I'd like some opinions on the most realistic way to fly the 737 while still using FS9's built in ATC. Right now, I use FS9s flight planner to generate a high altitude airway route, then use the converter to port it to FMC format and load it. I'd like to start using SIDs/STARs and more realistic plans however. Because FS ATC seems to always use a vectors to final approach, is there a best way to work around this? Is FSBuild my only choice for planning FMC compatible plans with SIDs/STARs?Thanks for your time and any info!sg

FSBuild is not the only flightplanner that lets you see/plan SID/STARs. Among the most known is FSNav. However, if I understand your first question correctly you

You interpreted my question perfectly - thanks for the suggestions. I like FS9s atc over the alternatives simply because I like being 'integrated' with the AI traffic - as I understand it, RC3 can't do that. In reality, FS9 can't do it that well either, but that's another issue ;). Best,sg

Is VATSim an option for you? Ever since I started flying online, I haven't gone back to using the FS9 ATC ... it's just too lacking. Flying online, you get real people giving real ATC using real procedures, and you share the skies with real traffic flown by real pilots. Nothing else compares to the experience.The only downside is that you don't always have ATC coverage for the route you wish to fly. This why I usually take a look at what areas are staffed and then choose my flight route accordingly so that I'll have coverage.As far as flying offline goes, I feel your pain. The default ATC can't handle normal arrival or departure procedures, and you just have to go with the vectors. And it still does some bone-headed stuff, like the time it cleared my 737 to land when there was a C172 on final, which I quickly overtook and crashed into ...I also had high hopes for radar contact, but as you said it doesn't handle AI traffic, so the realism factor plummets, in my opinion. I will definitely check out their next version which I believe will also control AI traffic. (Not sure on that last point.)