I am rather dissapointed with the number of problems I am seeing after installing SP1b. The original SP1 offered a flyable and workable aircraft. After SP1b I am seeing FMC problems and CTDs.The main problem I am seeing at the moment is not loading in all the waypoints from a flightplan. I use use FSBuild for creating the flightplans, exporting the plans into FSX and PMDG formats.I am at the moment at KDFW with a flightplan to KMIA,departing KDFW 36R using SID CLARE2. The CLARE2 route is:-MECHLMAVVSCLAREPOTENTEKBESWBSJI etc.When I initially load the flightplan into the FMC, the LEGS page shows:-MECHLSJI etc.From the ARR/DEP page I then select runway 36R and CLARE2, the legs page then shows:-MECHLMAVVSCLARESJI etc.What has happened to POTEN, TEKBE and SWB? I have struggled for a couple of hours trying to get this to work with no success.I have double checked the format of the flightplan and they seem correct.Any advice would be much appreciated.Chris Hall

Chris-How was the flight plan created? Is it a saved file?If so- read through the SP1b notes, and you will find that this is intentional.

Many thanks for such a prompt reply.I assume you mean:-- Protections added for .rte files created by third party applications: Many third-party flight planning applications that export .rte files for use with the PMDG 737NGX use a bogus and illogical save process that puts the runway and SID/STAR information into the saved route as part of the route file construct. This is not done in real world operations, and since the PMDG 737NGX uses a real world FMS route process, it creates problems that some uers have erroneously reported as being FMS errors or failures. To protect users from this illogical process, when .rte files are loaded into the FMS beginning with SP1b (build 3118) the PMDG 737NGX FMS will disregard any runway/SID/STARinformation contained within the .rte file UNLESS that .rte file was created by the PMDG 737NGX FMS. This will require users to manually select the runway/SID/STAR information from within the FMS as is done by 737 pilots. The inclusion of terminal procedures in a COROUTE is quite unrealistic and PMDG recommends that the authors of these programs ammend their .rte export processes to include only the route of flight without runway/SID/STAR information in order to make the compliant with real-world operations.I read this before installing the SP1b. Does this mean that you effectively have "outlawed" FSBuild? I have used this proogramme for a number of years. In this case, how do I remove SP1b and go back to SP1?Chris Hall

It will still work fine, you just wont be able to use a Sid/star from it. Load the coroute in the cdu, add the Sid/star of your choice and save it. Then you'll have those procedures present next time you load it.

Chris-No no no no no!What we have done is to prevent programs like FSBuild from being able to add the runway/SID/STARs to your saved flight plan. You MUST add them manually, as there are a significant number of predictive and mathematical processes that are triggered when those pieces are added to your flight plan.If the flight plan is loaded with those pieces already (unrealistically) included in your route of flight, the prediction models occasionally come back with bad data because the runway/SID/STARs added by the flight planning software are occasionally not correct and/or do not match the values in the NAVDATA. This creates problem for LNAV/VNAV and other predictive processes.It should take you all of 20 seconds to add your runway, your SID and your STAR...Besides- airline COROUTES do not include those features for precisely the same reason.

I use FSBuild all the time, and it's easy to prevent it from automatically adding SID/STAR information...although it usually tries to do so. When you launch FSBuild and enter your airports of origin and destination, the program will simply add runway and SID/STAR based on what it reads in terms of weather data available to it. All one has to do is highlight the information in the runway and SID/STAR windows and delete it. Then have FSBuild generate and export your flightplan that includes only the enroute waypoints...have the NGX's FMS append the runway and SID/STAR information as dictated by ATC or prevailing weather conditions.I flew the NGX on a VATSIM flight last night having prepared the flightplan in this manner...all went well, and the SP1b NGX did a flawless job. VNAV was spot on.

I appreciate all the information you are giving me on this problem. I will try and set up FSBuild to avoid exporting the runway and SID/STAR.However, I always use Radar Contact 4 along with the excellent 737NGX. This is the only off line ATC programme that is anything like good. However, RC4 needs a .pln file to operate. I had the FSBuild programme exporting identical flight plans in both .rte and .pln formats so that the FMC and RC4 plans synchronised. What do I do now? If I select a SID or STAR on the FMC the RC4 programme will not have any idea where I am going and shout at me for being off course. Is there a way of converting .rte files to .pln files?Any help or suggestions will be much appreciated.Chris Hall.

RC4 takes FSX flight plans, not PMDG ones - you can still export the plan to the FSX format with the SID and STAR included and RC4 will work fine.

I also use RC4 and NGX and I also run in to these problems. So what I do if not RC4 is in sync is that I checkthe ND what my next navpoint is, up in the right corner of the ND. Then I just ask RC4 to go direct to that pointand RC4 stops complaining about that I'm off the airway. If there is Published Departure Procs you will not havethis problem. RC4 will not say anything until you are at the first navpoint, no matter how you've got there.I always load my flightplan with no SID/STARS and so on. I also use these plans in ASE./Per W Sweden

I use rc as well and i use vroute i save the flight plan to flight simulater x and also to pmdg flight plans and have no problems

I use Flight Commander 9 and never add SID/STARS. Only in FMC after getting weather. I check them in FC9 but never saves them.

I use FSBuild all the time, and it's easy to prevent it from automatically adding SID/STAR information...although it usually tries to do so. When you launch FSBuild and enter your airports of origin and destination, the program will simply add runway and SID/STAR based on what it reads in terms of weather data available to it. All one has to do is highlight the information in the runway and SID/STAR windows and delete it. Then have FSBuild generate and export your flightplan that includes only the enroute waypoints...have the NGX's FMS append the runway and SID/STAR information as dictated by ATC or prevailing weather conditions.I flew the NGX on a VATSIM flight last night having prepared the flightplan in this manner...all went well, and the SP1b NGX did a flawless job. VNAV was spot on.

You can get FSBuild to exclude the SIDSATR's from the export by adding EXCL_SIDSTAR to the [sTARTUP] section of FSBuild2.CFG file.

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Edited December 14, 201114 yr by idahosurge

After deleting the runways and sid stars with FSbuild t fsinn will not export. While the PMDG 737 flight plan worked fineDon Emerson

I am still seeing problems using FSBuild with the 737NGX and Radar Contact 4. After all of your excellent advice, I found that I could export .rte and .pln files from FSBuild without the SID & STAR by deleting the runway information in the main header. I was hoping to export the .rte without the SID/STAR for the 737NGX and then redoing the build with the SID/STAR added and exporting the .pln for RC4.The problem is that FSBuild initially generates a .rte route with the first waypoint nearer the start airport than the end of the SID. This can result in reversing your flight direction from the end of the SID to the waypoint at the start of the route. This requires a lot of editing. Setting up workarounds and fiddling with waypoints has changed a procedure that took 10 minutes to, sometimes, an hour. Very disappointing.I will probably have to dump FSBuild, but what to use that gives so much flight planning info as FSBuild?Chris Hall.