I have read before about STARS approches with RC4 but I still am confused and wonder what others do.Often as I am approching a airport (often after a long haul) I find the a different rwy active to the one I planned for originally (choosen from wind dir at the time)in FSBuild to sent to Radar Contact, I change my STAR and Rwy in the FMC for the new approach but the STAR appoach starts quite along way out so as I follow it the RC ATC tells me to turn heading XXX so I can't follow the STAR until much closer which by then I am way off course.I have tryied excluding STARs from the flight plans and just enter one when I get confirmation or certain because of wind direction the open RWY but RC ATC holds me on a direct course way too long before handing me to Approach so I can follow the STAR.The main problem here is for STARS that start along way out and I have to change RWY and many STARS don't have the same transition point so my course will change from the one the ATC would have and ATC is not aware of any other possible planned approaches.How do others work around this? What do you include in the original flight plan? Do you use the NOTAMS option work around it? Do I lump it and I must just fly ATC headings? Have I missed something important? Will RC5 somehow fix this problem?Thanks for your replys in advance.

Most STARS even for different runways generally start far out with common waypoints chosen by the arrival direction. I include at least the common waypoints in the flight plan. I may elect to include the specific waypoints as well for the expected runway. Remember that RC chooses the runway based first on the one AI aircraft are using (in options Interact with AI must be checked) followed by the best navaid equipped runway and runway length allowing for weather influence of winds over a certain velocity.At the time Approach announces the expected runway, I'll enter the runway procedure into the FMC. There are some options here:Since, like me, you have exported the STAR from FSB into the FMC as well as into RC, those points are already in the LEGS page and agree with the points you supplied to RC. On the FMC just enter the arrival runway and approach type which will place the extended final on your ND which also provides situational awareness. Edit waypoints as necessary on your LEGS page and close any discontinuities followed by an EXE. All of this should be done before vectoring starts and you might want to be on MCP control to avoid sudden changes.If you decide to take RC vectors departing from your STAR at some point, then simply inactivate LNAV and possibly VNAV (if you are still in it) and use your MCP HDG, FLCHG-V/S, ALT, SPD settings to meet ATC commands to get you established on final.If you wish to follow the STAR all the way to the IAF of the runway followed by the approach, then in the RC menu (extended I believe) go through the choices to select an IAP Approach of your choice. It is best to select if possible the same runway Approach has advised so you do not conflict with any AI present. RC ATC will advise your LOC merge altitude and then keep quiet letting you proceed with your own navigation until you are on final. This choice may be better in approaches with difficult terrain where adherence to published horizontal and vertical paths is mandatory.NOTAMS allows you to deviate from ATC instructions without correction. I use this with vectors if I expect just an altitude deviation based on obstacle charts. If NOTAMS starts before vectors you still will be expected to cross waypoints in your plan to get waypoint credit until vectoring starts. If you do not get credit and ack commands you may end up with cessation of all ATC direction. NOTAMS also allows looser heading control without nagging corrections from ATC. In other words with NOTAMS you still must follow ATC advisories but not as tightly.Since you brought up the FMC, I suggest you use the FIX page for a Boeing installed one to put a 40 nm range ring around your destination airport. When approach announced a descent at your discretion and gives you a crossing restriction, you can use your V/S to adjust your descent and watch your descent trend arcs so they merge at the range ring. You can stay at altitude to the FMC TOD but be prepared to use V/S and speed brakes to meet the crossing restrictions (" I need you at . . . feet or FL within . . . miles or minutes"). This allows an ideal idle descent to the crossing restriction.I hope this helps.I am basing this information on my experience with the PMDG 737NG series and several cockpit videos of these Boeing 737 series and similar aircraft videos I acquired.

Thanks for the advice. :)First I'll explain what I have been doing and it will probably give an idea how I should change my technique for the better, BTW I have solely been flying the PMDG B747-400.I open Active Sky for the weather and wind direction of the destination airport and I judge what rwy will be open from that before I start my plan in FSBuild.I have been building my own plans in FSbuild with no SID (I just take note of the available sids in my FMC and choose a common transition in the correct direction for all rwys (don't have any SIDS problems), I check for common STARS transitions but sadly there isn't always a common transition and sometimes there is but it is way out (100NM+) before the airport. I build the the plan with what I think will be the most likely open rwy for appr and use it in RC 4.In flight as I am getting closer to the destination about an hour away I check Active sky for weather that the airport, and judging by the wind direction so far I have been pretty accurate as to which rwy will be open, I then select the RWY and STAR approach (I am aware real pilots get the active recorded ATIS message through ACARS about an hour before?).Now the problem starts when the original RWY and STARS I chose during my flight build and send to RC is different to the STARS and Rwy I need to fly now, it ok when the transition point is close to the airfield as I can then just follow either approaches it without bother but many start from way out which means my flight deviates a lot and RC is not happy with that, I either ignore RC (I know I shouldn't!) or just continue with the old plan until I get close and get vectors or try and get back on course with what is left of the STAR.I just wish there was a way I could tell RC that I am taking a different STAR or at least ask permission for a different approach from further back where the long STAR starts. Also I have been using fixes in the FMC for crossing restrictions.Anyway this is how I have been attempting my flights, it has worked on many occasions but some I have real difficulty with. If you guys see the problems with the way I am doing it please comment.

First, the easy part:SIDs (DPs in the FAA areas) again usually have common points after a certain distance from the runway. You should be able to pick a SID based on departure direction and guess at the runway. If your first SID waypoint is within thirty nm from the runway you will get a "fly as filed" clearance on take-off and do your own navigation. If it is further out you may get an initial heading clearance to fly and will then get vectors to line you up closely with the first SID waypoint in your plan followed by a direct-to clearance to that waypoint with (in version 4) a resume own navigation clearance. Know how to do a direct-to on the FMC LEGS page. Do not return to the original path. If you are getting departure vectors just keep the FMC up to date by LSKing the next waypoint down from the top to the top to get rid of unnecessary waypoints until at the top is the waypoint you are cleared to. Of course you are on MCP HDG for this portion.Second, the more complex part:For arrival you have to stick with the points entered in the RC plan until you get approach about sixty nm out, I believe. At that point if you wish to (cautiously) follow your original STAR to conclusion you can request an IAP and follow your original plan. If you have the STAR for the ATC suggested runway in your FMC database, you can put in that one and select IAP in RC for that runway, and then follow the FMC course. You will in the FMC select the new runway approach again deleting any conflicts on the LEGS page. You will have to on the LEGS page advance the first useful waypoint of the new STAR ahead of the planned original STAR (to cancel out the old one) to do your own IAP navigation, again where tight courses are required due especially to terrain.In the US it is common for STARS to end about thirty to forty miles out with a notation to expect radar vectors. The charts for the IAP will probably state radar required. If they do not end at a common point they will split into different paths with notation of the runway for each direction. For non-US arrivals STARS for each runway set will be on probably different charts but at the far out distances will still share common points. My advice is to if terrain does not offer an obstacle to the near field vectors and pattern take vectors.For FAA airports you can get all the airport charts necessary at www.flightaware.com by clicking resources, enter the ICAO code, and download the full .pdf bundle. For other jurisdictions I use VATSIM resources in general. One of the problems with current plates is you may find some waypoints not in your FMC database or in your FSB database. Generally you can find a substitute.www.planepath.com has libraries of US DPs and STARS plus airport information for import into PMDG's database. In the AVSIM flightplan library and forum you will find posts and files by ddowns for the PMDG US airports. Again, these may not match your FSB database but they will be close. What I'm saying here is that if you need to navigate a course from the FMC database due to an unanticipated runway change, these can provide a source since if you declare an IAP to RC, RC will no longer pay attention to your original plan other than the destination airport and the assigned runway.This all is simpler to do than to explain.I'll make a suggestion for some training material besides the RC tutorial and other sections if you don't mind parting with some cash:I found Mike Ray's PC Sim Boeing 700NG Series book very helpful. It is in the AVSIM store, at amazon.com, and at his site www.utem.com where you'll get a full description, for about $30. (I am not talking about the checkride guide here.) (It was just redone for both FSX and FS9.) It elucidates on practices and procedures including practical use of the FMC both preflight and dynamically, and gets into descent planning and MCP control in the final stages. It expands on the PMDG documentation and puts things in a practical order and perspective for learning. Mike is a retired United Airlines captain who now sims quite a bit.For FAA areas, I just acquired an FAA publication from 2004, Instrument Procedures Handbook (not the earlier Instrument Flying Handbook), from amazon.com. I think it was also in the about $30 range. It covers all phases of controlled flight and is very up-to-date. Some parts are available at the FAA training site on line but it would be a large number of files to download.