I'd like to know what type of route builders all you heavy iron and GA drivers are using to plan your flights other then the default planner. I'm looking for something that would allow me to build a plan that would let me setup waypoints at the airports I'd be landing on. Example: I fly out of KIAH to KAUS to KDFW to KGLS and finally back to KIAH, this would be like a typical work day for hauling cargo or passengers.I would be landing at all the airports mentioned(and after offloading passsengers/cargo)taking off again without having to reload a new plan but continue until the final waypoint to land.Is this possible in FS2004? If so please tell me all the payware planners you guys use. Nothing against freeware( heheh I am the king of freeware) but I do enjoy buying the quality payware stuff too.

Good request. I am also looking for one too.Preferebly one that I can give DP and STARs as my route. e.g. Joe Pool 9 departure (DFW) (JPool9.ACT) and it should know the the departure and the transition.Manny

Short answer: No, it is not possible. The best flight planners around are FS Navigator and FS Build. FS Build is more complex, but less visually appealing. FS Navigator is less complex and looks better.In real life, dispatch (or here, you as the pilot) has to file flightplans for every leg of the route, because you eventually need to re-fuel, depending on the plane, and have to re-calculate your total weight for the leg, especially with a new load of passengers, etc.In FS you always have to load the current leg.Hope this helps.

I use FSBuild on everyflight, just an awesome tool to do all kinds of flight plans for any plane in your hanger. ON your request, that is a function that I would like to see anyone develop. To my knowledge no has a tool that will allow you to stop at one airport do a unload and then a reload and start again witout stopping and starting with a second route. May be possible will have to talk to some folks about this.Bob

Flight Operations Center (FOC) includes automatic route generation for North Atlantic tracks and ETOPS, EROPS, STOPS operations. It is ideally suited for Virtual airlines and probably over kill for most pilots. It is my primary flight planner because of the level of detail and accuracy provided relative to specific aircraft, weather conditions and route capability. It is rather expensive and does require a bit of time to learn. My lazy day :) planner is FSbuild and I highly recommend it for the majority of simmers. Bob....

Thanks guys, I figured as much...but I thought I'd ask before I bought a payware planner. So what can the planners that you guys use; do that the default planner can't? I'm only talking about planning your flight route etc...not any of the moving map stuff.Thanks

FSBuild, just tons of additional things that the default FSPlanner cannot do.Off the top of my head here are just a few tools the FSB does:Has hundred of stored flight plans from departure/destinations all over the world.Builds flight plans that support the PSS/PMDG/F1 .rte formatExports to the FSPlanner and many other 3rd party add-onsComputes fuel plans for specific aircraft and will use ASV and FSMeteo weather for aloft winds. Also adjusts for weight and balance computationsUses the most current AIRAC and SID/STAR procedure data for autogenerated flightplans. Online real world NAT TRACKs for Altantic crossingsSupports FAA prefered routings for planningPrepares a real world type of nav log with all pilot data displayed.Customer support online for specific questions about the program and/or routes.I know I have forgotten some other items but go here to view the complete list of functions: http://www.fsbuild.com/Hope this helps you.Bob JohnsonKDEN

Before you buy FS Build, try the Trial version of FS Navigator I guarantee once you do, you will probably buy it. It exports to FS9, PMFG 737, SB3, and several other complex aircraft. http://fsnavigator.com/

Cool! thanks both BobJ and Bob :) I'll research both of these and see if I can squeeze them into my already busy hobby and real life schedule ;)

Also tryhttp://rfinder.asalink.net/free/Just input your departure and destination and let it do the hard work :-)

I'm still using FSNavigator, after all these years. Even if I don't create flightplans with it, I still use it as a moving map while in flight. Also, you can export the flightplans to various 3rd-party aircraft FMC's (PMDG). So, overall, it is a useful piece of software.- Martin

Hi BobYou got a link for FOC? I'm interested in it. Thanks

I would suggest you join aopa for 39 dollars a year. This way you get a magazine subscription from them and can use their flight planner that is top knotch. All the pilots I know use it and whenever I fly IFR in real life I always use it.http://www.aopa.org/flight_planner/David

>Also try>>http://rfinder.asalink.net/free/>>Just input your departure and destination and let it do the>hard work :-)>>Hey thanks for the link, pretty cool site. I take it, you input the generated route into your FMC; will I have to update my SID STAR database or will the default stuff be enough

>>Hey thanks for the link, pretty cool site. I take it, you>input the generated route into your FMC; will I have to update>my SID STAR database or will the default stuff be enough>I have used the free site for ages and it's excellent. I upgraded to the pay site 3 days ago. If you subscribe for $15 per 6 months, here http://rfinder.asalink.net/you get access to another part of the site where there is the possibility to save your flightplan in the format used by PMDG, LevelD, FS Navigator and many others and then save the file directly into their Flightplan folder and import directly into your FMC. It really does save a load of typing believe me. Ideal if you do a lot of long distance flying.CheersTimhttp://members.chello.nl/t.westnutt/realair.gif