Changing destination airport during IFR flight - Help!

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1

This is a bit of a cry for help.

I am currently testing the range of the 787 flying beyond what is its depicted range on the world map. Took off from EGLL (Heathrow) last night with an IFR plan in place to take me to YPPH (Perth Western Australia). This is about a 15hr flight.

8 hrs in I am currently hitting the western coast of India cruising nicely and economically at FL410.

The realisation of potentially another 7 hours to go (I had let the flight run whilst asleep last night in the hope that when I woke this morning there would be a couple of hours to go but unfortunatley my PC decided to go to sleep as well!), has meant that i would like to alter my flight plan, ditch this test and divert to another airport.

Does anyone know if there is a way to do this?

I have played around with the FMC and tried to enter another airport but it doesnt seem to want to let me. I must admit I .only have the basics grasped of the FMC so there could well be something in here I am overlooking.

I presume because i am IFR and not VFR is the reason that the only options i have in the Comms menu are “Request Vector to Next Waypoint”, “Request Cruising Altitude Increase/Decrease”. The “Nearest Airport” option is not there.

Any help greatly appreciated and if i have to accept that i have another 7 hours to go then so be it, although I would presume that in the Real World there is the ability to do this.

Thanks for any help in advance

2

Cancel IFR?
Make a new flight plan, or select a nearest airport after canceling current IFR…

3

Thanks C44M0. I don’t have the option to cancel the IFR unfortuanately.

In the Comms menu are “Request Vector to Next Waypoint”, “Request Cruising Altitude Increase/Decrease”. The “Nearest Airport” and “Cancel IFR” options are not there.

4

That’s interesting, because there really should be option for canceling IFR.
Nearest airports list comes up after you have selected Cancel IFR.

5

Comms photo
Comms photo640Ă—480 74.7 KB

Definitely not there. Could this be a new bug when setting up an IFR I wonder?

6

One (bad) option you have is to not respond to ATC at the next query… he/she will cancel your IFR plan when he/she’s frustrated with you eventually :wink:

7

The Garmin 1000 has a facility to go straight to another airport, although I admit I’ve not yet tried it. Has whatever you’re using got the same? Methinks using it might get your IFR plan altered - at least worth a try.

8

Thanks Terry, the 787 FMC doesnt seem to have anything that simple and easy to use. I have used the Garmin you refer to and it is easy to change.

In the end i completed the flight 16hrs +. Landed with fumes in the tank thanks to a strong headwind most of the way south or the equator.

I will try and shorter flight and see if the same issue occurs.