I am trying to evaluate and purchase a good flight planner/ navigation aid for FS2004.I am familiar with FSNavigator but have always found it to be a little more difficult to learn and I don't know how to create a flight plan.I tested FSbuild and I like it but it's only for building flight plans.Flightsim Commander looks like a great combination of both FSNavigator and FSBuild.. am I correct? Does anyone use this? I'm wondering what your opinions are, what you use and why..I want to by just one package.. if that's possible..Thanks!Jeff

Hello Jeff,I don't fully understand what you are really looking for. The flight planner within FS9 is quite good and it relieves the problem in finding a decent flight plan, if you don't want the effort of planning your own route by using NDB's and waypoints by consulting maps (if you have them)?FSnav, in my opinion is probably the nearest you will get to using specific and well used traffic lanes.I know that there is a bit of effort reqd., in navigating through it but, if you get stuck in, I am sure that you will realize it isn't as hard as you imagined.At www.knightair.org which is the best, in my opinion VA there is currently running a page of helpful instructions and explaining the program in layman's language.I think that you can access the pages without joining but, if you are thinking of using flight plans you could do worse than joining the VA.One more word in favour of 'FSnav'. You can sort the plan out with that program and then, export it to FS9 main program so, you can then use that file and enjoy the ATC guidance and control used within the program, just like the real thing!Any other help that you require, please ask me again as I was in your position once myself.Three greens and happy landings,Dave.If it burns Kerosene and makes a noise, I'm interested.

In defence of FSNavigator, I've never had any problems with it, but then I have been using it for some years.I guess the first question to ask is "what do you fly ?" If, like me, you prefer GA, and fly a mixture of VFR/IFR (scenic flying) then you'll probably want to compile your own flightplan. If you prefer the "big iron" and want to cruise at 30,000ft following a real-life flight route, you will approach things differently.FSBuild is excellent for the latter, compiling the route and, if you've got it, exporting it to FSNavigator.Either way, here's a "30-second Primer" on creating a plan with FSNavigator:1) Select start airport and insert at the start of the plan. Ideally, select the runway you want to take off from.2) Select destination and add to plan3) Select "Create Autoroute", choosing between High Altitude Airways, Low Altitude Airways or VOR-to-VOR.4) FSNavigator will now create a route for you. If this meets with your approval, save and prepare for take-off. If not, modify the plan by adding/removing waypoints, Nav beacons etc. If you've gone online and kept your SIDs and STARs database up to date, these may well have been incorporated in the plan.There are too many finer points to the package to discuss here, but you can set FSNavigator to full-auto and, if you've got the correct aircraft profile loaded and/or created, you can select "Fly Flightplan", set the Autopilot, and it will act as a FMC, flying the plane and, if you're lucky, landing it as well. Or, you can set it to full manual and fly the route yourself, only using FSNavigator merely as a moving map. With a little practice you soon get the hang of what to do, and whilst it doesn't do EVERYTHING, huge number of simmers swear by it as one of the best add-ons around.As with so many things, its a powerful aid but doesn't do away from the fact that you should to be able to fly the plane you're using and understand the principles and, especially, the limitations of it and the navigation aids you use.If you're not already aware of it, this is an excellent learning site:http://www.navfltsm.addr.comCheers,Alastair

wow thanks for quick response and great advice!I just spent the money and purchased FSNavigator :)I'll spend some time learning it now.. Thanks again for the links!Jeff