Flight planning software

[Chuck_B 2]

Jerry: It offers the most flight plan import and export formats than any other software that I've ever seen. IOW, it can import and export to more flight planners and payware aircraft. That was enough for me to buy it at first. I am often lazy and don't necessarily want to enter entire flight plan into an FMC.

[ronzie 21]

Jerry:First, if you already had purchased RC4, an update to another RC4 version would be at no charge unless you need a CD delivery and that would be the only fee for handling.FSBuild nor any specific planner is required for RC4 as long as it can output an FSX XML plan or FS9 .pln format file. That includes the built-in FS planners.I was a real world GA CPL pilot in IFR training when I was forced to quit due to inner ear problems with pressure and vertigo. I still miss it and can't even fly as a passenger now. I started in FS8 and could not wrap my head around its internal planner. I was used to real plan forms and using sectionals and WAC charts, then later IFR charts. This business of dragging lines around did not work for me and the FS planner input via edit was too foreign to me. The limitations of the outdated waypoint database was also too limiting. I used for FS8 and FS9 the freeware NAV 3 and later 3.1. For this planner it had a reasonable database but it was fixed. I had also tried an earlier version of freeware Super Flight Planner which builds from the scenery database but I recall some problem with it. I should add my original flying was VFR and I did not use RC. After I got interested in ATC controlled flights (as required by certain types of airliner operation) I quickly got fed up with FS's ATC control and moved to RC3. I was able to emulate real world operations that I did for VFR (RC 3 and 4 is NOT for VFR uncontrolled flight) and what I observed for airliner flying by listening to my scanner and later http://www.liveatc.net/feedindex.php?type=all .After I moved to the PMDG 737NG series I decided to get after looking at it FSBuild because:1. Free AIRACS were offered frequently to keep up with subscriptions for the FMC AIRAC database so they would sync. Some users offered free AIRACS for the FMC.2. I liked its ability to interact with Active Sky for fuel planning.3. I found its auto routing matched pretty closely the high and low altitude planning I did with FAA charts and did a good job with non-FAA areas.4. The FSBuild route window takes standard ICAO syntax as shown in my previous tips reply. I can copy/paste from the route listed in flightaware.com. The only change I had to make was for NATS coordinates removing the space between the lattitude and longitude entries.5. I liked its ability to export plans for import to various FMC type aircraft using proprietary formats. PMDG was just one.As I digested real world operations methods from real world aviation magazines (mostly Airways) and articles in Computer Pilot both for airliner and commercial large and small GA operations, I decided FS Build was the best fit.The OP was dissatisfied with the limitations and procedure for using the built in FS planner so I replied when he asked about options. As you can see another RC beta tester uses Vroute. Some users use Super Flight Planner. Others use Flight Sim Commander. The other NAV payware planner was a favorite.OT: By the way, Jerry, I get a chuckle out of "The Guard" series about the coast guard on the ION network. It is mostly soap opera :) I'll be vacationing in Two Harbors, Minnesota next week on the Lake Superior North Shore, not far from Duluth. I have been in the Coast Guard Museum part of the CG HQ in Canal Park at Duluth. I can relate to the CG duties up there and got to talk to some cadets measuring for water temperature trends in the canal to the inner bay where a lot of grain and taconite loading/unloading takes place. Very interesting. Great Lakes shipping continues to be active though not at its peak of a few years ago. A lot of international registered ships are running there for eventual routing to the Atlantic.

When I first bought Radar Contact 4 I thought I had to have a flight planner (?), and I bought FS Build to "import" my flight plan into RD4. I bought an updated version of RD4 a few months ago and have learned to use it without using FS Build at all. Now I dont use FS Build for anything and I'm thinking of uninstalling it from my computer. Am I missing something? jerrycwo4PS Later down on this link a lot of uses were given. I probably still will not use it but it's there if I ever want to.

[NeilC 3]

My top tip for FSBuild.Select the Web Planner tab,Put in your departure, destination, Flight Level, AIRAC number and let it do all the hard work.Works a treat.Then just cut and paste the route into the task bar at the top, and VOILA.Neil

[Johan_Dees 84]

VROUTE.I imagine some dispatcher creates a route, and I follow it, whatever it is.. as in real life. Commercial pilots dont plan the route, just the requirements.Johan

[kerosene31 349]

I used FSNavigator as my flight planner forever, as long as I can remember until recently. Over the last few years, it became harder and harder to compile the database in FSNav with newer sceneries. Eventually it got to the point where I had to skip so many add-on sceneries to compile that the task became unmanageable. Eventually I moved to FSBuild. As someone who mostly flies GA flights, it was a bit of overkill, however it is a very nice planner. The big advantage is that it runs outside of FS9 so I can build my flight plan and import it into ActiveSky Evolution without needing to load FS9. The learning curve is steep for sure. Anytime I need to format my system and reinstall getting FSBuild set up properly is always a chore, but once it works it is a great flight planner.

[JP_Visser 3]

I use Vroute too,but FSBuild comes to the rescue when Vroute cannot deliver.Vroute is the main planner though,it is good for my needs as it supports the three planes I fly most often.

[out 769]

Like Craig, I'm a longtime FSNav lover. I have tried other planners but none of them got even close to my liking.It has a very clear interface, it is very intuitive, it is updated every month, shows online traffic plus has nice export options.The fact is it is no longer available for purchase (and no longer supported), so I am just one of the lucky guys to have bought it long ago.If I have no time for planning (which by the way is one of my favourite flightsim duties) I use vroute, too.The freeware version though, which is enough for my needs. Unlike FSNav it is rather a huge databse of ready flightplans.Updated every month with fresh AIRAC. I have also contributed by adding some flightplans and scenery links. Not every plan is here though, especially if you specialise in small regional and exotic airports. For popular ones however, no problem.Some errors happen but not many since the database is said to be generally checked (e.g. flightplans may be rejected).For the online flyers, vroute can additionally replace servinfo, especially in its full payware form.

[jetlag 65]

I have been using FS Commander and am quite pleased with it but I see very little mention of it here, if any.I wonder if I have made the wrong choice and what I have been missing. Can someone comment?Phil

[guitarjava 1]

Hello,I also use Vroute and really like it.Some of the things that I like are the intuitive interface and the ability to print out a Flight Progress Card and then export the flightplan to FSX.Chris

[jetlag 65]

I have been using FS Commander and am quite pleased with it but I see very little mention of it here, if any.I wonder if I have made the wrong choice and what I have been missing. Can someone comment?Phil

Bump!

[TC1 0]

Another good freeware flight planner is Flightaware. Once registered, Flightaware allows you to review USA Domestic flight data for both commercial and GA aircraft and it also provides approach plates.Tom

[Jive1 2]

Hey!

Is there a freeware program similar to FP to FMC  or  rfinder.asalink.net/?  

I ask that, because first of all that is an excellent program to mak flightplans, but it does not produce flightplans for FS9 in the fsn-format of FSNav.

    I need eighter a program that produces flightplans in fsn-format,

or I need a program that can convert fs9-flightplans, pln-format, into fsn-format for FSNav

Anybody who knows more about this? Where to find?....

Greetz

Jive1 - Belgium

[edpatino 1,960]

Hey!

Is there a freeware program similar to FP to FMC  or  rfinder.asalink.net/?  

I ask that, because first of all that is an excellent program to mak flightplans, but it does not produce flightplans for FS9 in the fsn-format of FSNav.

    I need eighter a program that produces flightplans in fsn-format,

or I need a program that can convert fs9-flightplans, pln-format, into fsn-format for FSNav

Anybody who knows more about this? Where to find?....

Greetz

Jive1 - Belgium

 

I don't know if the current FPlanners on the market have the ability to continue supporting FS9. There are very good ones, both free and payware, but mainly for supporting formats used by FSX, P3D and the most popular add-ons (.rte format, for instance). It's better to start thinking moving up to FSX:SE or P3D from FS9, it's a huge difference in realism and immersion.

Cheers, Ed

[Jive1 2]

Hey!

That is corect, Ed!

But FS2004 is a very good Flight Simulator, still! You are right, FSX and Prepar and others maybe are somewhat better in some cases, but FS2004 has an excellent and huge mass of addons, what makes it also excellent. Many pilot simmers, who are used to FS2004 know that, and everything they need is available, almost all as freeware. There are only the best aircraft that one should buy, but even also as freeware there are some excellent aircraft!

It is a pitty that FS2004 is likely on being forgotten.

I fly with FS2004 since it came out, and I have everything what I need. Except a route-finder like the complete system of 'FP to FMC' that could give me also the flightplan is FSNAV-format. The reason why is...

I've never had the opportunity to learn to pilot like real pilots do, with CFM and all modern things. Therefore I want tu have besides the FS9 plan also a FSNAV-plan so that I can let my plane go like the autopilot of FSNAV commands, whereas I myself can during the flight learn the FMC secrets and so on.

I know this sounds maybe stupid, but I'm just amateur pilot and never had financial possibilities to buy all the latest software and equipment and so using the upmost modern equipment for my hobby....

FS9 indeed is really good, with all the addons, I have over 1000 aircraft and over 100GB sceneries in my system, I can fly as comfortable as with FSX or any other flight simulator, only for the time being there is that Flightplanner as I explained above that I'm missing...

If anybody could give me suggestions, I would be very thankful.

Greets

Jive1 - Belgium

[DaveCT2003 1,820]

For commercial airliners, it would be Simbrief.  Free, absolutely incredible, up to date, it's a piece of art.  It will come right up if you Google it.

 

For GA, I'd just use SkyVector, which has all the FBO information as well.

 

Best wishes.