Is it advisable to delete the 1st waypoint especially if it is a VOR at the departure airport? I ask as the last few flights I notice the 1st waypoint has been a vor at the departure airport and at times is almost impossible to get credit for it seeing sometimes you must execute a almost 360 degree right after takeoff to be able to intercept. Thanks, Jim

Yes. I would delete an on-field navaid in the immediate runway vicinity as a waypoint in RC for departure. Frequently they are there to provide heading/distance pseudo waypoints or limitation headings, not fly-over or fly-by for departure routes. In certain terrain cases they might be there to accomplish a teardrop departure for aircraft that can perform a tight navigation where the aircraft must return over the field to proceed in the desired direction. The aircraft must be suitable.http://forums1.avsim.net/index.php?showtopic=276818 5th reply shows where a radial forms a STAR path and read also the two runway departure descriptions for merging onto the departure radial. The MCT VOR at EGCC is not in line with the left runway in the scenery (AFCAD attached here) occurring before the end of the left runway. It is slightly to the left of the right runway but I would still leave it out as a waypoint and navigate to join the indicated radial from either runway. In the other thread note the MCT/DME readings for departure crossing restrictions.

As an ordinary(non beta tester) user I fully endorse Ronzie's suggestions.I've been caught out several times just as Jim has so I tend not to use them.I've deleted them from any saved plans in FS9 and the appropriate FMC.For your interest at the present moment(in the reral world) the DME with the MCT is being used for ILS approaches to 23R at EGCC.The DME with the ILS being currentlyu/s.Hopefully temporarily.

Oops. Substitute SID for STAR in my reply below. Those are departure waypoints based on VOR/DME such as MCT/D12 with the crossing restriction of A4000. In the AIRAC I have with FSBuild2 these are noted by soft waypoints. If you look at that SID in the referenced thread 5L/5R take-off description and the FSB produced first waypoint in that table (which I recommended eliminating) (The table says 0 distance but is probably 0.9) probably represents the 5L turning point in that DESIG1S 5L description.

Thanks guys!