PFPX - View STARS?

[UKJim 502]

Hi,

 

I was wondering, does PFPX allow you to view the stars before adding them to a plan, just like FSCommander does?

 

Thinking about buying PFPX but without this feature I may give it a miss.

 

Cheers,

Jim

[Bruce (a.k.a. brian747) 142]

Jim, have you ever considered what most pilots regard as an essential, something called charts?

There are some things that computerised flight planners, even PFPX, cannot do as well as that old-fashioned technology (albeit now often digitised, which is why EFBs remain an indispensable part of every airline pilot's luggage).

As a recent example of an occasion when charts are quite simply indispensible, see http://forum.mutleyshangar.com/index.php/topic/19123-what-does-this-route-mean/#entry147849

Cheers,

bruce

a.k.a. brian747

[wain 879]

Have to agree with Brian.

I do my plan then save..I then get my charts ....then looking at them work out my SID and you can then edit the plan in PFPX they are there for you or just add to the plan in FMC...it does depend how you do it as if you are awaiting clearance then you may get a different runway because of the weather etc...same with STAR I was told leave that until you are given ATC clearence to a particular runway..

If however you are just flying regardless of ATC and weather then you can add when you plan...

I maybe doing it wrong so am happy to be corrected as only been on Airliners for about 2 months..

[Bruce (a.k.a. brian747) 142]

Please forgive me if I make a further observation regarding SIDs and STARs in flight planning.

 

Whilst planning a flight for airliners (in PFPX, FSC, or anything else) it is usual NOT to include (or to erase, if automatically inserted by the software) any SID or STAR information. The reason is simple and obvious: these depend on the runway in use, which in turn depends on the weather, which is obviously going to vary on a day-to-day basis. So as a rule a stored route which is uploaded into an airliner's FMC has no SID (or STAR) information in it; that's one of many things that the pilot enters into the FMC (via the CDU) during flight preparation.

 

(This is also the reason that many advanced simulated aircraft (PMDG etc.) refuse to upload a flight plan if it includes any SID or STAR information).

 

So the pilots have charts in their flight bags or in the aircraft (in electronic form, usually, these days) and they will also carefully check through their final route on the Navigation Display prior to activating it.

 

Some old technology isn't going to go away any time soon.  

 

Cheers.

 

bruce

a.k.a.brian747

 

 

P.S. (@Wayne)

 

Sounds more or less it, my friend: you can enter the SID once you have been informed which runway is in use (although last-minute surprises are not entirely unheard of   ). On a short flight you might take a guess at the STAR, too, on the basis of the forecast, although on long haul the weather can change significantly by the time you get there so you usually await the runway information as you get close to your destination to enter the STAR.

 

(Alternatively, of course, people could always set no wind and fine weather and choose any runway they liked, forget about ATC or aircraft random malfunctions, and of course assume they're the only plane in the sky. But at that point simulation degenerates into becoming merely a game, IMO).

 

B.

 

 

 

 

[UKJim 502]

I agree with you all regarding charts and I do use NATS for my charts but sometimes I want a quick flying fix and just check weather and then do a plan including SID and STAR.

I know this is not as real as it gets but it depends on my mood - sometimes I just want to jump in and go.

My mood generally also depends on how much time I have to fly - real life and family get in the way (how dare they lol) but it's how it goes.

So I understand how real pilots do it I understand it is not the realistic approach but does PFPX allow you to add SIDs and STARs and the ability to view them on the plan?

Thanks for your comments and all it's nice to see people taking it as far as the simulation can go.

Jim

[Bruce (a.k.a. brian747) 142]

Hi Jim!

 

In PFPX if you request a quick plan you should find that a SID and a STAR have been automatically set up for you (on the basis of the weather known about at the time, of course).    

 

To view them, opt to Edit your flight plan (click the Edit icon in the Route section on the menu bar), and you will find the SID and STAR at the top of the list of waypoints. They're in dropdown boxes, too, so if you'd prefer to select your own regardless, all you have to do is click the dropdown arrow and select the one you want.

 

 

(The usual caveat applies — don't forget to save your changes).    

 

As for viewing them, they should be visible on the route map on the right hand side if you zoom in (although TBH I've never tried), but you will see from the above pic that you are given the approximate compass direction for each one, which helps.    

 

Cheers,

 

bruce

a.k.a. brian747

 

[UKJim 502]

Thanks B for that it's very useful! I'm not sure if I'm going to get it just yet as I do make do with the tools I have already. Maybe I'll get it at some point though.