Hi all y'all,I have a relatively simple question about flight plans. If I (1) use MSFS Fight///// Flight Planner to build a route and load it, then (2) use one of the many on-line flight planning tools and hand-enter those 55 steps (including North Atlantic Tracks) into the FMC, which one wins? The routes diverge hilariously, as others have discussed (MSFS routes through northern alaska).It seems as though the AI ATC in FSX knows only about the FSX route while the 747X seems to correctly fly the hand-entered route. Is there a way to tell FSX ATC to use the PMDG route? Or, perhaps, is there a way to tell the FSX AI ATC to go away and leave me alone? I'm aware that I can drop the IFR flight plan, but the fun goes away if I'm crossing a continent and and ocean, and, except for the occasional bird strike (courtesy of FS2Crew & Brian York!) there's no action. I've searched this forum, PMDG Ops, the manual, the type rating course sections, and it appears this subject is not mentioned. I've probably missed it, so any assistance would be very welcome. dan "lensman" davisonp.s. I use OS-native text-to-speech for most "reading", so a page number would be invaluable...thanks...

Hello Dan,I'll tell you what I do, I use a website to build a route using jetways so it's easier to enter it all manually then I use the MSFS flight planner but I try to stick to my initial website flight plan as much as possible, sometimes it is possible to build the exact route in to FS depending on the waypoints.After that I manually enter my route in to the FMC. Now, If you don't want to cancel your IFR flight plan which BTW annoys me too, you could wait for the ATC to give you a new frequency, confirm the new frequency and then switch to it without contacting the given ATC. Along your flight path your frequency will update automatically according to different FIR's enroute. Just before your descent contact the avaliable ATC and you will be given indications for an approach. If FS ATC approaches aren't good for you (which ain't for me) don't contact it until your about 25 nm to your destination airport. This way you should only get the last indication usually a HDG and an altitude to intercept the localiser.Hope this helpsRegardsOnurLTBA

The FMC flight plan is not used by MSFS, and conversely the MSFS plan is not used by the FMC. The reason for this is the MSFS planner is based on already old data when it was sold new. The navdata/sidstar info can be updated as frequently as required, includes terminal procedures and is much more realistic.I use FSBuild to create both a MSFS plan and a PMDG plan, which are very similar, then modify the PMDG plan as required to use current terminal procedures. Still, althought, you're left with a amazingly stupid MSFS ATC engine that doesn't know anything about terminal procedures (SIDs and STARs). Here the work around is to use RadarContact or join VATSIM. In my case, I just fly without ATC but I've been flying for 35+ years so I'm kinda picky when it comes to ATC simulation which is harder to do than to create a very good simulated airplane.

>I use FSBuild to create both a MSFS plan and a PMDG plan,>which are very similar, then modify the PMDG plan as required>to use current terminal procedures. Yes, I've heard very good things about fsbuild, but I can't afford it. My medical bills are, umm, large. Maybe I'll get >Still, althought, you're left with a amazingly stupid MSFS ATC>engine that doesn't know anything about terminal procedures>(SIDs and STARs). Here the work around is to use RadarContact>or join VATSIM. whohanelliwhadawaddaminnit. FSX ATC doesn't know about sid/stars??? Is that why I keep getting vectored into terrain? Even if I have hand-entered the star in msfs flight planner? I guess that's why when I'm on final and turn on land3, the plane wanders off, frequently gaining altitude!OK, so, to summarize:enter all routes twice fsx flight planner and pmdg fmu. Make sure they match. Pray.so, we should just skip sid/star steps? thanks,dan

It's up to you.If you just want a game then stay with the MSFS ATC. If you'd like a lot more realism there's other options, as already mentioned.

You don't need to skip them completely, just don't feel the obligation to put them in your FS flight plan. You could very well include them in your FMC route. Then as I mentioned in my previous post, contact ATC when you're about 30 nm to your destination. You will be given vectors to final and a landing clearance. Be sure to check out the approaches for the given runway (select another approach in the ATC window) sometimes you will find the same transitions as in the ARR list of the FMC.I believe this is the easiest way to do it without going for a payware program.Oh, and BTW for some airports it's possible to create in the FS planner the exact SIDS/STARS as in the charts.RegardsOnurLTBA