IFR flight with an FMC

[Guest Speedbird814]

Hi all, I have a question about flying using an FMC (PMDG 737NG). I also use FSBuild2 to create the flight plan & FSNav v4 to monitor it enroute. When you're starting a flight, is it necessary to also load up a flight plan using the flight Planner in FS9?When I do, I have all the ATC prompts for an IFR flight. However, the flight plan in FSBuild & FSNav sometimes greatly differ from the flight plan that I load using FS9's planner. If I don't use the FS9 planner, I end up with the prompts for a VFR flight. Until I finally learned the basics of the PMDG FMC, I used FS9's planner exclusively...probably what a lot of newbies do.I've taken note of the flight plan names & I know I'm loading the correct one in FS9's planner.....but it often doesn't match the flight plan that FS9 comes up with, according to the plan displayed in FSNav.I'd sure appreciate some feedback on this. I'm not sure if I've explained it properly. Any questions, pls ask. :)Thanks

[tf51d 284]

You need to have FSbuild also save it's flightplan in FS2004 format (There is an option for this in the export menu), then in FS2004 load that flightplan, then the 737 FMC loaded FP will follow the same path, and ATC will be happy!!

[HoratioWondersocks 4]

Hello I don't know about FSBuild,but i would imagine that the procedure might be similar to FSNav(which i use).This is how i do it..I select my flt.i then create a flightplan in FSNav.I then save that plan.(to use again)I then select the option to export that plan to FS9.(Thats the option you want to look for in FSBuild, i should imagine it has one)I then close the FSNav page.Then i open the FS9 planner and select the option to load a flightplan, i look for the plan i have just exported from FSNav select that and off i go.Now the FS9 GPS and FSNav map will show the same route.cheers Andy

[ronzie 21]

As stated, build your FP in FSB. Save it for use later. Set the Export options to both FS2004 and PMDG FMC and rebuild. It will export to the PMDG flightplans folder and your FS9 plan folder.You can now load the FS9 .pln into it for FS9 ATC and in the PMDG FMC via LSK go to index/navdata/flightplans. A list of your exported plans will show. Scroll through them with PREV and NEXT if necessary until you see the one listed. LSK that name so it appears in the scratchpad. Go to the FMC RTE page 1 and LSK CO ROUTE to load it. LSK ACTIVATE and then EXE. Now FS ATC and your aircraft will see the same plan when you load it into FS9.I suggest you build SID and STARS into the FSB plan and do not use the SIDS and STARS in the PMDG database. The keeps these terminal procedures in sync between FS9 ATC and your FMC.Know how to advance your waypoints on your LEGS page and do a direct-to function. ATC rules and you need to know how to manipulate the LEGS and aircraft using the MCP to insure the aircraft always complies with ATC commands.In the DEP/ARR section of the FMC I do use the right hand side selections such as an ILS approach to produce it on the ND for situational awareness.