Hey guys, I have been getting into learning the PMDG JS41 and MD-11 but one area that is kind of holding me back from getting some flying done is the flight planning stage. The manuals included with the aircraft are very detailed but they don't address the "big picture" when it comes to navigation.I've discovered the site simroutes.com which generates a basic flight plan to use which I can then import into the MD-11 or JS41. So, a couple of questions if I may...1) How do I determine which SID for departure and STAR for arrival I should use? Is there a website or something I can use to view the SID/STARs for airports so I can figure out which one makes the most sense to use on a given flight plan?2) What's the best way to get wind/temperature data along the airways that I can input into the FMS once I have a flightplan mapped out?3) So far I have not used the built in FSX ATC on my tutorial flights. What do you generally do when you have a flight plan that follows a STAR but then ATC wants you to land at a different runway or left/right traffic etc? And along these lines, how do I do an IFR flight with ATC when the flightplan is in my FMS but not in FSX's built in planner? (FSX ATC does not recognize that I have a flight plan, so I can't use it)Sorry for being such a novice at this, I thought I had a halfway decent grasp of flightsimming basics to start into the PMDG planes but I have been blown away and realize there is a whole world of stuff to learn and I honestly don't even know where to begin! (referring to navigation in general, not airplane specifics)Molly

1) How do I determine which SID for departure and STAR for arrival I should use? Is there a website or something I can use to view the SID/STARs for airports so I can figure out which one makes the most sense to use on a given flight plan?

You can use the advanced functions of FSBuild. I usually build my own routes. When you do, you have the options to select SID/STARs by 'name' which does't help much because you need to 'read' the actual chart.. sometimes they are for turbo prop, others for Jet and others are to be assigned by ATC only. But by building the plan yourself you at least know what SID/STARs to use to connect with your route.

2) What's the best way to get wind/temperature data along the airways that I can input into the FMS once I have a flightplan mapped out?

FSBuild has an option to import weather from ASE/ASA that will be shown in the navlog. Each waypoint will have corresponding wind/speed that you can later input in the LEGS page wind section.

3) So far I have not used the built in FSX ATC on my tutorial flights. What do you generally do when you have a flight plan that follows a STAR but then ATC wants you to land at a different runway or left/right traffic etc?

By the time ATC tells you to land in some other runway you are probably already being radar vectored and not following a STAR, simply follow instructions.

And along these lines, how do I do an IFR flight with ATC when the flightplan is in my FMS but not in FSX's built in planner? (FSX ATC does not recognize that I have a flight plan, so I can't use it)

Use FSUIPC load flight option, gives you a quick way to load a flight plan into FSX.

Sorry for being such a novice at this, I thought I had a halfway decent grasp of flightsimming basics to start into the PMDG planes but I have been blown away and realize there is a whole world of stuff to learn and I honestly don't even know where to begin! (referring to navigation in general, not airplane specifics)

I've beeing simming for almost 25 years and I'm still learning...I suggest you look into:FSBuild, FSUIPC and ASE... must have add-ons, I also use navigraph for charts. See more info here http://www.navigraph.com/www/default.asp

Check out this thread for how to pick SIDs and STARs: http://forum.avsim.net/topic/318578-sidsstars/Note that decent flight planners such as FS Build and that kind of thing will help, and using something such as Flight Keeper or Active Sky will get you the weather information you need.There is no need to apologise for being new at something, nobody is born with this knowledge, we all had to learn it at some point. :( Al

Molly,If you're flying in the US, you can get real life IFR routes with the SID and STAR (assuming any are used) shown here:http://flightaware.com/statistics/ifr-route/They also have all the charts available on each airport's info page.

I would take a different route..but that's just me...I would learn the aircraft i want (even if it is a PMDG MD11 but i would propose to be a simpler one..) and THEN i would join an ONLINE community to fly with...I have chosen VATSIM but there is IVAO and other available...I would do that because in my opinion provides a better ,more effective and -for me- a faster learning curve for the things you want....For example.When you join a good VA or only by the documents that these orginizations provide you will learn the BASICS like:- How to decide on a SID and STAR. Personnaly i never let FSBUILD decide on my SID/STAR. I prefer to check the active runway of the airport i want and then decide on my SID/STAR. There maybe more than one SIDs for example, and because today is a sunny day i would like to choose the Visual departure SID :)))- Flying online provides an "operation baseline" :) ..It means that on a specific airport everybody must do the same..The weather is the same (the real one) the runway in use is specific and the Human ATC will not give you wrong direction :) that contradict to your SID/STAR....My whole point is that i would be afraid for myself (now that i am little time around simming) to start with FS and not online...Maybe is because i have NEVER flown offline from day 1..Well almost never, i am doing it right now testing ******* proposals..:)))Just my 2 cents..p.s. ONLINE ADDICTED :))

Molly,If you're flying in the US, you can get real life IFR routes with the SID and STAR (assuming any are used) shown here:http://flightaware.com/statistics/ifr-route/They also have all the charts available on each airport's info page.

Like Ryan mentioned if you fly in the u.s flightaware is a great site for checking real world routes. you can also check the type of aircraft there using on a certain route.

If you fly in Europe ATC normally assigns you to the SIDs and STARs, for SIDs when you ask for clearance and STARS mid-air before reaching the STAR entry point / transition. The built in FSX ATC is not capable of doing this tho. Some FIRs / ACCs use runway specific sids and stars, while other ones might use things like direction or arrival / departure for their sids and stars. There's not one way of determining which sid / star to use that would be valid for airports. In addition, certain sids / stars are only allowed for certain aircraft types, or might only be valid between certain hours of the day (noise abatament procedures). Your best bet to figure out which one to choose would probably be to download the charts and study them while you are doing your preflight. Looking up the local rules in the aera you want to fly might also be an advantage. You can get pretty much all charts for free on the internet,US airports:http://www.airnav.com/airports/Most EU airports (requires registration, but is free):http://ead-website.ead-it.com/publicuser/public/pu/login.jsp Enter Applications->PAMS LightUKhttp://www.nats-uk.ead-it.com/public/index.php%3Foption=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=6&Itemid=13.htmlEDIT: FSX ATC is no good if you want to fly sids and stars, I recommend ditching it and start flying online with real human ATC instead