Just got FSBuild 2 and am not any kind of expert flight planner. Any suggestions on building a plan for newbies with it?. Any options I should turn on that arn't on by default? Thanks for any help

Just got FSBuild 2 and am not any kind of expert flight planner. Any suggestions on building a plan for newbies with it?. Any options I should turn on that arn't on by default? Thanks for any help

Hi,One thing I like about FSBuild is that you can take a real world route such as COATE J36 FNT BAE ODI HLN MLP GLASR7 which is a flight from KEWR to KSEA as long as the departure and arrival airports are placed in their respective slots in the UI you will get the appropriate routing.For flights arriving and departing in NA you can get all your routes from flightaware.com and for other flights around the world I go to vataware.com where users go through great lengths to ensure the routing is as accurate as possible.I am not home right now but I could post my options when I have a chance later on this evening.For now just play around with it and see the fun you can have.

As you wish. I've included tips on using with ATC. Here's a paste since we can no longer attach .zip, .pdf. or .txt files here:FSB tips:1. Include this line in FSbuild.cfg:NAVCHKDUPDIST=100This decreases the chance of using the wrong duplicate named local (to the airport) waypiont from a nearby airport. Local waypoint names are not exclusive. It decreases the database search when it is named in the route to within a 100 nm radius of your airport. You will find these in terminal procedures such as "D" number something within a SID or STAR to define a merge or turning point.2. When doing a Auto Generate (Route) be sure the SR (Stored Route) button next to it is "up" that is not highlighted. Auto Generate will use a stored route if found by default and most are out of date with old waypoints and terminal procedures. Having Stored Routes off forces it to search a path with fresh data.3. Take advantage of the frequent AIRAC updates at the FSBuild site for the greatest possibility of matching current charts and real world flight plan procedures and waypoints.4. Where an airport uses specific runways for different terminal procedures select the runway using an estimate based on weather and if the runway fits your aircraft requirements before doing the Auto Generate. This helps select the correct SID and STAR for the runway and direction of departure and arrival.5. After the Auto Generate and/or first build look at the map created to spot any obvious errors. In the route grid look for any sudden non-sensible changes in direction or extremely long legs not in the correct direction creating a zig-zag in the map. (See item 6 following to correct).6. Be aware there is an option you can set for each session titled "Build Route from Grid Table". It does not stick between sessions. This lets you build from an edited route grid that you may have modified without recreating the table with the same error on your next build/export. For example you might wish to drop an errant waypoint when proofing the map and rebuilding.7. Sometimes the name of a procedure (SID/STAR) does not match the name exactly in a published route and the procedure will not expand into its plan waypoints in the grid table. You can click on the arrow in the SID/STAR box to see what close name is in the FSB database. (Another reason to keep up with AIRACS.) For example KMSP has a current real such as this one:http://flightaware.com/resources/airport/KMSP/DP/WAUKON+TWObut the FSB database only has UKN2. (It does have UKN3 now with the latest available AIRAC update). If so in the route line just change UKN3 to UKN2 so it will expand. Here's a real route from flightaware.com for KMSP to KMDW:KMSP UKN3 DBQ CVA MOTIF3 KMDWthat can be pasted into the FSB route line. If UKN3 or MOTIF3 does not expand in the route grid to individual way points look in the upper part of FSB in the airport section dropping down the SID or STAR box to get the available version and substitute that label in the route line and rebuild.8. Sometimes it takes a second build to get the map to move and/or magnify. The mouse scroll wheel lets you magnify. Just click on the portion of the map you want to center on and scroll to magnify.9. If you click on a line in the route grid table to highlight it, the waypoint on the map will turn red. This is useful for finding errant waypoints that cause an error in the path. That line can then be edited or deleted and a rebuild accomplished with the build option to build from the route grid table.10. If you are running a weather program such as active sky, first build the route in FSB exporting to FS9 using an anticipated cruise altitude and specify the nearest aircraft profile. In AS get the weather you wish to use. (I always get the weather for the zulu time of the departure in FS since time of day affects weather characteristics). Import the plan into AS via the new route button, check the altitude and choose an appropriate true airspeed in knots (this is your no wind ground speed). Process the route. When it is finished click the button to print a hard copy of all. Use this AS navlog for METAR data at both ends and winds aloft and temperature aloft that can be used for FMC data. (You'll also get your estimated average wind at your specified altitude - handy for FMC data.) Leave AS running. Now go back to FSB and your chosen aircraft profile. Enter the surface temperature from your departure METAR, then estimated total taxi time, hold time, and extra time (sometimes called discretionary fuel). Now turn on again your FS9 export along with any FMC export you might use. Rebuild and you'll see the messages regarding the export completion. On the route selection on the left which brings up your route window select the navlog tab and click the .pdf to save the navlog in a file or the print button to get a hard copy so you can easily reference the estimated fuel and other data. This estimated fuel has now taken into account your winds aloft data - no need to enter it in FSB. Now that you have the hard copy and exported your route, you can first optionally save the plan by selecting flightplan window, then clicking the category tab, then select user category. Now click file, save from the menu bar. The name you might want to embellish. Click Save Route To User Flight Plans. For another session, you can recall this working plan and just build.11. If you are using an aircraft with nav equipment that has its own terminal data procedures in its nav equipment (think FMC) you might wish to use step 6 above to take out the waypoints of the terminal procedures keeping just the transition points and build and export with just them. This easily in most cases lets you select the SID and STAR assigned by ATC on your nav equipment by providing a clean legs list in your nav equipment. If you need ATC to monitor the waypoints of the terminal procedure than just export all. To keep ATC and you nav equipment in sync, you might consider importing the full plan into your nav equipment and not using your nav equipment procedure database.This is kind of long but through experience I've described some tricks I've used watching out for any pitfalls.There is a later update for 2.3 not linked from simmarket. From the fsbuild forum that link is:http://www.fsbuild.com/dl/Fsbuild2376_2Upd.exeInstall that if you have a lower version number after your 2.3 update from Simmarket.

Just got FSBuild 2 and am not any kind of expert flight planner. Any suggestions on building a plan for newbies with it?. Any options I should turn on that arn't on by default? Thanks for any help

In addition to Ronzie's excellent tips... make sure you set the output paths (via FSB options) for any addons that your are exporting to and the path to your weather addon (if any ; the program will accept the path to any of the HiFi addons) and make sure to check the appropriate addon planes in the export menu. There are tutorials on the FSB site - take advantage of them. You will also find performance profiles there for a number of common addon aircraft that are useful in fuel planning.DJ

Ronzie, Great condensed tutorial. My only complaint with FS Build is the Airac updates are a little slow in coming. Otherwise, it's a great program.

Wow great addition to the thread guys. I read that Ernie will discontinue AIRAC updates.

Robert, There was some talk a while back that he was trying to work something out with Navigraph for Airac updates. I haven't seen anything recently though.

I just checked his forum. Yes, Ernie will no longer supply AIRAC updates. They will be available from navigraph.com under their usual terms. As of 12/28/10 Ernie stated their delivered format is not correct yet and they are still working on it.I also expect his ISG instrument line will also get those AIRAC updates from Navigraph.The AIRACS are part of the FMC update product where a subscription provides multiple formats without additional charges (that is no additional credit deductions). I think it would be great for an FMC or other NAV gear to be in synch with FSBuild.I'll change my documentation. Thanks for the heads up.

Robert, There was some talk a while back that he was trying to work something out with Navigraph for Airac updates. I haven't seen anything recently though.