Cargo Pireps

[onskadthecamel]

Hi. I use phpvms 5. We started doing cargo flights recently. For our cargo aircraft, the 747-8F, we added the max cargo weight as 300000(as is says in lbs) but when we edit the pireps to change the load, we don’t know if we should be entering it in kg or lbs. Please help us with this. Thanks. Umar 

[thunder175]

Its all on you and how you are doing everything on your site. What is your Config::Set('WeightUnit', 'x') set to? Are you using lbs or kgs? Just keep it consistent across all your fleets. As a pure cargo VA, my site is running in lbs with all weights for aircraft set in lbs. 

[Heritage1]

Well put thunder175, however , lets point him to the right files for sure....... 

In your /core ......folder, no where else are 2 files, app.config.php & local.config.php. These 2 files control exactly the base for lbs and kgs. as thunder has mentioned, you will the settings for these settings, First file the app.config.php file here is my example in code, NOTE the lines kg and lbs.....

# Units settings
#	These are global, also used for FSPAX
Config::Set('WeightUnit', '1');		# 0=Kg 1=lbs
Config::Set('DistanceUnit', '2');   # 0=KM 1= Miles 2=NMiles
Config::Set('SpeedUnit', '1');		# 0=Km/H 1=Kts
Config::Set('AltUnit', '1');		# 0=Meter 1=Feet
Config::Set('LiquidUnit', '3');		# 0=liter 1=gal 2=kg 3=lbs
Config::Set('WelcomeMessage', 'phpVMS/FSPAX ACARS'); # Welcome Message
Config::Set('LIQUID_UNIT_NAMES', array('liter','gal','kg', 'lbs'));

Anything of course with the  # is ignored as a comment. LiquidUnit , WeightUnit, and / or DistanceUnit depending on your preferences are some changes to consider here. Use my example if you want the liquid units changed to your above mentioned. Most common is the one I am using above as most like to stick to this format as its pretty much universal.

Second is the local.config.php file. Please review an example of mine here also.

# See more details about these in the docs
Config::Set('PAGE_EXT', '.html');	# .htm is fine. You can still run PHP
Config::Set('PILOTID_OFFSET', 0);	# What # to start pilot ID's from
Config::Set('PILOTID_LENGTH', 4);	# Length of the Pilot ID
Config::Set('UNITS', 'nm');			# Your units: nm, mi or km
Config::Set('LOAD_FACTOR', '82');	# %age load factor 
Config::Set('CARGO_UNITS', 'lbs');

Scroll down to this paragraph next, even though it does say fspassengers, still change it, trust me on that one, its for many reasons. 

# FSPassengers Settings
# Units settings
Config::Set('WeightUnit', '1');   # 0=Kg 1=lbs
Config::Set('DistanceUnit', '2');   # 0=KM 1= Miles 2=NMiles
Config::Set('SpeedUnit', '1');   # 0=Km/H 1=Kts
Config::Set('AltUnit', '1');   # 0=Meter 1=Feet 
Config::Set('LiquidUnit', '3');   # 0=liter 1=gal 2=kg 3=lbs
Config::Set('WelcomeMessage', 'phpVMS/FSPAX ACARS'); # Welcome Message

Anything that you change in either or of these 2 files, must match each other with your settings. ALWAYS make copys of these 2 files FIRST, if something happens to either or, you have NO PHPVMS , period.....always back these up before messing with them. Hope this helps you, 

Jim

[thunder175]

Good point. I assume too much sometimes. I would just add however that the local config file is loaded after and will thus overwrite any settings matched in the app config. If you make the changes for a defined variable in the local config, you don't necessarily need to do it in app config. Additionally, if there are variables you want to alter in the app config file, I HIGHLY recommend to copy->paste them into the local config and do your alterations there. I try to keep my app config as clean as "stock" as possible and do all my work in the local config.

You can also create new defined config settings if you are saavy enough as these are global settings used throughout the site. I created a new load variation setting (and subsequent alterations to make the site generate a cargo weight on bid placement) for example.

Lastly, what ever you change your values to just make sure they are consistent. Too many poorly run VA's out there that have never changed the default settings. They are very easy to spot. For example, if you change fuel to "3" or lbs, then make sure all the fuel costs in the airport table are in price per pounds. The default is $5.10 a GALLON. If you don't change it, then your financials will be drastically off.

[onskadthecamel]

Oh ok i figures out it was lbs in the end. @thunder175what price per load do you use? I use $5/lb but I’m not sure what I should use

[thunder175]

Depends how hard core and realistic you want to be. Load rates as well as load factors vary by region and destination. I extrapolate real world rates from various airlines to come up with a cost per pound on a specific route, not just a global setting. For domestic US operations, my rates range from $1.25 to $1.69 a pound. However on big international routes the rates go up significantly. For example, rates from Hong Kong to the US are upwards of $7 to $9 a pound, making those flights very lucrative just as in the real world.