flight planning...

[Guest futureknight31]

I apologize for any redundancy...I honestly have searched this forum and others and am suffering from information overload (between trying to be a solid virtual pilot and now learning this AWESOME md-11) Anyway...I've done the tutorial flight and am now trying to translate it to flying in my home stomping grounds in the U.S...from what I've read... you can make a flightplan from FSX flightplanner and import it someone into the FMC...but fsx stuff will not be up-to-date or accurate, nor will it incorporate sids/stars right? So that leaves the following options...1. create my own...which I've seen that other people do, but I am confused about it...I guess this almost belongs in it's own thread but if anyone can take some pity and explain what software would be needed and the best way to go about it...thanks.. (as well as whether it's prudent or worth the time to use this method)...2. the other option seems to be using a 3rd party program to do it...saw FSBUILD2 mentioned, but that is apparently payware, and, I'll be blunt, I'm strapped after the md-11 purchase...so are there any other, free 3rd party options that will work well with the pdmg md-11 fmc?One of the things that made me buy the plane was the fact that the database is more up to date that fsx, so I'm hoping to be able utilize things better.I appreciate any responses, and again, apologize if all this has been answered...I have been on the net way too much the past few days trying to take all this in...there is so much you can do with FS these days!sincerely,Chris Romaniello

[michal 44]

You can search this forum for flight planning and get full spectrum of ideas.I will only mention flightaware.com website that gives you daily real flight plans as flown by airlines on that day between hundreds of typical city-pairs in the US including many international flights that originate or end in the US. It is free.

[Guest futureknight31]

You can search this forum for flight planning and get full spectrum of ideas.I will only mention flightaware.com website that gives you daily real flight plans as flown by airlines on that day between hundreds of typical city-pairs in the US including many international flights that originate or end in the US. It is free.

thanks. I did see that site and it is awesome! Guess I'm just still info overload about the various options and whether they apply to fs9 or fsx, etc.... ah, well. back to research.chris romaniello

[sgreen91 182]

As the previous poster stated you can go to flightaware.com and obtain flightplans to input directly into the FMC for flight planning. Personally I use flightaware to obtain a flight plan between 2 cities I want to fly to and copy-paste them into FSBUILD to create an FS9 plan that can then be used for imptting into the MD11 FMC and for use with RC4.I'll give an example:EGLL CPT UL9 KENET UN14 PEMOB UN30 BANBA UL175 GIPER UL175 SOMAX 4900N 02000W 4700N 03000W 4500N 04000W 4200N 05000W 3600N 06000W BALOO JIMAC M327 SUMRS A699 NUCAR ZFP HILEY2 KMIAThis is directly from the flightaware website for a plan from EGLL to KMIA. It would need to be fixed due to incorrect format of the NAT track so in FSBUILD I would input:EGLL CPT UL9 KENET UN14 PEMOB UN30 BANBA UL175 GIPER UL175 SOMAX 4920N 4730N 4540N 4250N 3660N BALOO JIMAC M327 SUMRS A699 NUCAR ZFP HILEY2 KMIAThis will create the proper format flight plan for FSBUILD to import into FS9 or X I suppose. But this plan could also be input directly into the MD11 FMC.For the SID/STAR I use navigraph for european airports and flightaware for the US airports. So for the CPT transition out of EGLL I look at my charts for EGLL and will use the COMPTON SID depending on which runway is in use because of wind conditions. Say it is runway 27 then I would use the COMPTON 3G (27L) or COMPTON 3F (27R) SID. If you have up to date AIRAC then inputting that with the SID lateral revision from EGLL in the MD-11 FMC you should obtain the correct waypoints. HILEY2 star can be obtained from flightaware for free.You would not need to create an FS flight plan if you were not using ATC etc. I need the flightplan for RC4 though.Maybe this helps maybe not but just letting you know how I happen to do my flightplanning.Sean

[Gavin 99]

This site's not bad: http://rfinder.asalink.net/free/

[Guest futureknight31]

thanks for the info! very helpful.I also remembered this I saw mentioned somewhere on the web and it does save routes in the pdmg format.... http://www.simroutes.comwe'll see how this works.

[aentwis 61]

Simroutes has an older AIRAC database (0712, I think), and I found no evidence that it will be updated. While it generally works presently, I think it will get more and more inaccurate as time goes on...That said, it is currently a great little service, for free for that matter! :DAndrew

[claviermichel 0]

Hi,Andrew is right, the simroutes database is outdated, however there is a way around it. First, get a recent real life flight plan. For those of you who do not have access to the LIDO Flight Planning Services or FOB or similar services you can try one of the following:- request a real life flight plan in the AVSIM Flight Plan forum or,- get a route from flightaware (limited to DEP or ARR in the US) or,- use the route finder website indicated elsewhere in this thread to generate a route (most of them are fairly accurate).Second, copy an paste your route into the "Generate Routes" page of the Simroutes website, hit generate route, choose whatever flightsim and aircraft you want to use and save the plan. Third, it is highly recommended to run the saved flightplans in FSBuild or FOC or Flitestar to get proper fuel estimates and input winds along the route. These apps are not free but the results are worth the expenses.If you do not use fsbuild or FOC or Flitestar you just have to copy the saved flightplans to the appropriate folders in you Microsoft Flight Simulator folder. If you use fsbuild you can have the plans automatically saved to the folders depending on your settings within fsbuild.Last but not least I recommend TOPCAT for accurate dispatching results. I do not know if the MD11 is simulated but it is a very good dispatcher for the B-747-400 series and B-767 series. Again not free but recommended.Finally, two more advices: - get yourself all the necessary charts for your flight in advance and STUDY them carefully before starting your flight.- get a decent weather generator program such as one of those advertised by HIFI Sim (see their forum on AVSIM).The above briefly summarizes the basics for interesting flying experience. I do not want to discourage you but if you already invested in sophisticated products such as PMDG it would be a pity not to able to use them properly.I am sure other readers will offer you different avenues to go for, but the above if you analyze each steps, independently for the sources cited which are for flightsim purpose only, you may get an idea of what flying crews are going through before each flight.

[Guest Dudey007]

This is the IFR route from Heathrow to John F KEnnedy:BETTE3 BETTE ACK VITOL N17B CARAC BANCS URTAK 4600N 05000W 4700N 04000W 4900N 03000W 5000N 02000W DINIM UN514 GIPER UL175 CRK UL607 EVRIN UL607 NEKAP UL607 ABDUK UL607 NUMPO UP2 OKESI Y3 BEDEK OCK2F I was just wondering how u imput the co-ordinate numbers into PMDG FMC. When i try to do it as it ios writtent eg. 4900N 0300W it comes up with a FMC eroor. Any help would be appriciated

[downscc 1,327]

http://ops.precisionmanuals.com/wiki/FMC_WP_Entry_NotesHope it helps.