Create an X-Plane Mobile flight plan, add waypoints, select GPS navigation, use autopilot NAV and fix common route-following problems.
To create a flight plan in X-Plane Mobile, open the map or route planner, choose your departure and destination, add intermediate fixes in order, then activate the route. In the cockpit, select GPS or FMS as the navigation source and engage NAV only when positioned to intercept the active leg.
Exact labels and icons can vary between app builds and aircraft. X-Plane Mobile is a separate product from desktop X-Plane; if that distinction is unclear, see how the mobile app differs from desktop X-Plane on Apple devices.
Create the route in the mobile flight planner
- Start a Free Flight: Select the aircraft and departure location, then open the map or flight-planning screen. If the cockpit is already loaded, use its map or route-planner control.
- Set the departure: Search for the airport by its ICAO identifier, such as
EGLL, rather than relying on a city name. Select the intended runway when that option is available. - Add the destination: Search for the destination airport and assign it as the final point. Merely viewing or centring an airport on the map does not necessarily add it to the route.
- Insert intermediate waypoints: Search for or tap recognised fixes, VORs, NDBs or airports, then use the available add or insert command. Check their order carefully; the aircraft follows the sequence shown in the plan.
- Select procedures when supported: Add a departure, arrival or approach through the planner or the aircraft's GPS/FMS if those options are modelled. A route ending at an airport is not the same as a loaded instrument approach.
- Apply the plan: Use Load, Activate or the equivalent command if one appears. Some builds apply changes immediately when the planner closes.
- Verify the active leg: Return to the cockpit and confirm that the navigator shows a bearing and distance to the next waypoint, with the intended leg highlighted or drawn in magenta.
A mistake we see constantly is adding the correct fixes in the wrong order. Also check identifiers carefully: similarly named airports and duplicated waypoint names can place a route hundreds of miles from the intended track.
How do you make the aircraft follow the flight plan?
The route must be active and the cockpit must use the navigator containing that route as its lateral navigation source.
- In a G1000-equipped aircraft, use the CDI source control to select GPS rather than VLOC.
- In a conventional panel, select GPS or FMS on the HSI or navigation-source selector where provided.
- In an airliner, the corresponding lateral mode may be labelled LNAV instead of NAV.
You can hand-fly by turning towards the active course and keeping the CDI centred. For autopilot flight, use heading mode to establish a sensible intercept, arm NAV or LNAV, and watch for the mode to change from armed to captured. Our separate guide covers setting up and engaging the X-Plane Mobile autopilot without repeating all of its aircraft-specific controls here.
Do not assume that pressing NAV makes the aeroplane turn immediately. An autopilot may refuse to capture a course when the active leg is behind the aircraft, the intercept angle is excessive or the selected navigation source is wrong.
Why won't X-Plane Mobile follow the route?
Most route-following failures come from an inactive leg, the wrong CDI source or an autopilot that is still using heading mode.
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| The route appears on the map, but the aircraft flies straight ahead | NAV or LNAV is not engaged, or the autopilot itself is off | Confirm the autopilot master, select the correct lateral mode and monitor its annunciation |
| NAV is armed but never captures | The aircraft is not intercepting the active leg | Use heading mode to approach the course at a shallow angle, then arm NAV again |
| The aircraft turns back towards the departure airport | An earlier leg remains active | Activate the desired leg or use Direct-To for the next waypoint |
| The CDI says VLOC or LOC | The panel is following a radio-navigation receiver rather than the GPS route | Select GPS/FMS until it is time to intercept a radio-based approach |
| The route stops at the destination with no runway guidance | No approach procedure has been loaded | Load the correct approach or configure the required VOR/ILS navigation manually |
Direct-To is useful for recovering a broken route, but it bypasses preceding waypoints. After selecting it, verify that the intended next fix is active rather than assuming the original sequence remains unchanged.
Does the flight plan control altitude and the approach?
An X-Plane Mobile flight plan primarily defines the lateral route; it does not automatically manage every altitude, speed or landing task.
Set climb, cruise and descent targets through the appropriate autopilot modes and manage power separately. Aircraft with VNAV may use programmed altitude constraints, but only when the aircraft, procedure and avionics implementation support that function.
For an ILS, the GPS route normally guides you towards the final approach area. You must then configure the localiser frequency where required, select VLOC or LOC, establish an intercept and arm approach mode. Remaining in GPS NAV will not capture a radio localiser or glideslope.
Can you use a desktop X-Plane flight plan on mobile?
Do not assume that desktop flight-plan files, plugins or folder instructions work in X-Plane Mobile. Mobile operating systems and the app use a different interface, and import support depends on whether the installed app exposes a supported import or sharing option.
If no such option appears, build the route through the mobile planner or the aircraft's panel navigator. Desktop users should instead follow the dedicated X-Plane 12 route creation and loading process, which uses desktop-specific features.