Find PMDG 737 FMC airway routes and waypoints for MSFS, learn how to enter them, and fix missing fixes, invalid airways and AIRAC mismatches.
In Microsoft Flight Simulator, find PMDG 737 FMC airway routes and waypoints in an IFR flight planner or current en-route charts, then enter the route on the FMC RTE pages. The FMC only accepts fixes and airways contained in its own navigation database, so the planner and aircraft should use the same AIRAC cycle.
Where should I get a PMDG 737 route?
Use a route planner for speed, and en-route charts when you need to verify exactly how each airway joins its entry and exit fixes.
SimBrief, Little Navmap and Navigraph Charts can produce routes containing fixes and airway designators. Our comparison of simulator flight-planning tools explains which option suits automatic route generation, visual planning or chart-based airline operations.
On an en-route chart, the airway name appears along a line connecting published fixes and radio aids. Use our guide to reading airways and transferring charted routes into an FMC if you want to build or verify the route manually.
| Route source | Best used for | Check before using it |
|---|---|---|
| IFR flight planner | Generating a complete route quickly | AIRAC cycle, flight rules and suitable airway level |
| En-route charts | Verifying airway connections and fixes | Direction, altitude limits and whether the fixes belong to that airway |
| Real-world route string | Recreating an airline routing | Its age and any obsolete procedures, airways or direct segments |
| MSFS World Map | Creating a simple native simulator flight plan | Do not assume it has populated the PMDG FMC |
How do I enter an airway route in the PMDG 737 FMC?
Enter the endpoints and procedures first, then build the en-route section through the CDU’s RTE pages.
- Check the route format. A usable route alternates between fixes and airways, broadly following
FIX AIRWAY FIX. Remove annotations such as cruise levels, speeds and the literal termDCTbefore entering it. - Set the airports. Enter the departure airport as
ORIGINand the arrival airport asDESTon the first route page. - Select the departure. Use
DEP/ARRto choose the runway, SID and transition when known. The SID transition or final procedure fix may become the entry point for the first airway. - Enter the en-route section. On the next route page, place the first direct fix in the
TOcolumn. Enter the airway designator in the followingVIAfield and its exit fix in the correspondingTOfield. The FMC inserts the intermediate airway fixes automatically. - Continue to the arrival. Repeat the airway-and-exit-fix pattern, then select the STAR, transition and approach. Avoid entering the same transition fix both manually and through the procedure.
- Validate the route. Select
ACTIVATEif displayed, pressEXEC, and inspect every page ofLEGSfor route gaps, loops and unexpected turns.
A mistake we see constantly is entering an airway before placing a valid entry fix in the route. The FMC must know which part of the airway to use; the preceding waypoint and requested exit waypoint must both connect to that airway.
Where do the PMDG 737 waypoints come from?
The PMDG 737 reads named waypoints, radio aids, airways, SIDs and STARs from its loaded FMC navigation database. A planner or chart tells you what to enter, but it does not make an absent waypoint appear in the aircraft.
The PMDG database can also differ from the navigation data used by the MSFS World Map. Matching airport scenery does not guarantee matching FMC procedures, especially after a runway, fix or airway has been renamed.
Can I enter a waypoint that is not in the database?
The CDU supports user-defined positions in recognised Boeing formats, but these should be reserved for charted coordinates, bearing-and-distance points or operationally required custom fixes. If a normal published waypoint is missing, correct the AIRAC mismatch rather than replacing it with an approximate position.
Why does the FMC show NOT IN DATABASE or reject an airway?
NOT IN DATABASE usually indicates an unknown identifier or incompatible AIRAC cycle, while a rejected airway often means it does not connect to the preceding fix or requested exit.
- Different AIRAC cycles: the planner contains a newer or older fix than the PMDG database. Use our steps for updating simulator and aircraft navigation data and confirm that both display the same cycle.
- Wrong airway entry point: the preceding waypoint is not located on that airway. Enter the correct connecting fix first.
- Invalid exit waypoint: the fix exists, but not on the selected airway segment. Check the route against an en-route chart.
- Route-string clutter: speed restrictions, level annotations, slashes and copied formatting are not airway names or fixes.
- Duplicate waypoint identifiers: when the CDU presents a waypoint-selection page, choose the position matching the route’s region and coordinates.
- Changed procedures: an old SID or STAR may have been renamed, withdrawn or assigned a different transition.
Do not delete every route discontinuity automatically. A discontinuity after a vectors leg may be intentional; close it only when the chart and clearance provide a definite connection.
Can the MSFS World Map send the route to the PMDG 737?
Do not assume a World Map route will populate the PMDG 737 FMC. The native MSFS flight plan and the PMDG flight-management route are separate data flows, although route import or uplink features may be available depending on the installed PMDG version and platform.
Even after an import, inspect the LEGS pages and compare the route with the chart. MSFS ATC may also continue using the native plan rather than the FMC route; our explanation of keeping the native ATC plan aligned with the PMDG route covers that separate problem.