Import a Navigraph .fms plan into X-Plane 11’s 737 FMC via CO ROUTE, and fix INVALID ENTRY, AIRAC and LNAV problems.
Export the Navigraph route in X-Plane 11 .fms format, place the file directly in X-Plane 11/Output/FMS plans, then enter only its base filename in the default 737 FMC’s CO ROUTE field. Check the LEGS pages, select ACTIVATE, and press EXEC before using LNAV.
Which Navigraph export format should I use?
For X-Plane 11’s default Laminar Research 737-800, choose the X-Plane flight-plan export intended for X-Plane 11 and confirm that the resulting file ends in .fms. Boeing .rte files and formats intended for other simulators will not work merely by changing their extension.
Navagraph and Xplen, spellings sometimes used in searches, refer to Navigraph and X-Plane rather than separate products or file formats. The required format for this method is still an X-Plane 11 .fms file.
| Aircraft | Format to choose | Important caveat |
|---|---|---|
| Default X-Plane 11 737-800 | X-Plane 11 .fms | Load the base filename through CO ROUTE. |
| Modified or third-party 737 | The format supported by that aircraft’s custom FMC | Its folder, naming rules or import method may differ from the default aircraft. |
Place the exported file directly in:
X-Plane 11/Output/FMS plans
Do not put it in Custom Data. That folder holds navigation databases, not saved flight plans. If several X-Plane copies are installed, use the Output/FMS plans folder belonging to the copy you actually run; our guide to finding the active X-Plane 11 installation folder explains how to identify it.
Use a short alphanumeric filename such as EGLLKJFK.fms. Avoid spaces, punctuation and accented characters, and preserve the exact letter case, especially on Linux. Check that the real extension is not .fms.txt and extract the file first if it was downloaded inside an archive.
How do I load the .fms file through CO ROUTE in the FMC?
The default 737 FMC uses the CO ROUTE entry as a direct filename lookup; it does not display a file browser.
- Export the route: Create an X-Plane 11
.fmsfile in Navigraph. - Put it in the correct folder: Copy the file directly to
X-Plane 11/Output/FMS plans, not into a subfolder. - Power the aircraft: Load the default 737-800 and establish electrical power so that the CDU is available.
- Open the RTE page: Go to the route page containing the CO ROUTE field.
- Enter the base filename: Type
EGLLKJFKfor a file namedEGLLKJFK.fms. Do not enter.fms, quotation marks or the complete folder path. Press the line-select key beside CO ROUTE. - Check the endpoints: Confirm the four-letter ICAO identifiers for the origin and destination. Enter them manually if the imported plan has not populated them correctly.
- Inspect every leg: Review the LEGS pages for rejected fixes, duplicates, unexpected vectors and route discontinuities.
- Activate the route: Select ACTIVATE and press the illuminated EXEC key. The route is not active until the execution is complete.
Why does it say INVALID ENTRY in CO ROUTE?
INVALID ENTRY usually means the FMC cannot use the filename or find a compatible route under that name; it does not automatically indicate an AIRAC problem.
| What you see | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
INVALID ENTRY immediately after selecting CO ROUTE | The extension, full path, spaces or unsupported characters were entered | Clear the scratchpad and enter only the simple base name, such as EGLLKJFK. |
| The FMC cannot find any saved route | The file is in the wrong X-Plane installation, a subfolder or Custom Data | Move it directly to the running installation’s Output/FMS plans folder. |
| The filename appears correct but is rejected | The file is another simulator’s format, is still archived or has a hidden extension | Export it again as an X-Plane 11 .fms file and verify the complete filename. |
The route loads but a fix reports NOT IN DATABASE | The waypoint is absent from X-Plane’s installed navigation cycle | Check the identifier and align the simulator’s AIRAC cycle with the planning data using our X-Plane AIRAC update procedure. |
| The route contains missing or duplicated procedure legs | The export and FMC have represented the SID, STAR or approach differently | Compare the LEGS pages with the intended route before deleting or reconnecting anything. |
| The EXEC light is illuminated but the route is not active | The route remains a modification | Verify the changes, then press EXEC. |
Updating the AIRAC will not fix a misplaced file. Use an AIRAC update when individual fixes or procedures are missing, not when the FMC cannot find any CO ROUTE file at all.
What if OUI is rejected as a waypoint?
A three-letter token such as OUI is accepted only if it exists as a fix or navaid in X-Plane’s installed navigation database. Although oui means yes in French, the CDU treats OUI purely as a navigation identifier.
If it was intended to identify an airport, check the plan for the airport’s four-letter ICAO code rather than an IATA code or ordinary word. If it was intended as a navaid, compare the Navigraph and X-Plane AIRAC cycles before replacing it, because the identifier may have changed or may not exist in the simulator’s older data.
What if it’s still not working — “dat werkt ook niet”?
When it is still not working—dat werkt ook niet means “that does not work either”—identify the exact stage that fails instead of repeating the import unchanged.
- No
.fmsfile in the folder: repeat the export and check the destination selected by the operating system. - The file exists but CO ROUTE rejects it: check the active X-Plane installation, aircraft type, base filename and hidden extension.
- The route loads but specific fixes fail: verify waypoint spelling and AIRAC compatibility.
- The route appears but remains dashed or unexecuted: select ACTIVATE and press EXEC.
- The route is active but the aircraft does not follow it: check the active leg and LNAV conditions rather than importing the file again.
A useful isolation test is to export a short route with a simple filename and load it in the unmodified default 737. If that file works, the folder and basic import method are correct; the problem lies in the original route, its filename or the custom aircraft.
Do I need to load the SID and STAR again?
Load the runway, SID, STAR, transition and approach through DEP/ARR only when they are not already represented correctly in the imported LEGS pages.
A Navigraph export may contain procedure waypoints without giving the FMC a complete selectable procedure, while another export may already include most of those legs. Selecting the same procedure again can produce duplicated fixes or a route that doubles back. Our guide to selecting and checking SIDs and STARs in an FMC covers that part of the setup.
Do not erase every discontinuity automatically. A discontinuity can represent a genuine radar-vector segment, a manual leg or a transition awaiting clearance. Close it only after confirming that the fixes on either side should be connected directly.
What still needs to be set after importing the route?
An imported .fms file supplies route information, not a complete Boeing FMC setup.
You must still complete the position initialisation and the applicable performance, cruise, fuel, weight, reserve and take-off entries. Confirm the runway and procedures as well. Our complete Boeing 737 FMC programming sequence covers the work required after the route has loaded.
Why is the route visible but LNAV is not following it?
A visible magenta route does not prove that the route is executed, that the correct leg is active or that the aircraft is in a position from which LNAV can capture it.
- Confirm that ACTIVATE and EXEC were completed.
- Check that the first active leg is ahead of the aircraft rather than behind it.
- Resolve only those discontinuities that should genuinely be connected.
- If necessary, use heading guidance to establish a sensible intercept with the active leg, then arm LNAV.
- Check the flight directors, autopilot mode annunciations and active navigation source.
VNAV has separate performance and vertical-path requirements. Reimporting the same route will not correct missing performance data or an invalid vertical profile.