Looking for a flight planner that would save a flight plan complete with sids and stars so they would show up already done in the company route section of the cdu. I know the online versions don't, at least the ones I tried so maybe someone knows of an online or even payware version that would save a complete plan.

PFPX?

PFPX?

No, it doesn't. And it's right that it doesn't, because in real life you get your SIDs and STARs from ATC and not from the dispatch office. Therefore SIDs and STARs have to be entered manually into the FMC.

Hi Paul,

 

Yes, FSCommander 9.6 (payware) will save the flight plan with SIDs and STARs, however not all aircraft will load/accept a flight plan with SIDs/STARs information.  In FSCommander 9.6 if you select PMDG as one (many output formats to select) of the formats for output for a flight plan, it will prompt you to EXCLUDE the SIDs/STARs information.

 

Like Carlo says, in most cases weather, maintenance, traffic volume, even special events will determine the various SIDs/STARs (at the time of departure/arrival) ... however major carriers can often request specific routes (mostly for cost savings) ... they may or may not get them per ATC routing.  But that's why you can't fully plan a route ... but you can probably make an educated guess using various charts (highly recommend SimPlates) and weather forecasts.

 

Now, with that said ... this is just a simulator, it's not real ... feel free to do whatever the heck you want.

 

Cheers, Rob.

SID STAR are not all waypoints to fly to, some are waypoint to head to, but GPS waypoints are flown to, so it makes no sense whatsoever to put many of the waypoints associated with SID/STAR in a GPS plan, or you'll be flying all over the shop.

 

Those aircraft with SID/STAR capability are not using a GPS route for the SID/STAR information, but the FMC.

 

Those aircraft that can save an FMC co-route are saving a file format that includes the GPS plan and also can include the SID or STAR reference, but there's nothing about SID/STAR in a GPS plan other than maybe the transition waypoint and the IDF/FAF. I use a planner that includes the Transition and IDF//FAF in the GPS plan which is helpful, along with the FMC co-route file.

 

The GPS plan in FSX/P3D is loaded when an FMC co-route style aircraft is used so that FS ATC is engaged.

fsbuild will export sid/star waypoints into the fsx format (it is a switchable option) but this is really only partly useful if you are trying to use an aircraft with the default gps or something. the generated flightplan has the names and lat/lon of the waypoints ...but as pointed out above, that is a vast oversimplification, there is no altitude information or distinction of what to do with the waypoints.

 

maybe if you are trying to fly the default planes or something like the a2a 377 this is a reasonable way to do it for having a reference you can see on the map. but i would agree that in planes with navdata support it's simpler to just select them from the list in the FMS

 

cheers

-andy crosby

Check out Aivlasoft efb.

No, it doesn't. And it's right that it doesn't, because in real life you get your SIDs and STARs from ATC and not from the dispatch office. Therefore SIDs and STARs have to be entered manually into the FMC.

 

PFPX does provide you with the most appropriate SID and STAR based on the selected runway for t/o and landing. It doesn't place the SID/STAR waypoints into the FMC when you import the .rte file, but if you look at the routing on the flight plan, it is prefixed and suffixed with the appropriate SID/STAR. You have the discretion therefore to select a different SID/STAR from the one provided on the flightplan on the DEP/ARR page should there be a runway change.

Check out Aivlasoft efb.

 

EFB is not a planner. It shows the path of the aircraft and logs aircraft and flight data at each waypoint in the plan.

 

You supply it with a plan (excl SIDs and STARs) and then select them from within EFB. It won't help the OP with his requirement.

This subject about SID/STAR still confuses me somewhat after many years.  Could someone tell me when flying on tubeliners, what FAF is on the LEGS page of the FMC flight plan? I know (INT) is an intersection. But what exactly does one do when they see these 2 entries?

 

And how exactly do you self-vector? I'm assuming is you see a (VECTOR) waypoint in your flight plan, you will have to use the HDG SELECTOR knob to fly yourself to the next waypoint, and then right before your plane is about to go hit that point, you then activate LNAV?

Paul, maybe a bit fiddly, but you could simply use any manual planner, and refer to the AIRAC Proc files that can be opened as a text file for the SID/STAR information. AIRAC navdata Proc files are separated out one for each airport, for example those found in the PMDG\SIDSTARS folder are interesting to look at.

PFPX does provide you with the most appropriate SID and STAR based on the selected runway for t/o and landing. It doesn't place the SID/STAR waypoints into the FMC when you import the .rte file, but if you look at the routing on the flight plan, it is prefixed and suffixed with the appropriate SID/STAR. You have the discretion therefore to select a different SID/STAR from the one provided on the flightplan on the DEP/ARR page should there be a runway change.

 

I know that PFPX provides a suggestion (nothing more as ATC will give you the SID and STAR you have to fly) for an appropriate SID/STAR. But my answer was the answer to the question of the OP which planner exports flight plans including the SID and STAR. And this is something that PFPX does NOT do. And it doesn't do it for the reason I outlined above. Where is the point in flying a complex tubeliner and then cheating on something like SID and STAR input? Especially since entering the right SID and STAR in the FMC is just a matter of selecting the runway and then selecting the SID and STAR from a list. That's it. Not really much time to save if the planner would do that for you...

This subject about SID/STAR still confuses me somewhat after many years.  Could someone tell me when flying on tubeliners, what FAF is on the LEGS page of the FMC flight plan? I know (INT) is an intersection. But what exactly does one do when they see these 2 entries?

 

And how exactly do you self-vector? I'm assuming is you see a (VECTOR) waypoint in your flight plan, you will have to use the HDG SELECTOR knob to fly yourself to the next waypoint, and then right before your plane is about to go hit that point, you then activate LNAV?

 

FAF stands for Final Approach Fix. A point around 13 miles out from the arrival runway. It's sometimes helpful to enter the FAF for certain approaches but that's the limit of my knowledge.

 

Your description of self-vector sounds reasonable. If it works when you do as described then stick with it. I usually engage LNAV soon after take-off and leave the FMC/CDU and MCP to control things whilst I monitor.

Ok thanks,,I do not use ATC so need correct sid and star to my  route. I know I can choose one in the FMC but I always seem to choose the wrong one and it looks like noodle soup when I get to my destination. 

 

I just want a flight planner that will add the correct sid and star to a route so I can have the correct setup for a nice landing without a ton of odd and much too tight turns and most are too short. 

 

Mostly want this for the Aerosoft bus. 

 

Thanks for the replies and I am always learning.

Paul,

 

Knowing what the arrival weather will be before you depart is tricky especially for long haul flights. You'll probably be okay with 1-2 hour hops but longer than that it's a risk taking the arrival weather too early.

 

Check the weather during descent and make your decision then as to what STAR and runway you'll be using.