FS9 Flight planner

[betelgeuse 41]

Terminal waypoints are typically added using something like AFCAD, scott s.

I don't think AFCAD will do it but would be pleased to be wrong. Can you provide details as to how, exactly?

[edetroit 933]

Ok. I go to make an fs flightplan within the sim (The FS Flightplanner) I select the Departure airport (Usually with a Gate number) then then Arrival airport.Then select IFR and then I select Direct-GPS flightplan (no waypoints) and then save.I then reload this flight plan and click on edit. I drag the flightplan line to all the waypoints that are in the PMDG flightplan.The PMDG flightplan is written as: LEPA GALA1A UN861 FISTO UY156 ADABI UN858 VADOM UN874 CMB LFQQ How do I know what the way points are?.....well FS Build would let you have a break down of the plan.Your FS flightplans are stored in Documents/Flight Simulator Files.Sounds crazy when I look at it now...but I am willing to go to great lengths to make my flights "As real as it gets"! LOL

[edetroit 933]

Ah, very interesting...Thank you. I'm assuming that if you collect all of your waypoints into one large xml file, you would then have only one additional bgl. By the way, you did mention that there maybe some software on the horizon...any more clues you'd like to leave the group with :)Mark

You could put all your waypoints in one large file.....but I end up just adding new waypoints as I need them.

[edetroit 933]

That is all very interesting, Ed. Can you tell us a bit more? I've not seen a flightplan written out like that before. It looks like part of a .cfg file. Where does it reside in FS9? Can you refer me to an SDK for the writing conventions? What is the naming convention for the final .bgl? If you are using a brand new .bgl does it not conflict with default and other .bgl files?

You need the BGL Comp SDK http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555857New bgl's will not conflict....I give the waypoint bgl the same name as the waypoint.

[edetroit 933]

Ah, very interesting...Thank you. I'm assuming that if you collect all of your waypoints into one large xml file, you would then have only one additional bgl. By the way, you did mention that there maybe some software on the horizon...any more clues you'd like to leave the group with :)Mark

Check here: http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=95I think it may be something to do with Airport Design Editor.

I don't think AFCAD will do it but would be pleased to be wrong. Can you provide details as to how, exactly?

Unless you want to re-write FS ATC you can write terminal waypoints as normal waypoints.If you want to write FS ATC check here to see if you want to dive in.....or you could wait for the new software which will make it a lot easier.http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13751

[betelgeuse 41]

Thanks, Ed, for all that information. Very helpful. I did some work on IFR approach coding in the past using Jim Vile's methods. It was slow and the results, in my hands, highly unpredictable. I never managed to make an approach which was good enough to upload. So I am waiting eagerly for the FS9 version of ADE. As you say it promises to make all this much easier.

[edetroit 933]

Thanks, Ed, for all that information. Very helpful. I am waiting eagerly for the FS9 version of ADE. As you say it promises to make all this much easier.

You and me both. It will be a smash hit and of course FS9 may live forever! :(

[scott967 62]

You and me both. It will be a smash hit and of course FS9 may live forever! :(

The goal for ADE FS9 version (ADE9) is to allow you to take an AFCAD AF2 file and upgrade it by adding taxisigns, sceenry objects, and approaches. I don't think doing flattens or airport backgrounds is currently in the mix. the problem is a bit subtle, as AF2 files are designed to work with the stock, default airports, so to modify an AF2 correctly you need info from both the AF2 and stock AP9 file, and mix them together correctly which is non-trivial.Note that the default route waypoints are in the AT9 files and the terminal waypoints are in the AP9 files (which require airport header data as well). You can add or move any wayopint, following the normal scenery library priority scheme. I've had trouble when I put route and terminal waypoints in the same bgl file (GPS wouldn't draw approaches correctly) so I always separate them.If you can get AIRAC data in ascii format for any addon, you can extract waypoint idents and lat/long. I also use Super Flight Planner v3 (fs9) because it has some database tools that can extract all the default waypoints. You can compare this to the AIRAC derived waypoints to get the "delta".For example, AIRAC data for LvlD 763 has the file wpNavFIX.txt which looks like this:DACHA DACHA 33.789689 -83.376236TUDAY TUDAY 33.789700 -83.389872DZ003 DZ003 33.790028 10.941028COKBU COKBU 33.790319-116.469142SIRAS SIRAS 33.790633 134.817633D248Y D248Y 33.790694 7.633225WEEZL WEEZL 33.790931-119.015528BACAG BACAG 33.791675 -84.444431DUMPS DUMPS 33.792486-100.720464AUBER AUBER 33.793019 -84.351925HIXOV HIXOV 33.793042-116.248211PLACD PLACD 33.793475 -88.624072MAHIL MAHIL 33.793517 -81.245239EMRUD EMRUD 33.794086-116.251575KICEV KICEV 33.794203-116.466603PROVO PROVO 33.794519 -94.102328MM29R MM29R 33.796158-118.328606Note that in the file the fixes are sorted by lat from south to north. It is helpful to import into excel so you can sort on name. Excel only allows 64k lines so it is a bit of a PITA but it's do-able. If you had something like Access it would be a bit easier.scott s..

[Freo 83]

Thanks for all your replies, it looks like there is hope on the horizon. I normally use the PMDG FMC for planning, and I have all the updated DAPS, and HI/LO charts, so there isnt a problem with regard to lat/long. positions.Its just that sometimes I like to use a non FMC aircraft, and find the FS9 planner outdated.Thanks again.Neil

[_Pv_ 0]

In the interest of a full discussion of this topic I'll mention a technique I've been using for years. Unfortunately, I doubt it will be of use to any but a very select few, but has been VERY useful to me.One of the very 1st (if not THE first) add-on software flight planners for FS is simply called NAV (http://nav.consequential.org/) When other flight planners came out shortly after, which were virtual copies of this freeware, the author abandoned the work. I still think it's the best flight planner ever made.One of the major drawbacks is there was never a FS9 database importer for it. Since I've been using every FS version since the beginning, I was able to use the FS2k2 database I created and imported into NAV and continue to use it. Now that I'm thinking about it, I'm considering making this compiled data available on my public site space to download if these is enough interest.NAV has the ability to click anywhere on the map and create "fixes" on the fly which you can then name. This is perfect for adding any kind of waypoint. What is even nicer is NAV's ability to create SIDs and STARs which then become part of the NAV approach and departure databases. When creating flight plans within NAV, these SIDS and STARS can be loaded and unloaded on the fly while creating/editing the flight plan.When I create a new approach or departure, I will use published plates I've collected or downloaded. Using NAV's ability to use the mouse to draw radials on the map with heading and distance readouts, I can then click into place fixes which are very accurate. No need to fly to a location in order to know it's geographical location. Nav has a continuous readout of every coordinate in the world right under the mouse location. Using FSUIPC it also shows your plane location if you want to do it that way. I then give these fixes names and added them to a partial plan which may be only the departure or arrival stage of the plan. I then tell NAV to SAVE this partial plan as a SID or STAR for a particular runway and blam. Every time I click on a runway as the start of a plan, the SID list comes up and when click on it at the end of the plan, the STAR list come up. Click and blam, the waypoint are added to the plan. Another click and BLAM I can try another approach or remove it. I have also added aircraft fuel calculation data (which includes the effect of wind direction and velocity) for many popular aircraft.Around the time the author was abandoning the program, he sent to me a spacial test version of the program which he has not released on his site which has a couple special features I requested. This program has been stable and useful (which minor graphical glitch) but still doesn't not import FS9 BGL data. I don't have permission to distribute this version. I wish the author couple be persuaded to continue the project though I understand why he doesn't.-Pv-

[Johan_Dees 84]

I believe there is a bulk way to update:http://pagesperso-orange.fr/hsors/navaids.html

[scott967 62]

Nav (IIRC 3.1 was latest version) was a great program. Super Flight Planner v3 and 4 I think is on about the same level. SFP has the ability to save SID and STAR as flight plan segments.scott s..

[_Pv_ 0]

Nav (IIRC 3.1 was latest version) was a great program. Super Flight Planner v3 and 4 I think is on about the same level. SFP has the ability to save SID and STAR as flight plan segments.scott s..

One of several problems I had with SFP is the limited altitude and speed supported in the flight plan. It's fine for GA and airliners, but Concord and other high altitude/mach aircraft are problematic.-Pv-