Flight Planner or ATC Mod

[grant977]

Is there some kind of flight planner freeware preferably that allows you to pick your arrival and especially departure runways.

[jboweruk]

Not to the best of my knowledge, runways in FS are usually set by your parking position and the weather, this can be a little unrealistic as
FS tends to change them along with wind conditions.

[nem]

Runways in FS are solely dependent on the weather, as long as the wind is above 5 kts. If it's below that (and if the AFCAD for the airport in question is
correct) the primary runway is used.

But I think grant asked for a flightplanner were you could enter your runways, not pick them as in "tell FS which to use". Maybe wrong though.

grant, you might want to do a search for "Super Flight Planner" in AVsims file library (category FS2004 - Utilities). It's freeware, but I don't know
what's it exactly capable of.



Post Edited ( 07-29-05 11:08 )

[psolk]

I use ASV http://www.hifisim.com and FS Build by Ernie Alston I think his name is. I apologize if I got it wrong as it is an amzing program http://www.fsbuild,com
I believe.

Using the two together, I can download a weather snapshot prior to ever loading FS. Then FSBuild can actually use that weather data to build a flight
plan around the prevailing winds. By entering the departure and arrival codes into ASV, I find out the departure and arrival winds prior to loading
FS. This way I can use the appropriate runway to build my Flight Plan. Once you load FS, there is a button on ASV that says refreash AI. when you
click this, it automatically shifts the AI to the correct runway. For some reason for me, no mtter what the winds, I always go to the primary runway
in Afcad. Very frustrating to hear wind of 240/4 and be sent to runway 4 for takeoff opposed to 22. ASV and FSBuild completely addressed the
situation...
-Paul

[nem]

Well, with 4 kts windspeed the primary runway will be used on most airports. It has to be > 5 kts.

[psolk]

Understood but I always like to takeoff into the wind regardless of it's speed. You never know when you are going to get a gust and i wouldn't want
that gust to come from behind me on departure. With ASV, I always depart into the wind. It also has a great feature where you can turn com1 to
122.00 and you can hear enroute and arrival weather...
-P

[nem]

ASV's "refresh AI" makes FS change the default unway even when winds are slow? Never tried it I must admit, but I definitely would call that quite
unrealistic...

As a matter of fact many (if no most) general notes on airport charts state that they will generally use one specific runway when the windspeed is 5
kts or less (or was it below 5 kts? I keep forgetting), so in this regard FS is actually close to reality I guess.

[grant977]

thanks for the responce guys that active sky looks pretty cool. I will defently look into that.

[SWAFO]

Yep, with winds calm or below 5KTS, we'll always use the primary landing/takeoff runway(s) (if they're designated). We can request any
runway we'd like, with a tailwind up to 10KTS, however it's obviously not always given to us. Normally, we'll request runways (even if they
have up to a 10kt tailwind) that will expedite us along our route. ATC will usually grant us our chosen runway, unless it conflicts with the
airports traffic flow and/or meteorologic conditions; or if they're in a bad mood.

[grant977]

The reason why I want to request a certain runway in FS is because when the wind is out of the certain direction at my home home airport
the ATC always gives me the that is too short.

[pegase]

I stoped with IFR ATC, it is indeed too rigid about runway choice. In another hand, it is very nice to drive us by the hand to the approach....

So
I installed FSNavigator, from the moving map, you get all info needed in flight without need of the dreadfull FS2004 map.
I start a VFR flight, here you can ask clearance to take off, You are assigned to the default runway but can ask any other.

You keep then the advantage of AI traffic warnings but free to follow your own flight plan.

When arriving, the moving map shows you exactly where you are so, no more need for ATC IFR driving. open the option "Nearest airports". When your
destination airport appears in the list (it is refreshed in real time) select it and ask for clearance. If the assigned runway does not fit your plan,
then simply ask for the one you wish (check the wind on the ATIS first , who knows...)

FSNavigator is very complementary with FSPassengers, You can define the important parameters of your plane like climb rate speed during climbs
descent, landing, fuel flow in climb, cruise, descent etc.
From there, you can get VERY ACURATE flight time and fuel calculations (to see your climb, cruis, descent fuel flow... simply check your FSPassengers
flight logs...)

Really nothing to do with the poor FS2004 flight planer.

[SWAFO]

Deleted your double

[webdancer]

I use FSNavigator also with Flight Sim. It also is a very good piece of software.

Joseph

[SWAFO]

I highly recommend FSNav also. I use it to simply type in the identifier of various waypoints (since I bring home the Jeppesen charts ,
and it makes flight planning INCREDIBLY simple. Try it out!