How do you plan KJFK to LSZH in a flight simulator?

In a general flight simulator, plan KJFK to LSZH with a current dispatch planner using the exact aircraft profile, forecast winds and matching navigation data. Select a JFK SID and Zurich STAR only after checking runways and weather, then verify the North Atlantic segment, fuel, alternates, step climbs and every FMS discontinuity before departure.

This workflow applies to Microsoft Flight Simulator, X-Plane, Prepar3D and FSX. The route is roughly 3,400 nautical miles direct, but the filed distance changes with winds, oceanic routing and runway procedures.

What route should you use from KJFK to LSZH?

There is no permanent KJFK-to-LSZH route string that remains realistic for every flight. North Atlantic tracks, winds, restricted airspace and airport configurations change, so generate the route for the planned departure time rather than copying an old flight plan.

• Departure: Use the KJFK runway and SID that connect sensibly to the first northeastern en-route fix.
• Ocean entry: Continue through northeastern US or Canadian airspace towards the oceanic entry specified by the dispatch plan.
• Atlantic crossing: Fly an active North Atlantic Track when its validity period and direction suit the flight, or use a properly planned random oceanic route.
• European segment: Follow the assigned airways or directs across western Europe towards the arrival gateway for Switzerland.
• Arrival: Select an LSZH STAR, transition and approach compatible with the landing runway and the final en-route fix.

A good route should progress cleanly eastwards without unexplained loops, duplicate fixes or a sharp turn at the ocean boundary. Do not force a familiar SID or STAR onto the plan merely because it appeared in an earlier flight.

Do you need a North Atlantic Track?

No. An organised NAT track is appropriate only when the aircraft reaches the oceanic entry during that track's valid period and the track suits the winds and destination. A random route outside the organised track system can be equally realistic.

Check validity at the estimated oceanic entry time, not the KJFK departure time. A track identifier is also not a complete FMS route: the aircraft needs the actual oceanic fixes or coordinates. Our North Atlantic routing and clearance notes explain tracks, random routes, alternates and oceanic waypoint checks in more detail.

KJFK to LSZH flight-planning workflow

A reliable plan comes from using one dispatch plan as the master record and checking every system against it.

1. Select the exact aircraft profile. Match the variant and engines where the planner offers that detail. Aircraft range alone is not enough; payload, reserve fuel, winds and diversion requirements determine whether the plan works.
2. Generate the dispatch plan. Enter KJFK and LSZH, departure time, aircraft, payload and forecast weather. If using SimBrief, follow our practical SimBrief setup walkthrough for profile, fuel and export settings.
3. Inspect the route shape. Check the first and last oceanic fixes, every latitude/longitude point, filed distance and estimated ocean-entry time. Replace any obsolete fix only through a fresh route calculation or a charted connection.
4. Add runway procedures after checking weather. At JFK, the SID must suit both the active runway and first en-route fix. At Zurich, match the STAR and transition to the expected approach. Our chart-reading guide for simulator procedures covers constraints, transitions and missed approaches.
5. Choose suitable alternates. Confirm runway length, forecast weather, approach availability and aircraft performance. The nearest airport is not automatically a valid or sensible alternate.
6. Review fuel and cruise levels. Confirm taxi, trip, contingency, alternate, final reserve and any extra fuel. Check whether the initial cruise altitude is achievable at the planned take-off weight.
7. Export for the correct aircraft. Use the aircraft-specific format when supported. A generic simulator plan may omit procedures or translate oceanic coordinates differently from the aircraft's native FMS.
8. Verify the FMS before departure. Compare the route, total distance, cruise level, cost index, weights and reserves with the dispatch plan, then inspect every page of the legs display.

How much fuel and what cruise altitude should you use?

Use the calculated figures for the chosen aircraft, payload and weather rather than a fixed KJFK-to-LSZH fuel number. Headwinds, routing, anti-ice use, holding risk and the selected alternate can change the required block fuel substantially.

Keep kilograms and pounds consistent between the planner, simulator loading screen and FMS. A units mismatch is one of the most common reasons an aircraft predicts excessive fuel remaining or an impossible shortfall.

A heavy long-haul aircraft may need to begin below its most efficient later altitude, then step climb as fuel burns off. Eastbound odd flight levels are common where standard semicircular rules apply, but oceanic allocations, airway restrictions and ATC clearances take precedence. Do not preload an ambitious final altitude as the initial cruise level.

For airline-style realism, include EDTO/ETOPS diversion planning where applicable. The simulator may not enforce those rules, but the route and fuel plan should still account for suitable en-route alternates. We cover those reserves and decision points in our long-haul fuel and alternate planning workflow.

Loading and checking the route in the simulator

Load the route through one primary method, then use the simulator map and FMS only to verify it. Importing separately into both can create different procedures, duplicated waypoints or two flight plans using different navigation databases.

• Confirm that the aircraft has imported the oceanic coordinates, not just the airway portions.
• Check waypoint positions and leg tracks on the navigation display; a wrongly interpreted coordinate can produce a turn of hundreds of miles.
• Resolve unintended discontinuities, but retain genuine MANUAL or vector legs shown on the procedure chart.
• Verify that the route has been activated or executed and that the intended first leg is active before engaging lateral navigation.
• Update the LSZH runway, STAR and approach when arrival weather becomes known, then recheck descent constraints and fuel predictions.

If the simulator's ATC assigns a different runway or procedure, amend both the filed simulator plan and the aircraft FMS where possible. Following one route while ATC is reading another leads to repeated vectors and premature descent instructions.

Why does a KJFK to LSZH route fail in the FMS?

Most failures come from mismatched navigation data, coordinate syntax or incompatible procedure transitions rather than a faulty autopilot.