Learn what a PFPX flight briefing package contains, how to generate and read it, then transfer its route, fuel and payload into your simulator.
A PFPX flight briefing package is the dispatch paperwork generated by Professional Flight Planner X for a simulated flight. It normally combines an operational flight plan with route, fuel, weight, weather, alternate and NOTAM information. Use it to load the aircraft, programme its FMS and compare actual time and fuel against the plan en route.
For general flight simulation, the package is a planning document—not an add-on or a single file that configures the simulator automatically. PFPX runs outside the simulator. Its route may be exported to a supported simulator or aircraft, while the rest of the package is read and applied by the pilot.
What does a PFPX briefing package contain?
A standard PFPX package contains the information needed to prepare, dispatch and monitor one flight, although the exact pages depend on the selected OFP template and the data PFPX was able to retrieve.
| Section | What it provides | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Flight summary | Flight number, airports, times, cruise level, aircraft and alternate | Check that the package belongs to the flight you are about to operate. |
| Route and navigation log | Waypoints, airways, distances, winds, estimated times and fuel remaining | Programme or verify the FMS route, then monitor progress during the flight. |
| Fuel plan | Taxi, trip, contingency, alternate, final reserve and extra fuel | Load the calculated block fuel, not merely the trip fuel. |
| Weight information | Payload, zero-fuel weight, take-off weight and predicted landing weight | Set the payload and confirm that structural limits are not exceeded. |
| Weather and NOTAMs | Conditions and operational notices retrieved when the package was generated | Check their timestamps and compare them with the weather used in the simulator. |
| ICAO flight-plan data | Route string, equipment details, endurance and other filing information | Use it when filing with simulated ATC, correcting any details that differ from your aircraft. |
Some layouts also include maps, organised tracks or ETOPS/EDTO planning. Those sections appear only when the flight, template and available data require them. Our explanation of what an airline operational flight plan contains provides more detail on the terminology.
A briefing package does not replace airport and procedure charts. If it names a SID, STAR or approach, use the corresponding plate and follow our practical guide to reading aviation charts in a simulator.
How do I generate and use a PFPX briefing package?
To generate a reliable package, configure the aircraft first, enter the flight details, calculate the plan and review it before transferring anything into the simulator.
- Select the correct aircraft profile. Match the aircraft type, engine variant and performance model to the simulated aircraft where possible. Check the profile's empty weight, capacity and fuel units; a generic profile can produce plausible-looking but inaccurate figures.
- Enter the flight details. Add the departure, destination, planned time, payload, cruise settings and suitable alternates. For flights requiring additional diversion or oceanic planning, use the same checks covered in our long-haul flight-planning workflow.
- Build and validate the route. Review the airway sequence, cruise level and any route restrictions. The PFPX navigation data should ideally match the AIRAC cycle in the aircraft's FMS.
- Review weather and NOTAM data. Confirm the retrieval time and make sure the simulator will use comparable winds and conditions. Cached or unavailable online data can leave these sections old or incomplete.
- Compute and release the flight. Generate the plan, then resolve overweight, fuel, runway or route warnings rather than accepting them blindly. The wording of the relevant controls can differ between PFPX builds and layouts.
- Load the simulator aircraft. Set the planned payload and block fuel. Export the route in a format supported by the target simulator or FMS, or enter it manually, then compare every waypoint with the printed route.
- Use the navigation log in flight. At major waypoints, compare actual arrival time and remaining fuel with the estimates. A worsening fuel trend may require a lower level, a shorter route or diversion to the planned alternate.
Which PFPX fuel figure should I load?
Load the planned block fuel, provided that you are starting at the gate and following the package's taxi assumptions.
The simplified relationship is:
block fuel = taxi + trip + contingency + alternate + final reserve + extra fuel
The package may include other policy-dependent quantities, such as ETOPS or tankering fuel. Do not load only the trip figure: that excludes the reserves intended to protect the flight after delays, rerouting or a diversion.
Check whether PFPX and the aircraft use kilograms or pounds. Also distinguish payload from zero-fuel weight; entering the entire zero-fuel weight as payload is a common mistake. If starting directly on the runway, the planned taxi burn will no longer match the simulation.
Why will the PFPX route not load in my simulator?
Most PFPX route-loading failures come from the wrong export format, an incorrect destination folder or mismatched navigation databases.
- Wrong format: a simulator flight-plan file and an add-on aircraft's company-route file are not necessarily interchangeable. Select the exporter intended for the system that will read it.
- Wrong folder: confirm the configured export path exists and that PFPX can write to it. A successfully calculated package does not prove that the separate route export succeeded.
- AIRAC mismatch: an airway, waypoint, SID or STAR may exist in PFPX but not in the FMS database. Use matching cycles or rebuild the affected segment using waypoints available in both.
- Procedure differences: exported plans may omit procedures, or the FMS may reject them because of runway and naming differences. Select the active runway, SID, STAR and approach in the cockpit, then check for discontinuities.
- Route-only export: the route file usually does not transfer payload, fuel policy, performance settings or the complete briefing. Enter those separately.
Does a PFPX briefing update during the flight?
No. A PFPX briefing package is a snapshot based on the route, aircraft, weather and data available when it was calculated.
If the runway, route, payload or weather changes substantially before departure, amend and recompute the flight rather than relying on the old figures. During the flight, treat waypoint estimates as comparisons rather than commands: actual winds, ATC shortcuts and simulator weather differences will change the result.
Finally, verify that weather and NOTAM pages contain real retrieved data rather than assuming that their presence makes them fresh. PFPX is a simulation-planning tool, and its packages must not be used for real-world flight operations.