Have just installed RC4 to go with my PMDG 747 and going through the learning curve.FSX flight planner does not include SIDS and STARS. Can I create a flight plan in the 747 FMC, save the flight and use that to export to RC4?If not, any views on Flight Sim Commander v FS Build.Also if flying long haul and only receive arrival runway and STAR from ATIS late into the flight (then enter into FMC) does RC4 recognize this?

The PMDG 737NG and I believe the 747 have no facility to export to FSX or FS9 flight plan formats nor have I ever located a third party converter. I don't have FSX but unless in the 747X version there has been this added facility the answer remains the same.I use FSBuild 2.3 to export to FS9 (or FSX in your case) and the PMDG FMC. You can check to see if the 747X uses the same FMC format as the FS9 FMC versions on the PMDG support forum here on AVSIM. I use the SID/STAR database in FSBuild rather than the PMDG so when the procedures are exported the same waypoints go to RC and your FMC so they are synchronized between them. In the FMC I only bring up the final approach (right hand side of arrivals) so it shows on the 747 ND.As far as choosing a STAR include only the common waypoints to all runways exported to RC. That is usually based on arrival direction. RC assigns take-off and arrival runways based on AI behavior first, then weather and runway facilities for best guess if no AI are present. If you want to follow the waypoints of a STAR for the last forty miles with FMC nav, after RC approach assigns the runway and you acknowledge select an IAP that lets you navigate to the navais (ILS, etc.) intercept on your own using your nav (FMC) equipment. Similarly you can select but only during the RC route setup an option to navigate the first thirty miles of a SID on your own. In this case you again only choose waypoints common to all runways.This thread here:http://forums1.avsim.net/index.php?showtopic=278121shows how I use FSBUILD to build a flight plan with a SID, edit the route table, and export to FS. In this example I eliminate the the under one mile checkpoint from the runway end because of the extreme angle of turn which might cause difficulty in getting waypoint credit in RC. Some times an Autoroute plan from other sources include a reference to a near center airfield VOR which not be flown over or by as it is opposite to the intended immediate departure path. This example of setting up FSBuild applies here as well. I use this method to eliminate runway specific waypoints before export to RC and the FMC.When using the build edit methods described if the procedure waypoints are common between your FMC procedure waypoints and in the plan sent to RC, and you choose to navigate your own immediate departure and last thirty miles of arrival, then you might be able to use your FMC SID/STAR database for those immediate areas when you know your assigned runways. You then close up your waypoints on your LEGS FMC page to avoid duplication.If you search under my name in this forum along with the SID or STAR term you should pull up several threads illustrating FMC use with RC.Features of FSBuild I like are the ability to place routes pasted from sites such as flightaware.com and others into the route box. Sometimes you have to edit the SID/STAR number to match the version number in FSBuild. If your pasted route includes oceanic coordinates you can just eliminate the space between the longitude and lattitude of each coordinate and it accept them for you into the plan. On the FSBuild website frequent AIRAC updates are available at no charge for its procedure database. For your FMC database update you can subscribe to the terminal procedure updates from navigraph.com or look in the AVSIM AI Flightplan section for terminal updates for 65 airports in the U.S. contributed by Dan Downs (ddowns) or the free updates from planepath.com for five areas.I also like the way FSBuild connects to my weather application from Active Sky (AS 6.5 in my case) to get winds aloft for fuel planning. You also in FSBuild choose an aircraft performance profile (several are included and you can edit those examples if yours is not in there) and enter surface tempurature. You then enter your total expected taxi time, extra alternate time, and an extra "discretionary" time. FSBuild will then tell you how much fuel to board when you print the navlog. It calculates the enroute burn for you.FSBuild does draw the route for you to proof on its map, but it is not a moving map for use in flight. It is strictly a preflight tool that you can use without FS running but just your add-on weather application. Sometimes you have to build twice to get the map to center and expand. I also recommend you change this as follows:"I recommend for now changing this line in your fsbuild folder in fsbuild2.cfg after backing it up:NAVCHKDUPDIST=100 from the current value."to eliminate a problem of "local" non-exclusive procedure waypoint names of adjacent airports.At fsbuild.com you'll see the available AIRAC download and links to their support forum. Again, many of these points are common to all planners, but my choice was FSB and that was a couple of years ago. Some of our beta testers use FSC and others FSB. I don't know if FSC offers similar flexibility. Generally with a NAV display you in my opinion do not need a moving map.I should remark that RC5 will handle terminal procedures much differently as to options available and flexibility but that is still quite away from release. (You'll get a discount for the upgrade.)I am attaching an FSB navlog for the following route:KMSP UKN1 DBQ CVA MOTIF3 KMDW Minneapolis to Chicago midway retrieved from flightaware.com with ATC specified cruise at 27,000 for this preferred route using a B737. Note that the SID and STAR data has been expanded into waypoints, and also the fuel planning and incorporation of winds aloft from AS6.5

Thanks Ronzie, extremely helpful reply.It seems like FS Build or FS Commander is the way to go but, having studied both of them on the net, I can't decide which one to go for. Anybody out there using either of them with RC4. Incidently, I am using REX weather which is compatible with both flight planners (didn't know about ASE).

Thanks Ronzie, extremely helpful reply.It seems like FS Build or FS Commander is the way to go but, having studied both of them on the net, I can't decide which one to go for. Anybody out there using either of them with RC4. Incidently, I am using REX weather which is compatible with both flight planners (didn't know about ASE).

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With RC4 if you use just the transition points of a SID or STAR that would extend beyond the 30 nm and 40 nm limits of flexible departure and arrival. Especially with terrain concerns that is much too far out to use the direct from/to airport you'd get with RC4 between the transition and airports. SIDs and STARS are generally quite lengthy. Including the common points for all runways of each would be best bet in my opinion and if they match the navigation database the nav equipment with the proper RC options can navigate the closer in portions.----------snip------------But as far as flight planning, you can include the SID and STAR if you want, but your best bet is to just plot your route from between the fixes, so your first waypoint would be the final fix of the SID, and end with the transition fix for the STAR, since you really dont know for sure what runway will be in use until you are closer to your destination, unless you are really good at reading weather reports and use a program like FS Flight Keeper.