I just want to fly a Boeing 787 from point a to point b with an ILS landing.

MollyMax Guest

Simple request because I'm a Mac user and so don't know much about computers.
MSFS will arrange a flight plan for me between any two airports. I don't know how to get the flight plan into the Boeing 787 FMC so I can auto-navigate to an ILS approach and landing. I would like to be able to do it without having to use second-party apps for handling flight plans if possible.

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Pro Member Captain
Ian Stephens (ianstephens) Captain
Ian Stephens is an expert on this topic. Read his bio here.

Hello there,

First off, your query isn't as simple as you might think! The topic touches on a range of key functions within MSFS and the Boeing 787's FMC (Flight Management Computer - the system that automates in-flight operations). Thankfully, you won't have to delve into third-party applications, because MSFS is quite comprehensive.

1. Creating your Flight Plan
The first part of your journey starts with the flight planning stage. MSFS has an in-built World Map function that lets you set your departure and arrival airports, as well as customizing your route if you wish. To create your flight plan:

  1. Start from the 'World Map' tab on the MSFS home screen.
  2. Select your departure (Point A) and arrival (Point B) airports.
  3. Choose 'IFR (Instrument Flight Rules)' for your flight rules - this allows the ATC (Air Traffic Control) to guide you based on instruments rather than visual landmarks.
  4. In the 'Flight Conditions' section, ensure the 'NAV Log' is visible - it shows details like estimated times and distances, which we'll need later.

2. Loading your Flight Plan into the FMC
Now that we have a flight plan, we need to upload it into the Boeing 787's FMC. This requires a bit of tinkering with the cockpit controls:

  1. Once you're in the cockpit, find the FMC. It's usually located in the center console, near the throttle quadrant.
  2. Press the 'FPLN' (Flight Plan) button on the FMC.
  3. On the next screen, you should see a prompt to 'Initiate REF', 'Route' and 'Depart Arrival'. Press 'Initiate REF'.
  4. Enter the relevant details like your departure and arrival airports, cruise altitude, and cost index.
  5. Press 'Route' and enter the waypoints of your flight plan as shown in the NAV log.
  6. Once done, press 'EXEC' (Execute) to save the flight plan.

3. Setting Up for an ILS Approach and Landing
The final stage is preparing for your ILS (Instrument Landing System) approach, which helps guide you down to the runway in poor visibility conditions.

  1. As you near your destination, press the 'DEP ARR' (Departure Arrival) button on the FMC.
  2. Choose your arrival airport and the appropriate runway for your ILS approach. The ATC should give you this information.
  3. Once selected, the ILS frequency and course should be automatically set. You can confirm this by looking at the NAV/RAD page.
  4. Ensure your NAV1 radio is set to the ILS frequency.
  5. When you're ready to land, press the 'APPR' (Approach) button on your autopilot panel to engage the ILS system.
  6. Now sit back and let the autopilot do the work! Remember to disengage the autopilot once you're ready to take control for the landing.

In essence, you're feeding the FMC the necessary data to automate your journey from Point A to Point B with an ILS approach. Though it might seem complex, it's definitely manageable. Remember, it's always best to experiment with these procedures in a non-stressful flight situation first, so you can master them before moving on to real-world scenarios.

Hope this helps! Remember, the joy of flight simulation is in learning and perfecting these processes. Safe skies!

MeFlyToo Guest

A simple way is to get a flight plan made by https://flightplandatabase.com/.
From that same web page save the file in the MSFS format.
Go to the world map, select your airplane, do your weight and balance and make sure you have enough fuel for the flight. I don't recommend 100% fuel only what's needed.

Click on "More" and select the "Load/Save" from the menu.

In the next menu select "Load from this PC"

Find the flight plan you downloaded and open it.

The flight plan will load and you can see it in the top line of the sim. You can also see it in the Navlog.

This is the trick, if you have the latest release of MSFS2020 the flight plan will load automatically in the FMC. No fooling around entering each waypoint. If you want to enter altitudes for segments you can do it in the FMC, otherwise let ATC assign them. The only altitude you need to enter is the cruise altitude and you can do that when you prepare the flight plan on that database above.

As far as the ILS information and localizer frequeancy I use either SkyVector or Airnav. There you can download the approach charts, SIDS and STARS.

I'm not a rich guy and can't afford the Simbrief subscription to get the latest AIRAC. But this way I get the flight plan with the latest AIRAC and it works just fine.

I hope this helps all who have the same question.

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