Heyafter using route finder to get my route from Seattle-Tacoma - Denver, I then, for the first time, went to find which star i should use which is where i become stuck. After planning your route how on earth do you choose the correct star?The route was KSEA DCT RADDY J20 PIH JI63 OCS STAR KDEN, Thanks in advance, Dave

Not sure if I'm 100% correct on this or not but STARs are determined by ATC to assist the effective flow of arriving traffic. This is usually determined by either wind direction (ie. landing runway) OR direction of arrival traffic (ie. from NW / SE / W / etc.) Short answer, I believe the Standard Arrivals are set by ATC, not the flight planner/crew, although the crew can request a specific STAR from the local controllers, if it's available.

>Hey>>after using route finder to get my route from Seattle-Tacoma ->Denver, I then, for the first time, went to find which star i>should use which is where i become stuck. After planning your>route how on earth do you choose the correct star?>>The route was KSEA DCT RADDY J20 PIH JI63 OCS STAR KDEN, >>Thanks in advance, >>DaveThis will help:http://flightaware.com/analysis/route.rvt?...destination=den

Thanks guys. Ive also heard that it is ATC that give pilots the STARS they should use.Thanks again,Dave

Practice varies in different parts of the world.In the UK the beginning of a STAR is associated with an airway so the choice of STAR is determined by the airway that's been used. STARs also terminate at a hold from which aircraft can make approaches in either direction depending on wind direction.As an example at Gatwick (EGKK) an aircraft inbound on airway UA1 from the north will use the WILLO 2B STAR, which is HON VOR - MID VOR - HOLLY - WILLO. Normally aircraft are radar vectored from WILLO to final approach but there are Approach Procedures covering WILLO (and all the other holds) to final approach to RWYs 08R and 26L when radar control is not available. Following these enables aircraft to make ILS approaches using the appropriate ILS approach charts.Using STARs is not optional. The AIP for Gatwick states "Aircraft inbound to London Gatwick will be routed via the Standard Terminal Arrival Routes (STARs) detailed at..."STARs are intended to be used for flight planning purposes because there are certain ones may not be used for these purposes. An example is TIMBA 1D at Gatwick which is intended for aircraft inbound from the London FIR not via airways and is to be used only when instructed by ATC.Obviously, routing may be varied at the discretion of ATC.