I am a newbie to PMDG. I am reading the manuals now and hope to make the first tutorial flight this weekend. My question is whether or not FSX plans can be imported into the FMS or is it always best to create route manually. Please bear with me as I work my way through a massive amount of data.

Hey ;)i use http://rfinder.asalink.net/free/ to create my routes...

Thank you sir, I work for Jeppesen/Boeing so I have access to our flight planning software. Once I get the route, even using the link you sent, I assume it is all manual inputs. The link is a very nice, simple to use site though. I will use it to do quick plans. :(

It's best to create routes manually. The FSX planner is terrible, and doesn't fully understand traffic flows in the real world (prefroutes and so on).

I use fsbuild. U can create a flight plan and import right into the NGX fmc. Really helped me speed up the learning process.

Personally I think FS Commander 9 is the best but FSBuild is good too and I used that in the past.

Good to know... my dispatcher license is still valid, but dusty!

Nice! Go ahead and try the FSX planner then, and I'm sure you'll see from first hand experience how bad it really is at good routing. It may be "optimal" but there's no way you'd get a controller to accept it, outside of the sim.

I would at the moment refer you to Danur FOC or FSBuild. In short order (please do not infer a timeline) TOPCAT's PFPX will be available.Google all 3. FOC's shortcoming is lack of current NAVDATA. FSBuild has this, but less ETOPS EROPS complexity. PFPX will have it all and is truly shaping up to be a magnificent piece of flight planning software.There are ways to export out of all 3- I do so for the NG but not for the 744. PM if I can assist further.

Edited January 25, 201214 yr by lasnubes

If you're interested in flying real world routes, you might try www.flightaware.com. It's pretty easy to write the flight routing down and then enter it into the FMC manually. You're not doing your own planning that way, but you should be able to fly the route online at IVAO or VATSIM. (Also, www.simroutes.com will give you a good route that's saved in the PMDG format and can then be called up in the FMC.)

Thanks to all for your input. FSX flight planner is wothless.. it's gone. I have looked at all of the others mentioned and do like the look of PFPX. Planning has never been a big priority, since even after moving through the different versions of FS over the years, I have never had such a nice looking and realistic aircraft. With this one I am going to be doing it right for a change.

You can also try Vroute (www.vroute.net) there is a freeware version and the payware premium version.