Using Flight planner and the GPS

[mqytn]

I thought I'd share how I use the flight planner and the Gps to fly from one airport to another. My current project is to fly all 32 hops here in the flightsim.com mulitplayer server. This example was created while flying hop #6 from 1o2-KSAC.
First I use the flight planner as normal
http://home.comcast.net/~kennydata/fsscr031.jpg
Next I zoom into the destination airport to get a look at it.
http://home.comcast.net/~kennydata/fsscr032.jpg
I have noticed by reading the posts here that other pilots are wanting to add waypoints to the flight plan when using the default FS flight planner. I discovered how to do that. The flight planner draws a line from the two airports. To add a waypoint, simply move the red line to a waypoint. This picture shows that I want to fly over one of the waterway airports that is on one of the lakes on the way to KSAC.
http://home.comcast.net/~kennydata/fsscr033.jpg
Next, I want the GPS to fly me to the ILS. I like this feature a lot. It makes flying a lot easier.
http://home.comcast.net/~kennydata/fsscr034.jpg
After moving the line over to the SAC vor thus adding it to my flight plan, I saved the flight and loaded it up into the GPS. Now I'm ready to fly.
http://home.comcast.net/~kennydata/fsscr036.jpg
Once I'm close to the ILS, I fly the plane as normal, I switch to NAV and APP to fly the ILS to a landing.

[MongooseMike]

Excellent tutorial. Thanks for taking the time. navigation is an important feature of FS. Without it, we're jsut flying around in circles.

[ComputerGuy]

Thank you. Great tutorial

[xxmikexx]

jqytn,

I'll ask moderator loki to consider pinning this thread. You might also submit it as a Wiki article.

[tatest]

I use the flight planner similarly to generate a flight plan with my choice of waypoints.

Rather than use the GPS to fly the aircraft (I fly in an era with no GPS, aircraft with no autopilot), I print the Navlog, use it for bearings and timing to each waypoint.

The flight plan will show up on the map view, for progress checks. This is simulation of "ask the navigator where I am."

Note well that the flight planner calculates one enroute altitude for the entire flight. When you change the route, you might cross higher terrain. It is worth the effort to check terrain clearance and assign an appropriate altitude for each leg of the flight. This will change, somewhat, ground speed and ETE.

[Becca~T]

Do you also figure fuel burn and weight in your calculations ? or is that going to far?

[Clipper24/7]

An easier way of making flight plans in FS2004 format(especially lengthy ones) is just downloading them from Vroute or simroutes.com
Just type in dep/arr airport and a route will show ,then download it directly into FS.
There you can use even the "generate" route and fill in your waypoints and click generate,then download it.
Saves a lot of time for those how use the internally flight planner in FS.

[tatest]

For aircraft that carry enough fuel that it matters, I do, like my propliners and the GA aircraft that must trade off fuel and payload to stay under max gross.

The built in flight planner estimates fuel for the plan, then one can go back into the fuel/payload dialogue and adjust for enough fuel and reserve. Or if the flight planner says you'll burn more fuel than you can carry, it is time to revise the flight plan, put in a stop for fuel.

With some add-ons, freeware particularly, one must be careful of flight planner performance estimates. I've found a few models, otherwise to good to delete, that confound the flight planner with respect to fuel burn. A lot of my flight time is checking cruise performance of models I've acquired, against published performance specs, realistic expectations for specific fuel consumption, and flight planner estimates.

For models with no performance documentation, I might test more of the flight envelope, to build operating information for future reference. It's something to do with the simulator, that appeals to one trained as a scientist who usually functioned as an engineer :)

[ReggieF5421]

One extra step I would strongly recommend.

Zoom in on the departure airport.
Look for a VOR or waypoint very close to the airport, sometimes on the airport.
Delete any initial waypoint in the Flight Plan within 5 or 10 miles of the departure airport.

Depending upon takeoff runway, such waypoints can often require you to make a 180 turn and fly back over the departure airport or near the airport before turning around again and continuing your flight.