HOW TO: Manually enter waypoints into an FS9 flightpla...

Most of us have seen posts over the past months about whether or not waypoints can be manually added to flightplans. I believe this can be done with programs such as FS Navigator and Nav3.1, but many don't have those programs.Here is a way for you to manually add coordinates of your choosing to any FS9 flightplan that connects airports using Notepad. I enter these coordinates as intersections with arbitrary names, and it seems to work well. Let's take a simple VFR GPS-direct flight from KOKV (Winchester, VA) to KMRB (Martinsburg, WV). The .PLN file when opened with Notepad will look like this:{flightplan} <------------ Should be in bracketsAppVersion=9.0.30612title=KOKV to KMRBdescription=KOKV, KMRBtype=VFRroutetype=0cruising_altitude=5500departure_id=KOKV, N39* 8.32', W78* 8.27', +000726.99departure_position=32destination_id=KMRB, N39* 24.32', W77* 58.33', +000556.99departure_name=Winchester Regldestination_name=Eastern W Va Regl/Shepherdwaypoint.0=, KOKV, , KOKV, A, N39* 8.32', W78* 8.27', +000726.99, waypoint.1=, KMRB, , KMRB, A, N39* 24.32', W77* 58.33', +000556.99, _____________________This is what the same plan (waypoints only now) looks like after I've inserted two waypoints (fiddled with the coordinates off the top of my head):waypoint.0=, KOKV, , KOKV, A, N39* 8.32', W78* 8.27', +000726.99, waypoint.1=, GOT, , GOT, I, N39* 12.99', W78* 54.07', +000000.00, waypoint.2=, ITNOW, , ITNOW, I, N39* 42.99', W78* 44.07', +000000.00,[/font color]waypoint.3=, KMRB, , KMRB, A, N39* 24.32', W77* 58.33', +000556.99, _____________________Please note that...1) The name of the intersection appears after the first and third commas, and you can name it anything you like.2) The letter "I" appears after the fourth comma (for intersection) with code letters A for airport, I for intersection, N for NDB, and V for VOR.3) The elevation entered at the end of the line will show up in the navigation log that can be printed from the Flight Planner screen. This may be of use if you want to remind yourself of altitudes to be minded as you pass each waypoint in question, be it to clear terrain or comply with DP or STAR restrictions.4) Your waypoints must be numbered sequentially.5) I've found in my limited testing that FS2004 must be restarted before it will properly recognize changes you've made to a .PLN file. However, I may be mistaken on this point.6) If any of this information is misleading, please bear in mind that I just started testing this today and haven't found reference to any of this in the SDK's. Trial and error style.I've included both .PLN files: and [link:http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/90744.zip]KOKV-GOT-ITNOW-KMRB as zip files. Please feel free to unzip them, place them in your My DocumentsFlight Simulator Files folder, and load them in the flight planner screen to see how they look.I did a search for this topic before posting this information. If someone else has posted this previously, I cannot find it and apologize if I've stepped on your findings.I sincerely hope this ability to manually edit flightplans to fit one's preferences allows and encourages many flightsimmers to fly more accurately and/or creatively, be it by entering transoceanic waypoints or creating a flightplan up the heart of a harrowing fjord or canyon.Happy flying,Kevin