Hi guys,I usually fly bush from point a to point b. I have seen Standard Arrival and Standard Departure plates and was wondering how I could be forced to use them by ATC? Also, I notice large aircraft fly across certain paths when I was looking at a chart of the world once, and was wondering how I can realistically fly them too? Any help would be appreciated.Thanks,Wild

Check out:http://skyvector.com/Then in the upper right corner you can display the low/high altitude enroute charts, or the vfr sectional/TAC/WAC charts.Airways are made up of radials and fixes, low ones are called victor airways, high called "jet routes" or "J" just like the letter.Pull up skyvector, type in KDLH in the top left box, and then click "enroute L14" in the top right. All the bold dark lines are low altitude airways and they look like spokes coming off the various VORs. Example, you see the DLH VOR in the center of the map. To the northwest is V430 which goes to GPZ VOR, then onwards to the next VOR and so on. One would fly these airways usually if cruising under FL180. To navigate to GPZ via V430 let's say you depart Duluth airport straight westbound, heading 270. You dial in the VOR frequency in your NAV1 radio to 112.6 - Look at the chart - just to the WNW of the vor is a number 288. That means radial 288 comes off DLH VOR and is also V430. You dial in 288 on your OBS/course knob (you may be using an HSI or standard VOR receiver) and when the needle is centered you are on V430 and you'll have to adjust your heading to 288 (assuming zero wind) to continue established on the airway.If you click "enroute H-2" you'll also see the high altitude chart with jet routes. See how J21 goes from the DLH 202R to GEP 020Radial? These routes are normally used above FL180. Most small planes fly on victor airways or use GPS to just go direct.

Wow! Thanks for the details. I love the site. This is still way too advanced for me yet though. I was hoping FSX and FSX's ATC would be smart enough to use it. Now that I see it, I guess not.This is a fascinating topic. I can't wait to learn more.Thanks again,Wild

I believe if you do the tutorial flights they will teach you the basics of this stuff.There's so much to love and learn in aviation. Some sites to further your progress:(Flight tutorials near bottom, but the stories are great too!)http://stoenworks.com/Aviation%20home%20page.htmlhttp://www.navfltsm.addr.com/basic-nav-general.htmPilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledgehttp://www.faa.gov/library/manuals/aviation/pilot_handbook/Instrument Flying Handbookhttp://www.faa.gov/library/manuals/aviation/instrument_flying_handbook/You'll never stop learning in aviation :(