How to Create a Flight Plan File for MS Flight Sim
Posted: Sat Mar 27, 2010 9:39 am
First find the best route and then have a tool that would convert that route into a Microsoft Flight Simulator plan file. The tool would automate having you to enter a flight plan waypoint by waypoint. Here is just one option. This option is FREE.
For this example SAX flight #10 KTPA to EBBR is used and it will included the North Atlantic Track (NAT).
1. Go to Route Finder at http://rfinder.asalink.net/free/ (this link is also found on the SAX Dispatch Form and SAX Web Links Page).
2. On the Route Finder form enter KTPA on "Departure," and EBBR on "Destination".
3. Select "High" on the drop down "Level" menu.
4. Ensure "Use SIDs", "Use STARs", and "Ease Transitions" are checked on the check boxes. Since this flight crosses the Atlantic, "Enabled" is selected on the NATS drop down.
5. Click the "Find Route" button. This will generate a route of flight found on the bottom of the next page. It may look like this:
KTPA DCT LOULO J55 CRG J121 ORF VS1 HTO J55 BOS J575 TUSKY N77B YQX NATU DOLUL DCT EVRIN UL607 KOK STAR EBBR
Highlight this route and copy it to be used later.
6. Now go to http://www.simroutes.com (This link is also found on the SAX Web Links page).
7. Select the link "Generate Routes" on the upper part of the page.
8. On the following page, enter KTPA on "Departure" and EBBR on "Arrival".
9. Paste the route you copy from step 5 into the "Route" field.
10. Edit the pasted route by removing the departure airport, in this case KTPA, and the word SID preceding it if it is included with the route you pasted. Also delete the arrival airport and the word STAR preceding it if is is included with the route you pasted. After this the example route would look something like this:
LOULO J55 CRG J121 ORF VS1 HTO J55 BOS J575 TUSKY N77B YQX NATU DOLUL DCT EVRIN UL607 KOK
11. Now edit any mention of a North Atlantic Track (NAT) to use the following format NAT_[TrackIdent], such as NAT_X, NAT_R, NAT_G. Our example route uses NATU for the North Atlantic Track "U". Change that to NAT_U by adding the underscore.
12. Double check your work and Click "Generate Route" button.
13. The next web page shows you the generated route, including a map below. On this page you can optionally select an aircraft type on the "Aircraft Information" drop down menu.
14. Now you can generate and download your flight plan file by selecting the appropriate format from the drop down menu next to the "Download Flightplan" button. When you are ready pressing the "Download Flightplan" button and save your flight plan file to the folder you use for saved MS flight plans.
15. You are now ready to load the plan you just saved using MS Flight Sim. Once you load the flight plan modify the cruise altitude as needed.
This is just one tool used to create MS flight plan files. If you have one please share how you create your flight plan files.
For this example SAX flight #10 KTPA to EBBR is used and it will included the North Atlantic Track (NAT).
1. Go to Route Finder at http://rfinder.asalink.net/free/ (this link is also found on the SAX Dispatch Form and SAX Web Links Page).
2. On the Route Finder form enter KTPA on "Departure," and EBBR on "Destination".
3. Select "High" on the drop down "Level" menu.
4. Ensure "Use SIDs", "Use STARs", and "Ease Transitions" are checked on the check boxes. Since this flight crosses the Atlantic, "Enabled" is selected on the NATS drop down.
5. Click the "Find Route" button. This will generate a route of flight found on the bottom of the next page. It may look like this:
KTPA DCT LOULO J55 CRG J121 ORF VS1 HTO J55 BOS J575 TUSKY N77B YQX NATU DOLUL DCT EVRIN UL607 KOK STAR EBBR
Highlight this route and copy it to be used later.
6. Now go to http://www.simroutes.com (This link is also found on the SAX Web Links page).
7. Select the link "Generate Routes" on the upper part of the page.
8. On the following page, enter KTPA on "Departure" and EBBR on "Arrival".
9. Paste the route you copy from step 5 into the "Route" field.
10. Edit the pasted route by removing the departure airport, in this case KTPA, and the word SID preceding it if it is included with the route you pasted. Also delete the arrival airport and the word STAR preceding it if is is included with the route you pasted. After this the example route would look something like this:
LOULO J55 CRG J121 ORF VS1 HTO J55 BOS J575 TUSKY N77B YQX NATU DOLUL DCT EVRIN UL607 KOK
11. Now edit any mention of a North Atlantic Track (NAT) to use the following format NAT_[TrackIdent], such as NAT_X, NAT_R, NAT_G. Our example route uses NATU for the North Atlantic Track "U". Change that to NAT_U by adding the underscore.
12. Double check your work and Click "Generate Route" button.
13. The next web page shows you the generated route, including a map below. On this page you can optionally select an aircraft type on the "Aircraft Information" drop down menu.
14. Now you can generate and download your flight plan file by selecting the appropriate format from the drop down menu next to the "Download Flightplan" button. When you are ready pressing the "Download Flightplan" button and save your flight plan file to the folder you use for saved MS flight plans.
15. You are now ready to load the plan you just saved using MS Flight Sim. Once you load the flight plan modify the cruise altitude as needed.
This is just one tool used to create MS flight plan files. If you have one please share how you create your flight plan files.