Flight Planner for PMDG 737?

[Guest MEL]

Hello all, I am brand new to PMDG 737 and was wondering if anyone can tell me, can the FS flight planner build a flight plan for the FMC and make use of the game ATC at the same time? I have FSNav and it can build flight plans but do you loose the ATC option with this? The difference being between them both of course is one is .rte and the other .pln.As much info would be great.ThanksAaron

[Mike S KPDX 597]

http://www.fsbuild.com/the best available for what you are asking for

[Guest mike_cyul]

I would think that the best way to use the FMC and FS9's ATC is to use FSBuild, which can export to FS9, PMDG737, and FSNavigator. You can then load the flight into FS9 itself and have the ATC, plus have the FMC use the same route.As Mike S KPDX says, FSBuild is the way to go.Mike F.

[bobbyjoh 11]

FSBuild v2, the best flight planner you will ever see for the PMDG 737. Go get it, just can't get any better.Bob

[Reset XPDR 1,271]

Aaron,To answer your question about using FSNav and losing ATC options, the answer is no, ATC will still work. You can export an FSNav flight plan to FS2004 format and use it for ATC clearance. But as the others have already stated, FS Build is the way to go by far for getting good flight plans in the first place to export anywhere you need them.Gary

[Guest MEL]

Thanks everyone!As I have played with it a little more and I have found out that I can still in fact use ATC generating a flight plan with FSNav/FSBuild. I haven't used FSNav since the FS2K2 days.Now I gotta find some time to master this plane. It looks really good. I have the 767PIC, PSS Dash 8, PSS A320, PSS 777 and now the PMDG 737. There is a lot of simularities in its FMC as compared to the 777 or 767. For anyone wondering about trying an airbus product (no companies mentioned ;-)) I would suggest trying it. It is a completely different way of flying and very impressive to see its capabilities. But I digress.....I'm using PM Boeing Glass Cockpit and am trying to find the best combination between PMDG, PM, Go Flight hardware and the new simavionics throttle quad. (soon to be released)Anyone else out there doing the same????Suggestions welcome. Cheers Aaron>Aaron,>>To answer your question about using FSNav and losing ATC>options, the answer is no, ATC will still work. You can>export an FSNav flight plan to FS2004 format and use it for>ATC clearance. But as the others have already stated, FS>Build is the way to go by far for getting good flight plans in>the first place to export anywhere you need them.>>Gary

[Guest Eternal]

Can anyone tell me what the advantage of FSBuild is over the built-in FS9 flight planner?From within FS9, thanks to their new built-in Jepp database, I can get a high altitude IFR flight, with all the airways and waypoints I need to program the FMC.Sure, it doesn't do SIDS/STARS, but does FSBuild support that AND allow FS ATC to recognize them?Patrick

[Guest higgins]

Can you tell me how FS build can import Sids and Stars into the FMC.It only seems to import waypoints. The sids and stars appear on the FS build flightplan but are not transfered to the 737 FMC.When I choose my own stars ththey are too close to the runway to turn in and make a sensible approach.Regards. Jon

[ronzie 21]

The PMDGs have their own arrival/departure database of SIDS and STARS. You have a choice of two methods when using FSB.1. If you wish to use the FMC database, delete the STAR or SID from the route window in FSB except for perhaps the entry/exit waypoint. Then just rebuild the FP with exports to the FMC. With this method when you choose your DEP or ARR SID/STAR in the FMC it will be added to the LEGS page with a minimum of duplicated out of order waypoints to be deleted and discontinuities closed via the LEGS page. This method has the advantage where runway specific widely differing procedures are used and runways to be used are not known until departure or arrival briefing. They are then set in the FMC in a timely fashion.2. If you auto-generate a route in FSB it may put in a SID/STAR or you can select them to be added to your build. You would then export the points to the FMC on your final build. You would not select in this case a SID/STAR from the FMC as these points added by the FMC would cause waypoint order and duplication problems. I do if using FSB to export some SID/STAR waypoints use for departure the runway being announced and for arrival the right hand side FMC choices such as ILS Rwy 27 which just put in the IAF and final waypoints of the procedure.There is a "trick" in FSB. Before exporting you can edit the FSB table grid deleting or editing rows. In one of the FSB build options you can choose for each use to build and export from the table grid as opposed to the entries in the route window. You can use this to delete conflicts before the export. This is not a "sticky" option but must be set with each use.So think about this and choose your method. For approaches it is always best to have plates available.As far as the proximity of STAR waypoints to a runway they should take you to or near the IAF. Very often the selection of a STAR and IAP has variations allowing for aircraft performance limits so you as pilot must preplan and follow the best procedure including terrain obstacles, traffic, and weather in your decisions. You can request a specific approach from ATC if need be. A few IAPs do have steep descents and perhaps tight turns. These are usually between the IAF and runway thresholds. You should if necessary be prepared to descend prior to localizer intersection during your merge heading joining the localizer and G/S if present on a fairly short final. These are illustrated on the vertical profiles of the IAP plates.

[Vauban 0]

Hi Jon,>When I choose my own stars ththey are too close to the runway>to turn in and make a sensible approach.I have a vague idea what the problem here might be.Try checking the approach plate to see if your magenta line follows the same track, or if your final turn is tighter than shown on the plate. It could be that if, say, you're making a downwind approach using LNAV, the FMC is turning you too soon, flying you BY the last waypoint instead of flying you OVER it. I seem to remember hearing that it's not possible to specify fly-over waypoints in the 737 FMC. All waypoints are fly-by waypoints. The solution is to manually add a waypoint further out on the runway heading so that having flown by the new waypoint you can then fly over the last one, lined up for landing.Maybe an expert will correct me if I'm wrong...CheersGeoff

[Guest higgins]

Some very useful information on exporting flight plans. Many thanks.Regards. Jon -from even wetter than normal England.