What is your source for choosing your flight route?

[johnnycrockett 43]

 

7 hours ago, 787WannabePilot said:

Coming from FSX, I export to both FSX & PMDG from PFPX and then load the flight plan into FSX prior to launching the flight. I then I add the route through the CO Route in PMDG. When I load the flight from FSX, Active Sky picks up the route anyway.

What is the different between yours and mine other than a step or two extra?

I don't load the flight into P3D/FSX - PMDG will do that for you. Saves having to go through the menu at the top and then load the plan. PMDG generates a .PLN based on CO Route/WX.PLN.

Here is the option in the CDU under PMDG Setup/Options/Simulation then page 8/10

 

[FalconAF 213]

Some of you are making this harder than it needs to be, and claiming things that can/can't be done with certain planners.

You can easily (even more easily than already mentioned) avoid FIRs using SimBrief.  And there is no reason to have to "manually" go to the FlightAware website first to find the non-FIR route.

To the right of the "recommended" route SimBrief will first give you (the one that may not avoid the FIRs) there is a link to FlightAware (and other online flightplan generators).  Just click on that link.  It will then AUTOMATICALLY use your starting and ending airports you chose in SimBrief to "search" FlightAware for the most current flight plan used between those airports.  No FIRs violations will be included in the plan then, as it's a replication of the real world flightplan from FlightAware as if you manually did the search there yourself.  Then just "compile" the plan in SimBrief (a 1 mouse-click action).

SimBrief will do almost everything all the other planners mentioned here will do.  And it's free.  (If you are nice, you can send the developer a small donation).

I'm sure other users love their payware flight planners.  That's fine.  But I'm gonna use the free one that does all the same things, without having to jump around to different websites to do it to begin with. And keep in mind, the OP asked about planners for the PMDG aircraft.  Not every other aircraft developed or available for flight simming.  When taken in THAT context (the way I originally responded to the question), SimBrief is the no-brainer solution.  Oh...did I mention it's also free?  YMMV 

EDIT:  JohnnyCrockett and I just cross-posted.  What he said is the same thing I just said.  The OP's original question asked about PMDG flight planning.  He uses SimBrief for that for the same reasons I do and recommended it.  Stay on topic in the responses to an OP's questions, or you'll just confuse all the newbies reading these type of recommendation threads.

[ErichB 3,638]

14 hours ago, lasnubes said:

The Advanced Route Editor in PFPX allows you to permanently exclude FIRs... FWIW.

 

 

I do this with PFPX already.  Works great.

[787WannabePilot 12]

20 hours ago, johnnycrockett said:

 

I don't load the flight into P3D/FSX - PMDG will do that for you. Saves having to go through the menu at the top and then load the plan. PMDG generates a .PLN based on CO Route/WX.PLN.

Here is the option in the CDU under PMDG Setup/Options/Simulation then page 8/10

 

Ah, ok.

I don't use the menu option at the top.. main screen of FSX where you choose your plane, airport etc has a "Flight Planner" section. Open it up, select the route and done.

Takes less than 10 seconds.

[scandinavian13 5,192]

6 minutes ago, 787WannabePilot said:

I don't use the menu option at the top.. main screen of FSX where you choose your plane, airport etc has a "Flight Planner" section. Open it up, select the route and done.

Takes less than 10 seconds.

Takes less than 10 seconds, but it's 10 extra (and unnecessary) seconds, and forces you into a static route. If you take a direct, change the route, or change the STAR, or altitude, the plan will not update for ASN/AS2016.

Use the option, load the route either manually on the RTE pages, or via the uplink - saves time, and is more flexible.

[787WannabePilot 12]

4 minutes ago, scandinavian13 said:

Takes less than 10 seconds, but it's 10 extra (and unnecessary) seconds, and forces you into a static route. If you take a direct, change the route, or change the STAR, or altitude, the plan will not update for ASN/AS2016.

Use the option, load the route either manually on the RTE pages, or via the uplink - saves time, and is more flexible.

I'll take it under advisement. 

Thanks.

[Headley 26]

I use PFPX in conjunction with AS16, it gives me al the weather details i need.

Sinds this post i want to give Simbrief a try, but i wonder what is the weather source used by Simbrief?

Can the route caculated by simbrief be loaded into AS16 so i get my weather briefing?

[Boeing or not going 578]

On 9/19/2017 at 8:26 AM, ErichB said:

The route isn't provided for routes outside of the US on Flightaware.  US routes only

More complicated than this.

It has better coverage in Australia. Any flights that land or depart in North America and Australian Airspace have flightaware coverage that gives print outs of flight plans. Australia is better, the flight plan has the full route that prints the speed and step climbs too. - David Lee

[Ep3man 0]

2 hours ago, headley said:

Can the route caculated by simbrief be loaded into AS16 so i get my weather briefing?

Yes.  Download the .pln  from SB to the appropriate location then load it into "Flightplans" in AS.  Simbrief already gives a WX briefing but not sure how close the two match.  I tend to use the data from AS as I know that's what I'll actually be flying in.  However, both may draw their data from the same source.  I haven't looked into it with great depth.

[787WannabePilot 12]

On 9/19/2017 at 3:19 PM, FalconAF said:

To the right of the "recommended" route SimBrief will first give you (the one that may not avoid the FIRs) there is a link to FlightAware (and other online flightplan generators).  Just click on that link.  It will then AUTOMATICALLY use your starting and ending airports you chose in SimBrief to "search" FlightAware for the most current flight plan used between those airports.  No FIRs violations will be included in the plan then, as it's a replication of the real world flightplan from FlightAware as if you manually did the search there yourself.  Then just "compile" the plan in SimBrief (a 1 mouse-click action).
 

Just an observation and a question...

I think that link you are referring to is on the left of the recommended (I think it says "Suggested Routes). Now, when you click that Flightware link it does bring to to their website with current flight paths.. however, it is not just the current flight plan between airports, but a list of them that is sorted by frequency.

I am assuming you are referring to this page?   http://flightaware.com/analysis/route.rvt?origin=kewr&destination=krsw

Unless its another area?

[Headley 26]

13 hours ago, Ep3man said:

Yes.  Download the .pln  from SB to the appropriate location then load it into "Flightplans" in AS.  Simbrief already gives a WX briefing but not sure how close the two match.  I tend to use the data from AS as I know that's what I'll actually be flying in.  However, both may draw their data from the same source.  I haven't looked into it with great depth.

Thanks, this works ...

[787flyer 633]

So what is everyone doing for internal European flights where Flightaware is not providing the route/waypoint data?

[ErichB 3,638]

44 minutes ago, aldridgem said:

So what is everyone doing for internal European flights where Flightaware is not providing the route/waypoint data?

I generally go with PFPX routing.  

I believe that Matt Davies is working on something which includes a flight planning utility.  From what I gather its an enhancement of the Simstall features (could be wrong), but I definitely heard him say 'bye-bye PFPX' in relation to this.    

[Headley 26]

2 hours ago, aldridgem said:

So what is everyone doing for internal European flights where Flightaware is not providing the route/waypoint data?

Simbrief, http://www.edi-gla.co.uk/fpl/ and/or http://rfinder.asalink.net/free/

One of these will sure provide a valid and usefull FP...

[ErichB 3,638]

2 hours ago, headley said:

Simbrief, http://www.edi-gla.co.uk/fpl/ and/or http://rfinder.asalink.net/free/

One of these will sure provide a valid FP...

Nope.  If you plan from EGLL to OMDB it still takes you straight through Syria and Iraq which are both current no fly zones for commercial traffic - so it is not a valid route. (although useful)