WestWind Airlines

I would like to start flying SIDs/STARs offline in FSX. The only way I know how to do that is by purchasing Radar Contact as well as a flight planner for FSX. Is this my only solution or best solution? Any user reviews from WW pilots on Radar Contact as well as freeware/payware fsx flight planners? Thanx in advanced for any and all help.

I use www.simroutes.com . When you pull up the web site you click generate route from the top and then type in the airport code you are leaving from. Once you do that it gives the available SIDS and then click the airport you are flying to and if available it will give the STARS to choose from. Then when you generate the route there is a box to download it into FSX and also select the type plane you are going to use.

Start FSX and load the flight plan. Then you should be good to go.

It is really easy to use but if I didn't explain something well enough hit me up and I will do the best I can to walk you through it.

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Matthew
WWA2078
KCVG AHM
SENIOR CAPTAIN
ZLA I-03 QUALIFIED

Matt Williamson:

I would like to start flying SIDs/STARs offline in FSX. The only way I know how to do that is by purchasing Radar Contact as well as a flight planner for FSX. Is this my only solution or best solution? Any user reviews from WW pilots on Radar Contact as well as freeware/payware fsx flight planners? Thanx in advanced for any and all help.

You can fly SIDs/STARs without purchasing anything by using simroutes as outlined by Matthew, but you need to ignore FS ATC.  As for Radar Contact, I have used it since it was first introduced. I do most of my flying with it. As far as I'm concerned, it is well worth the money, and the tech support is excellent. The only flight planners I use are the default and the simroutes. They work well enough for my purposes.

If you haven't done so, check out the features and FAQs at the Radar Contact wed site:   http://www.jdtllc.com

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Bob S.
Senior Command Captain
E.V.P. Scenery

The only issue I really have with simroutes is that the majority of their routes are for the US, so if you're flying in another region of the world it may or may not have a route for you (most often not.....).  The best part of simroutes though is the route generator function.  If you have enroute charts you can figure out your own route, plug it into the generator and then download a FS compatible flight plan file........

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EHAM-YSSY B772LR

Thanx for all of the helpful info. I decided to purchase RC and I'm really loving it! Also have started to play around with simroutes and will be adding this into my flights very soon. Thanx again for the help

I like the routes from vroute.net, simroutes.com and vatroute.com :) If I needed to make a flight plane from the route I just generated it in simroutes.com and saved the plan :) BTW, I sometimes use company routes also :) But now I fly in Level D 767 so I need just to see the legs.
 

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Pranas Drulis
WWA2097
Cat 4
FS9 + Level D 767

Assistant Hub Manager Amsterdam

Also, if you didn't know of it already, check out www.airnav.com. That will give you the SIDs and STARS for most, if not all US airports. Unfortunately, it isn't integrated into FS in any way but you'll be able to print or view them. Good luck with stupid FS ATC!

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Isaac Hansen
Denver Hub
WWA1596

www.myairplane.com has them as well, as well as the approach charts, etc.

www.skyvector.com will give you enroute charts.

The best way to really LEARN these procedures is to just simply hand-fly them, probably in a smaller plane.  This is how you would learn them in the real world, and is the best way to actually know what is going on.  Leave the autopilot off, have the charts on your lap, and fly the full procedure with ATC turned off.  If you're good with your radio work and feel comfortable with procedures, fly them on VATSIM.  Look for a Center or Approach controller online and fly approaches under their control, and request the full procedure.  They'll just clear you to the initial approach fix at a specific altitude, and likely advise you to report inbound on your procedure turn, reversal, or if none of those apply, report established on final approach course.  You can then fly a low approach to the airport (ie not actually land), execute the missed approach procedure and hold, and then do another one.

of course if you're talking about a GPS/RNAV procedure, or a SID/STAR using GPS waypoints, you'll have to program those into the GPS, but you can still hand-fly the procedures.  You already know that the autopilot can do it, after all :)

 

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Scott M. Stone
WWA1712 - Cat-III - Director of Aircraft
VATSIM 1018857 - C1 Controller - KZSE
Private Pilot - ASEL + Complex + IFR (almost)

Sorry if this is a little bit of a necropost, but here's my question:

 Can you fly a SID/STAR using the FSX ATC by setting that up as your flight plan and then having them clear you to fly your plan 'as filed'?  Sure, they won't help you with it, but you can fly the procedure, right?

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Matt Smith - WWA2218
Washington DC (KIAD) Hub

In FSX, you can request an approach to a given runway, but it will not recognize SID/STARS.  There is no virutal FAA, so you always have the option of setting up your approach and ignoring them if they give you conflicting instructions.  Alternatively, you could cancel IFR before you got too close to the airport. I could be wrong, but I don't think FSX ATC takes into account Class B airspace restrictions etc..., so even if ATC thinks you are VFR, you could still fly the approach IFR and shouldn't be bothered by erroneous ATC instructions (too much).  You still have the option of calling them for landing, or just keeping them quiet and/or ignoring all together.

BTW: To add to the above post, sometime you do in fact have to hand fly, or at least direct the autopilot by VOR rather than GPS, because sometimes the approach waypoints that are used for real world procedures do not exist in the default FS database.

Personally, I find that when I am in "going for realism mode", VATSIM is the way to go.  Hearing other traffic around you and knowing you can't just hit pause (well they wouldn't like that), really cranks up the level of simulation.  If you are new to flying online, the VATSIM KZLA has a stepwise pilot certification program that eases you into process, while learning real world procedures.  It's busy there, but my experience has been that the controllers there are knowledgeable and helpful.  Alternatively, you could start in less busy airspace and work your way up.

 most importantly, have fun!

 

 

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Bentley S.
CAT II
KSFO
WWA2183

You could also earn a Pilot Recognition award for completing the ZLA course, as long as all flights were documented thru the flight dispatch system.

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VATSIM is obviously the most realistic, when there are controllers (usually none when I fly, so I don't use VATSIM); but otherwise I would recommend Radar Contact:

 

I've been using it for many years.  Here is a link to a detailed review:   http://www.fsstation.com/reviews/radarcontact.html

 

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Bob S.
Senior Command Captain
E.V.P. Scenery

Bob Sturm:

VATSIM is obviously the most realistic, when there are controllers (usually none when I fly, so I don't use VATSIM); but otherwise I would recommend Radar Contact:

 

I've been using it for many years.  Here is a link to a detailed review:   http://www.fsstation.com/reviews/radarcontact.html

 

Bob, I am thinking about purchasing this but want to make sure it has a copilot feature. I don't see anywhere in the documentation that makes reference to this. Can you verify that it has the copilot? Thanks.

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WWA1702 Senior Command Captain +3
RWP SEL Instrument Rating (almost)
WW Test Pilot
Monster Driver

I bought Radar Contact not too long ago and I use it when there is no ATC on line. It is a pretty good program.

There is a copilot feature that can reply to ATC for you automatically and also fly the plane as long as you are not in approach or departure airspace.

It sure beats the heck out of FS ATC!

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Matthew
WWA2078
KCVG AHM
SENIOR CAPTAIN
ZLA I-03 QUALIFIED

Super! Thanks.

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WWA1702 Senior Command Captain +3
RWP SEL Instrument Rating (almost)
WW Test Pilot
Monster Driver