Tool to export flightplans on MD11

[Guest lorenz88]

Is there any tool that can export a pre-filled flightplan (I intend an already created flightplan, no like rfinder that has only the auto-routing option) in the FMS of our MD11?I hope to be understood :)Any question is welcome.Best RegardsLorenzo Chiovaro

[Guest Paul Bonhomme]

Hi Lorenzo,FSBuild will export directly to the PMDG MD-11 FMS, yes. It's payware, but among the best featured planners available for both FS9 and FSX. You can copy and paste a route directly from RouteFinder if you'd like, or as you mention simply make your own flightplan manually within the FSBuild program itself. FSBuild contains a world-wide database of all Victor, Jet, and ICAO colored airways, intersections, plus SIDS and STARS. It has a navigation database that is updated regulary also.The beauty of FSBuild is that it can directly read and process standard ICAO flightplan textual listings of a route for those times when you DO want to let Routefinder do all the work for you. Again though, you will always still have a full-featured manual routing capability too of course. :)So, you'll make your plan with FSBuild, then save and let it export directly as a PMDG standard .rte file. After wards simply hop in the MD-11 cockpit and bring up your new pre-made 'company route' (now fully stored amongst your PMDG MD-11's FMS route database), automatically load it, go fly.FSBuild info here: www.fsbuild.com-Paul Bonhomme

[vonmar 122]

Paul,"FSBuild will export directly to the PMDG MD-11 FMS, yes."That part could be misunderstood.FSBuild exports the PMDG (.rte) flight plan to the PMDG flight plan folder .. it does not export it directly to the FMS.

[Guest Paul Bonhomme]

Hi,Good point. :) I will clarify:FSBuild compiles flight plans into PMDG MD-11 FMS format and exports the compiled plan into the PMDG flight plan folder. After said flight plan(s) are compiled and exported by FSBuild into the PMDG flight plan folder, the aforementioned flight plan can then be accessed through the PMDG MD-11 FMS by typing in the flight plan name into the 'company route' section on the PMDG MD-11's initialization page. In so doing, the flight plan in question will then be automatically loaded into the PMDG MD-11's FMS.How's that? :) -Paul Bonhomme

[vonmar 122]

Paul,That was perfect!You could have also mentioned the correct folder location (path C:...) for PMDG flight plans (.rte files) for MSFS9 and MSFSX.

[Guest lorenz88]

Thank you very much. So you suggest FSBuid insted of FSNav or FSCommander...Are there any substantial differences?Thanks a lot of your explanationsBest Wishes

[vonmar 122]

I think FSNav (FSNavigator) has closed its doors... no longer being sold.

[eeyore 1]

FSNAV still has some sort of forum going I think but in all reality it is not being sold, no longer supported and no longer being updated.So how current any of its base information is I have no idea.The original owner/developer seems to have simply "vanished", like a famous crime writer once did.Having said that, there are some dedicated users still around who may be able to provide some help and/or access to the program.RegardsStuart

[rservice 4]

FS navigator only works on FS9.I use it all the time and really miss it in FSX,but I can still use it to build FS plans,although I am mainly using FSbuild now for FSX.Ron

[Guest lorenz88]

Ok, I in fact miss to see that FSNav is no longer being sold. So...FsBuild is the best available for FSX and MD11...anyway surfing the net I discovered this website: www.simroutes.comThere is an option there to enter a custom route and then export it into the PMDG format. I tried and I have to say that is fully compatible with the format supported by the MD11 FMS. In this way you do not have fuel calculations and so on...but I think it sufficient for the moment. The only big problem I noticed about simroutes.com is that is not updated. I mean that AIRAC cycles are quite old (prevous year) and some airays are missing. In this case the system generate a .rte file but in the missing airways there are no intermediate fixes, just the initial and the last one and, in this case, again...it is sufficient for me. I suggest to try it just once...to see how it works.If is there anyone who knows why simroutes website has no updated AIRAC could tell it to me?? :-)Best RegardsThanks a lot for your replies

[vonmar 122]

I use FSBuild for FS9 and FSX.Just have to install it in one folder, initially, like FSB-FS9.Then create another folder, like FSB-FSX and "copy" (do not install it again) the files from the installation folder to the new FSB-FSX folder.Now you can "customize the FSbuild settings" one for FS9 plans and the other for FSX plans.Just remember when you download the free monthly AIRACs (newest is cycle 0812) from fsbuild to install them into each of the FSBuild folders. Same for FSBuild program updates.Lastly, create a "shortcut" for each, with different names, to your desktop.FSbuild does SIDs/STARs and you can also edit them if need be!Two programs for the price of one!

[G7USL 117]

Lorenzo, your flight planner doesen't appear to know that a world exist outside of the U.S.

[vonmar 122]

G7USL,Which flight planner are you referring to?Several were mentioned in this topic.

[Guest cliffie1931]

Paul you note that FSBuild is updated regularly. I've been onto the SiMarket site but can't find the updating link. What is that link please?Cliff

[mfrantz 45]

Some additional info in case you are not aware of it:The MD-11 will also recognize flight plans in the default FS formats (FS9 and FSX XML type). So any utility that can export .pln files will do. These files have to be placed in the default FS flight plans folder ("My Documents/Flight Simulator X Files"). You can load compatible flight plans (either .rte or .rt2 PMDG format placed in "{FSX}/PMDG/FLIGHTPLANS", or .pln FS format files placed in "My Documents/Flight Simulator X Files") from the F-PLN INIT page in two ways:- either typing the file name without the extension in the CO RTE field, as long as the file name is up to 11 characters long,- or entering the origin/destination ICAO codes in the FROM/TO field, and you will presented with summary pages of all flight plans of any format found on your hard disk in the above mentioned locations, and you can choose the one you want to load.