I need help figuring out Flight Planner in FSX.

I've had problems like that - still do actually. I think it has something to do with the program itself. I don't know if there are any fixes for it per se, but sometimes it looks like the plane just starts bouncing around and it is hard to control. Best way I found to deal with it is to just turn on your plane's auto pilot. Click on the Altitude Hold button and all should be good. If you pick a GPS route, then be sure you click the AP NAV button and that you've selected GPS. The NAV key for auto pilot (AP) with either follow what you tune in to the VOR radio (NAV) or what is programed into the GPS when you plan your route.

hope that helps.

Creating a Flight Plan

On the Create tab of the Flight Planner, make selections for the type of flight, the departure and destination points of the flight, and the type of routing you desire.

Think of the Create tab as a five-step operation:

1. Choose the departure location.
2. Choose the destination.
3. Choose the flight plan type.
4. Choose the routing method.
5. Find the Route.

1. Choose the Departure Location

To enable the Flight Planner to automatically determine the route for your flight, you must define your departure location. For more information, see Using the Go to Airport Dialog Box.

Note: Flight Simulator supports filing an IFR plan during a flight. When you create a flight plan, you can choose to start the IFR flight at your current location.

To select a departing location

1. In the Choose Departure Location box, click Select.
2. Choose an airport from the Select Airport dialog box.
3. Click OK.

2. Choose the Destination Airport

To enable the Flight Planner to automatically determine the route for your flight, you must tell it where you are going. For more information, see Using the Go to Airport Dialog Box.

To select a destination airport

1. In the Choose Destination box, click Select.
2. Choose an airport from the Select Airport dialog box.
3. Click OK.

3. Choose the Flight Plan Type

On the Create tab, you can select the type of flight plan you intend to fly. The choice you make will be a factor in the altitude the Flight Planner chooses for your flight.

To choose a flight plan type

* Click VFR to plan a flight under visual flight rules.
The elevation of the terrain you'll be flying over will determine the suggested altitude.
-or-
* Click IFR to plan a flight under instrument flight rules.
The minimum en route altitude (MEA) along your route will determine your clearance altitude. You can change altitude later.

4. Choose the Autorouting Method

You have a choice of methods that the Flight Planner can use to plot your route. These selections are unavailable until you have chosen departure and destination airports.

To choose a routing

* Click Direct-GPS to plot a direct point-to-point route. Navigate this route using the Global Positioning System (GPS) feature.
* Click Low altitude airways to plot a course along low altitude airways (Victor airways).
* Click High altitude airways to plot a course along high altitude airways (Jet airways).
* Click VOR to VOR to plot a course using VOR stations along the route.

5. Find the Route

Once you have completed the first four steps of planning your flight, click Find Route in the Plot Flight Plan box; the Flight Planner will flip to the Edit tab. You will see the Map with your route drawn as a red line across the display. You can now make adjustments and refinements to your flight plan.

To complete the flight plan

1. On the Edit tab, Click OK.
2. When the Save Flight Plan dialog box appears, Click OK.
3. When the message appears asking if you want Flight Simulator to move your aircraft to the departure airport listed in the flight plan:
* Click Yes to move the aircraft.
-or-
* Click No to activate the flight plan from your current location.

Easy 😀

Tailhook wrote:

Creating a Flight Plan

On the Create tab of the Flight Planner, make selections for the type of flight, the departure and destination points of the flight, and the type of routing you desire.

Think of the Create tab as a five-step operation:

1. Choose the departure location.
2. Choose the destination.
3. Choose the flight plan type.
4. Choose the routing method.
5. Find the Route.

1. Choose the Departure Location

To enable the Flight Planner to automatically determine the route for your flight, you must define your departure location. For more information, see Using the Go to Airport Dialog Box.

Note: Flight Simulator supports filing an IFR plan during a flight. When you create a flight plan, you can choose to start the IFR flight at your current location.

To select a departing location

1. In the Choose Departure Location box, click Select.
2. Choose an airport from the Select Airport dialog box.
3. Click OK.

2. Choose the Destination Airport

To enable the Flight Planner to automatically determine the route for your flight, you must tell it where you are going. For more information, see Using the Go to Airport Dialog Box.

To select a destination airport

1. In the Choose Destination box, click Select.
2. Choose an airport from the Select Airport dialog box.
3. Click OK.

3. Choose the Flight Plan Type

On the Create tab, you can select the type of flight plan you intend to fly. The choice you make will be a factor in the altitude the Flight Planner chooses for your flight.

To choose a flight plan type

* Click VFR to plan a flight under visual flight rules.
The elevation of the terrain you'll be flying over will determine the suggested altitude.
-or-
* Click IFR to plan a flight under instrument flight rules.
The minimum en route altitude (MEA) along your route will determine your clearance altitude. You can change altitude later.

4. Choose the Autorouting Method

You have a choice of methods that the Flight Planner can use to plot your route. These selections are unavailable until you have chosen departure and destination airports.

To choose a routing

* Click Direct-GPS to plot a direct point-to-point route. Navigate this route using the Global Positioning System (GPS) feature.
* Click Low altitude airways to plot a course along low altitude airways (Victor airways).
* Click High altitude airways to plot a course along high altitude airways (Jet airways).
* Click VOR to VOR to plot a course using VOR stations along the route.

5. Find the Route

Once you have completed the first four steps of planning your flight, click Find Route in the Plot Flight Plan box; the Flight Planner will flip to the Edit tab. You will see the Map with your route drawn as a red line across the display. You can now make adjustments and refinements to your flight plan.

To complete the flight plan

1. On the Edit tab, Click OK.
2. When the Save Flight Plan dialog box appears, Click OK.
3. When the message appears asking if you want Flight Simulator to move your aircraft to the departure airport listed in the flight plan:
* Click Yes to move the aircraft.
-or-
* Click No to activate the flight plan from your current location.

Easy 😀

Tailhook,

This is straight out FS handbook, don't you think I've follow there explaination already. Hmm??

Well, if you havce, it should work. Thats what I have been doing since I got FSX. Like rowcoach said, use the autopilot through out the flight until you get vectors to the approach, then once you are established, flip to APPR instead of AP and fly the final. No problems for me.

jellrod, tailhook and others.

Well let me clear a few things up here.

1) I don't use ATC during my FP flight.

2) This problem is happening in middle of flight when I'm already at crusing altitude of 19K (which I'm not sure why auto FP does that) gives me.

3) How am I suppose to get vectors for landing if I'm not using ATC?

okay....

are you using the auto pilot? If you do, it will make life a little easier for you. Flight plan picks an altitude for you depending on where you are flying to. It is a suggestion. If you're plane doesn't fly that high, you may need a different one. Also, you can usually fly a couple 1000 feet lower, just watch out for mountains.

if you don't use ATC - you won't get vectors to land. You only get vectors to land if you pick an IFR flight plan. Flying by VFR you get a runway and pattern entry instructions. However, the only way you can get any of this is to use the 'Scroll Lock' key to call air traffic control. If you chose not to use ATC, then you are pretty much left to your own devices.

I do use the AP, with the nav/gps switch in the down position, that is the only way the plane follows the line (trek) on the map. If thats not the way then please tell me what I'm missing.

n7xlq1 wrote:

Tailhook,

This is straight out FS handbook, don't you think I've follow there explaination already. Hmm??

I wouldn't have posted it had I thought that you're following the instructions in the learning center.
No offence, but you wouldn't be the first one who isn't even aware of its existence.

So if you're following those instructions meticulously and you're having problems which no one else has, than obviously it's your job to explain properly what what you're struggling with.
That includes contemplating on what you did to or with the sim before the problem started including new add-ons, saving flights in mid-air etc. etc.

I didn't reply to your post because of boredom - I don't suffer from that terrible affliction.

My Question is, and i know how to fly Direct-GPS and leave it on GPS and selecting NAV lets the planes AutoPilot fly its course, but what if i select High or Low Alt. airways. will leaving it on GPS and selecting the NAV function still allow the plane to fly the course with out additional imputs or do i have to know each heading and Frequency for each cross point?