT: FL390
Altitudes above
FL392 FL410 MAX are eliminated
2. Compare instantaneous cost/fuel mileage
Compare each candidate altitude to current CRZ ALT:
• Instantaneous cost per nautical ground mile (ECON mode)

(lowest cost)
OR
• Instantaneous fuel mileage = ground speed/fuel flow(LRC,
pilot-entered/selected speed/Mach)
(highest fuel mileage)
FL390
FL370
Forecast winds and temperatures
FL350
at each candidate altitude are
FL330 included in this calculation
FL310
3. Predict Downpath Effect to Verify Benefit
of Changing Altitude
• Integrate total cost/fuel to fly 250-500nm* at each
altitude including forecast winds and temps
*distance dependent on step size
• Altitude that shows most benefit at the end of

integrated cruise is RECMD
FL390
FL370
FL350
FL330
FL310
Predicted distance in front of aircraft

Wind Trade Steps: Evaluating Downpath Steps
• Process is repeated through predicted flight plan to identify
beneficial step point(s)
Don’t step
here
Step
here?
FL390
FL370
FL350
FL330
X
4. Wind Trade Steps: Evaluating Downpath Steps
• Process is repeated through predicted flight plan to identify
beneficial step point(s)
• After predicting step, further step evaluation is suppressed
for a distance equal to half of the integrated cost distance.
Don’t step Step to
here FL370 here
Step
here?
FL390
FL370
FL350
FL330
X
Constrained Step Climbs
Step to
If the flight crew enters a specific STEP TO altitude on CRZ page: altitude is
fixed, but location is optimized. ETA and DTG to step location is displayed on
CRZ page (step altitude is constrained / location is optimized)
In place of ETA/dist, optimum step point (AT) could indicate

if immediate step is most economical, or if completing the
flight at current flight level is better.
Constrained Step Climbs
Planned Step
Flight crew enters new (step to) altitude at a selected cruise

waypoint on the ROUTE LEGS page. (i.e. both step altitude
and step location are constrained)
The wind trade steps function will not advise any step climbs between the
airplane and the last planned step climb point in the flight plan
If the last planned step is a step descent, wind trade steps will not advise
any steps for the remainder of the route
Vertical Cruise Profile and Flight Plan Predictions:
747-400, 747-8, 757, 767, 777, 787
If the specified STEP on the CRUISE page or the PERF INIT
page is non-zero, RVSM or ICAO, flight plan predictions assume
that step climbs will be made at the optimum step climb points
(AT) to the step climb (STEP TO) altitude
• ROUTE LEGS pages will show waypoint altitudes as
confirmation of the predicted cruise profile
• Predicted Step Climb initiation points (S/C) are also visible on
the Navigation Display in the PLAN mode
If crew does not execute step climb within 5 minutes after
sequencing the planned or computed step point, the EICAS* will
annunciate a VNAV STEP CLIMB message
If flight must be completed at current altitude, set STEP to 0
* CDU scratchpad message on 747-400 with legacy EFIS functionality
737 Cruise Altitude Functionality
Because of being a shorter range airplane, the 737 also has
simpler optimum cruise altitude functionality
OPT and MAX are as defined previously, but RECMD is not
provided, nor are wind trade steps
737 Cruise Altitude Functionality
The flight crew may enter the new altitude as a modification to
the current cruise altitude (CRZ ALT) to evaluate a new altitude:
• This will trigger the FMC to evaluate an immediate step to the
new cruise altitude and it will display the predicted savings or
penalty. SAVINGS/PENALTY does include wind and
temperatures
• Entry of the new CRZ
ALT will not affect actual
airplane trajectory
until/unless EXECuted
737 Step Climb Functionality
The 737 FMC does offer the ability to evaluate a step climb to a
specified altitude
The 737 FMC does offer the ability to evaluate a step climb to a
specified altitude
Entry of a STEP altitude triggers prediction of first available step
point, but is not optimized for cost/fuel burn
Fuel at destination SAVINGS/PENALTY

does include the is calculated by
effect of the comparing the
predicted STEP indicated step to
completion of the
flight at current
cruise altitude
Flight crew can refine STEP savings/penalty calculation by

overwriting the ACTUAL WIND at the current altitude with an
estimated wind (direction and magnitude) at the proposed STEP
altitude
The wind
header will
change to
EST WIND
Step Climbs: Good to Know…
• Optimization criteria changes with speed mode!
• The wind trade step function will not advise any steps before the last
planned step climb point from the ROUTE LEGS page
• If the last planned step is a step DESCENT, the wind trade step function
will not advise any further steps for the remainder of the route
• Advisories and predictions which include step descents are made ONLY
in response to planned altitude entries on the ROUTE LEGS pages
• All step climb advisories are appropriately limited by Maximum Altitude
• If a planned step cannot be made because maximum altitude is limiting,
the AT line label is changed to AVAIL AT
• AT label changes to TO T/D when within 200nm of top of descent,
or within 500nm of the destination. ETA and DTG are then relative
to T/D point
Summary
Fuel is not the enemy; cost is…
• The airplane seldom flies in still air, and temperatures aloft
may not match ISA…
• Winds aloft can vary dramatically with altitude
• To achieve optimum performance, the effect of wind and temperature
not only on speed selection, but also on altitude selection should be
considered (Use RECMD, if available)
• It is also important to understand how the FMC altitude information
compares to altitude information provided in your company flight
plan…
Questions?
Summary of FMC Cruise Altitude Functionality
OPT
Airplane OPT MAX RECMD SAVINGS/
STEP
Model AE / EO AE / EO AE / EO PENALTY
point
737 Yes / No Yes / Yes No / No No Yes
747-400 Yes / Yes Yes / Yes No / No Yes No
757 Yes / Yes Yes / Yes Yes */ No WTS* No
767 Yes / Yes Yes / Yes Yes* / Yes* WTS* No
777 Yes / Yes Yes / Yes Yes / No WTS No
787 Yes / Yes Yes / Yes Yes / Yes WTS No
747-8 Yes / Yes Yes / Yes Yes** /Yes** WTS** No
AE = All engines operating / EO = engine inoperative

WTS = Wind trade steps
* Pegasus FMC only
** Block 3.0 functionality
Getting Forecast Winds and Temps Into The FMC
Forecast cruise winds may be entered/uplinked by flight crew:

• At each waypoint (747-400, 757, 767, 777, 787)
– Winds at up to four altitudes (the same four altitudes)
• On PERF INIT page: CRZ WIND (737 Only)
• At each cruise waypoint (737)
– Current altitude (all altitudes…)
The FMC automatically propagates wind and temperature entries through

the flight plan. It is important to understand how this is done.

OPTIMIZATION

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OPTIMIZATION

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Cruise Altitude Optimization

Optimum (OPT) altitude is the

FMC Optimum altitude (OPT) does not consider winds or

If the airplane’s maximum altitude is limited by thrust,

FMC recommended altitude (RECMD) does consider

• Optimized downpath cruise altitude(s) for our

• Also provides the optimum step location(s)

• Wind Trade Steps will NOT recommend step

When ICAO/RVSM, or a non-zero value is

FMC infers appropriate direction from current cruise altitude and

Altitudes above MAX will be eliminated from consideration

• Instantaneous cost per nautical ground mile (ECON mode)

• Altitude that shows most benefit at the end of

Predicted distance in front of aircraft

In place of ETA/dist, optimum step point (AT) could indicate

Flight crew enters new (step to) altitude at a selected cruise

* CDU scratchpad message on 747-400 with legacy EFIS functionality

Fuel at destination SAVINGS/PENALTY

Flight crew can refine STEP savings/penalty calculation by

747-400 Yes / Yes Yes / Yes No / No Yes No

757 Yes / Yes Yes / Yes Yes */ No WTS* No

767 Yes / Yes Yes / Yes Yes* / Yes* WTS* No

777 Yes / Yes Yes / Yes Yes / No WTS No

787 Yes / Yes Yes / Yes Yes / Yes WTS No

747-8 Yes / Yes Yes / Yes Yes** /Yes** WTS** No

AE = All engines operating / EO = engine inoperative

Forecast cruise winds may be entered/uplinked by flight crew:

The FMC automatically propagates wind and temperature entries through

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757 Yes / Yes Yes / Yes Yes / No WTS No

747-8 Yes / Yes Yes / Yes Yes /Yes WTS** No