To set up a flight plan in a flight simulator, choose your departure and destination, decide whether you are flying VFR or IFR, add any waypoints or procedures you need, then load the route into the sim’s planner, GPS or FMS. The exact method varies, but the logic is always the same.
What setting up a flight plan actually means
A flight plan is simply the route your aircraft will follow from one airport to another. In a simulator, that can be as basic as a direct flight from A to B, or as detailed as an IFR route with airways, SIDs, STARs and an instrument approach.
Most sims give you more than one place to build that route. You might use a world map or built-in planner before the flight, then check or refine it in the aircraft’s GPS or FMS once you are in the cockpit.
Where should you enter the flight plan?
| Method | Best for | What to watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Built-in world map or route planner | Quick setup, simple flights, using the sim’s ATC | Some advanced add-on aircraft may not fully import or follow the default planner route |
| GPS unit in the cockpit | Light aircraft, direct routing, waypoint-by-waypoint editing | Small avionics can be fiddly; not all units handle complex procedures well |
| FMS or FMC in the cockpit | Airliners and complex IFR operations | You usually need to enter or confirm the route manually and check discontinuities |
If you are flying a basic GA aircraft, the built-in planner plus the aircraft GPS is usually enough. If you are flying an airliner or study-level add-on, expect to verify the whole route in the FMS even if the sim already has a flight plan loaded.
How do I set up a flight plan in a flight simulator?
- Pick your departure and destination
Start with the airport you will depart from and the airport you want to reach. For a local practice flight, you may only need a nearby airfield or even a point of interest rather than a full airport-to-airport route.
- Choose VFR or IFR
If you want a simple visual flight, choose VFR. If you want a route that uses radio navigation, airways, published procedures or simulated ATC clearances, choose IFR.
- Decide how simple or detailed the route needs to be
A short VFR flight might only need departure, destination and perhaps one waypoint. A longer IFR flight may need a departure procedure, en route fixes, an arrival procedure and an approach at the destination.
- Add waypoints, navaids or airways
In the planner, insert the fixes you want to pass over or the airways you want to follow. If your sim offers automatic routing, check the result rather than trusting it blindly, because generated routes are not always tidy or sensible.
- Select runway, parking stand or starting position
Choose where you want the flight to begin. A gate or parking spot is better if you want a proper startup; the runway is fine for quick practice, but it skips taxi and departure setup.
- Add an arrival and approach if needed
For IFR flights, pick the expected arrival runway and approach only if the weather and traffic picture support it. If conditions change later, you may need to load a different approach in the GPS or FMS.
- Load the plan into the aircraft avionics
Some sims do this automatically. Others only store the route at simulator level, which means your cockpit GPS or FMS still needs to be checked, activated or fully programmed before departure.
- Review the route before take-off
Look for obvious errors: missing waypoints, odd detours, duplicated fixes, wrong runway, or a route that starts behind your aircraft. In airliners, also check for route discontinuities and make sure the active leg is correct.
- Set the navigation source
If you plan to follow the route with autopilot, make sure the aircraft is using the correct source, such as GPS/FMS rather than a VOR receiver. Many route-following problems come from the aircraft being in the wrong navigation mode.
Setting up a simple VFR flight plan
For a basic VFR flight, keep it clean. Choose your departure airfield, destination airfield, and perhaps one or two visual checkpoints or nearby navaids so you can track your progress.
You do not need airways, SIDs or STARs for this kind of flight. In many sims, a direct route is enough, especially if you are learning the basics of climbing, levelling off, navigating visually and joining the circuit at the destination.
A good beginner VFR setup
- Departure airport
- Destination airport within comfortable range
- Direct routing, or one midpoint waypoint
- Weather suitable for visual flying
- No complex procedures unless you want extra practice
Setting up an IFR flight plan
IFR planning is more structured. You will normally choose a departure runway, a SID if available, an en route segment using fixes or airways, a STAR if appropriate, and an instrument approach for the destination.
Not every simulator, and not every aircraft, handles these the same way. Some default aircraft simplify procedure loading, while advanced add-ons expect accurate FMS programming and may not cooperate with the sim’s default planner at all.
What to check on an IFR route
- The departure runway matches your planned procedure
- The route contains all expected fixes in the correct order
- The arrival procedure connects cleanly to the approach
- The approach runway matches the weather or intended landing
- Any altitude or speed restrictions are understood before you reach them
Why is my flight plan not showing or not being followed?
This is one of the most common problems in flight sims, and it usually comes down to one of a handful of issues rather than a broken route.
Common causes
- The route is only loaded in the simulator, not the aircraft
Some aircraft need the route entered or imported in their own avionics. If the map shows the route but the cockpit does not, that is the first thing to check.
- The active leg is wrong
Your GPS or FMS may be trying to fly to a previous waypoint, a missed approach hold, or a discontinuity. Activate the correct leg if your avionics support it.
- The navigation source is wrong
If the aircraft is set to NAV1 or VLOC instead of GPS/FMS, the autopilot may ignore the flight plan completely.
- A procedure has created a gap
Complex arrivals and approaches can leave a break in the route. Airliners in particular often need that gap cleared or connected manually.
- The aircraft is too far off course to capture cleanly
If you start the flight airborne or well away from the planned path, the autopilot may not turn as expected until you intercept the route properly.
Do you need to use the simulator’s built-in planner every time?
No. For many flights, especially in complex aircraft, we often treat the built-in planner as optional and rely on the cockpit avionics. That said, the default planner can still be useful because some sims use it for ATC, route display, moving maps or initial flight setup.
If you use in-sim ATC, it often expects a route created or recognised by the sim itself. If you only enter the route in a third-party-style add-on aircraft, the aeroplane may fly it correctly while the sim’s ATC has no idea what you are doing.
Common mistakes when creating a flight plan
- Choosing the wrong airport code
- Mixing up VFR and IFR expectations
- Leaving the route as direct when you wanted procedures
- Picking an approach that does not suit the assigned runway
- Forgetting to check the route inside the aircraft
- Assuming autopilot will follow the plan without the correct mode selected
What is the easiest way to practise?
Start with short routes in a simple aircraft. Build a direct flight between two nearby airports, load it into the GPS, and watch how the aircraft sequences from one waypoint to the next.
Once that makes sense, add one extra layer at a time: a VOR waypoint, then a full IFR route, then a departure procedure, then an approach. That progression teaches far more than jumping straight into a complex airliner route.
If you want aircraft and scenery for practice flights, our library at Fly Away Simulation Downloads is a good place to start. The exact buttons will differ from sim to sim, but the route-building principles above apply almost everywhere.