I took the plunge and purchased the PMDG 737. I am going to download the trial copy of FS Commander and of course I use RC4. My question, which probably has been covered before, is compatibility of these three products. I know that the RC co-pilot will not fly the PMDG but may handle the radios but the bigger thought in my mind is how RC4 will handle the plans created by FSC. I will enter the plans into the FMC and it looks like the autopilot is quite good following this plan, will RC also reflect the same altitudes and approach points etc. or will I be getting different turn information that may conflict with the FMC. I know that RC doesn't read the FMC but if I have the same route as the plan it should read the plan, right? Sorry this is so long and if there is a tutorial that covers all of this just let me know and I will read up on the subject.Many Thanks

As of the moment I installed RC4, just a week or two ago, it worked fine with both PMDG's 737BGX as well as Flight Sim Commander. Make sure you export a FSC generated flightplan to FSX's default flightplans location and then import this flightplan into RC4 and there you go.Hans

Your difficulties using ATC and the FMC with any planner may occur in the terminal procedure areas. It comes down to synchronizing the SID/STAR checkpoints. If you use FSC's planner to export the entire route including the terminal procedures into the FMC and do not use the FMC for anything except the final runway approach (mostly as guidance) then you should be OK. If the terminal data base in the FMC does not match plan checkpoints and you select the SID/STAR in the FMC then you may have a mismatch. You can reduce this if you use a Navigraph update at least once to update FSC and your PMDG terminal procedure databases so they match.Following is a tip sheet on using FSBuild with RC or other ATC but the same considerations in most parts apply to FSC;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. (Now off by default in version 2.4.)**REVISED 6/16/11** 3. FS Build database updates will be exclusively released through navigraph.com. It should be part of the FMC data line. For those not familiar with Navigraph each subscription term (cycle) includes multiple format downloads at no additional cost. This is very convenient for aligning FMC/navigation equipment databases with the flightplanner so among other things ATC data and your nav equipment data should match as you send a plan to ATC and then load it including terminal procedures into your FMC. The 2.4 upgrade includes the thirteenth cycle of 2010. The FSB upgrade is free to 2.x version users and is available via your order history on simmarket.com.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+THREEbut 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. Note that the SID and STAR dropdowns may follow the chosen runway in certain areas.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.Be sure to check the FSBuild forum for updates.

Thanks Ronzie, I guess my best bet is to experiment. I will check to see if there are nav updates for PMDG. I saw that FSC does have a nav service associated with them. Do you think FSB is better than FSC? I haven't downloaded the trial FSC yet. Weekend coming up.

FSB has a bit of a learning curve. It also will connect to an Active Sky weather snapshot and comes with several (modifiable) aircraft profiles to create a fuel plan.It has autoroute functions (subject to editing) as noted in the tip sheet and is compatible with pasting filed flight plans (again see the tip sheet) from flightaware.com.I can't comment on FSC since I've never used it.http://forum.avsim.net/topic/360602-best-flight-planning-softwareprogram/ a bit down here has other comments. Also browse through the FS forums here for opinions.Also note that if you don't know your take or landing runway where SID/STAR runway dependent checkpoints are included just include the common waypoints in the plan (in the tip sheet see about building from an edited route grid table to get RC to the mere or from the split points) and also using the altitude restrictions/no altitude restrictions for navigating by the FMC your SID and for arrival using the IAP for non-vector ATC then using the FMC final STAR approach segment to complete arrival without vectors. RC considers a checkpoint more than 30 nm out as the end of the vectored departure phase and from 40 nm out from destination as approach at which time you can specify the self guided approach by FMC if you wish. This avoids guessing the runways in use prior to your flight (see the Controller tab in RC) and you choose your SID/STAR by departurearrival direction.I don't know if FSC can facilitate this.A hint about the Boeing 700 series nav displays. RC places an altitude crossing restriction at 40 nm out from destination. If you go to the FIX page on the FMC, enter your arrival ICAO airport code as the fix and then /40 for the bearing/distance you get a range ring displayed at 40 nm around your destination. You can then control your descent watching the descent trend arcs on the nav display to insure you'll make the crossing restriction.

Thanks Ronzie you are a wealth of information.

Awesome ronzie just what I have been looking for!!!Thanks!

I believe the FSC nav service is navigraph.com, same as PMDG. For each subscription period you can as many formats as you require at no extra cost.http://www.navigraph.com/www/fmsdata.asp is the list of supported formats and FSC 8.x, 8.x, 9.x is listed as are the PMDG models. Note also that FSBuild is also listed as is the ISG instrument suite by the same developer.

Thanks Ronzie, I guess my best bet is to experiment. I will check to see if there are nav updates for PMDG. I saw that FSC does have a nav service associated with them. Do you think FSB is better than FSC? I haven't downloaded the trial FSC yet. Weekend coming up.