How do I use the built-in Flight Planner in FSX?

In Microsoft Flight Simulator X (FSX) and FSX: Steam Edition, open Free Flight, select Flight Planner, choose the departure and destination, set VFR or IFR, choose Direct GPS, VOR or an airway route, then build and load the plan. FSX can display it on the GPS and use it with default ATC.

Boxed FSX and FSX: Steam Edition use substantially the same planner. If your simulator opens on a World Map rather than the FSX Free Flight screen, follow our planner instructions for Microsoft Flight Simulator instead.

How do I create and load a flight plan in FSX?

Create the route from the Free Flight screen, check what FSX has generated, then load it before starting the flight.

1. Prepare the flight. On Free Flight, choose the aircraft and a suitable gate, parking position or runway at your departure airport.
2. Open Flight Planner. Use the Flight Planner option on the Free Flight screen. The built-in planner is intended for airport-to-airport routes rather than Missions.
3. Select both airports. Choose the departure and destination by identifier or from the airport lists. Entering the ICAO identifier is normally quickest, provided that FSX recognises it.
4. Choose VFR or IFR. Select VFR for self-directed visual navigation. Select IFR if you want to request an instrument clearance and receive altitude instructions and vectors from default ATC.
5. Choose a routing method. The options are Direct GPS, VOR to VOR, Low altitude airways and High altitude airways. Direct GPS is the easiest first choice.
6. Build the route. Select Find Route. FSX will calculate a route using its own airport, navaid, intersection and airway database.
7. Inspect the result. Check the waypoint order, total distance and nav log. Set a cruise altitude appropriate for the aircraft, terrain and route; do not assume the automatically generated plan makes every altitude sensible.
8. Save and load the plan. Save it if you want to reuse it, then accept or load it into the flight.
9. Answer the positioning prompt carefully. FSX may ask whether it should move the aircraft to the plan's departure airport. Choose No if you are already parked at the correct airport and want to keep that position. Choose Yes if the aircraft is elsewhere, but expect the selected starting position to change.

Once loaded, the route is available to the default GPS, map and kneeboard nav log. Loading it does not engage the autopilot, tune the radios, manage the descent or configure an approach.

Which FSX route planner option should I choose?

Choose Direct GPS for simple navigation, VOR to VOR for radio-navigation practice, and the airway options for structured IFR routes.

The FSX route finder can produce awkward results, particularly where the direct track is poorly served by the selected navaids or airways. If the route doubles back, contains a large detour or does not suit the aircraft, change the routing method and run Find Route again.

Should I select VFR or IFR?

Choose IFR when you want default ATC to issue a clearance and control the flight; choose VFR when the plan is mainly a navigation reference.

Flight rules and routing method are separate choices. A Direct GPS route can still be filed as IFR, while a VOR-to-VOR route can be flown without using the full IFR ATC system. Selecting IFR does not make the generated route more accurate.

How do I follow the route after loading it?

A loaded flight plan provides navigation guidance, but the pilot must select the correct navigation source and autopilot mode.

Following a Direct GPS route

In most default FSX aircraft, set the panel's navigation source to GPS and use the autopilot's navigation-tracking mode to follow the route.

The control may be labelled NAV/GPS, CDI or something similar, depending on the panel. If it remains on NAV, the autopilot will follow the tuned NAV radio rather than the magenta GPS course. Heading hold will also maintain the selected heading instead of tracking the flight plan.

Intercept the route at a reasonable angle before expecting NAV mode to capture it. The autopilot normally provides lateral tracking only: you remain responsible for altitude, power, speed, descent and configuration. If the default GPS stops sequencing waypoints, check that OBS mode is not active and that the correct leg is selected.

Flying a VOR-to-VOR plan

For genuine VOR practice, use the plan as a sequence of navaids and tune, identify and track each station with the NAV radios.

The route may still appear on the GPS, but following its magenta line defeats much of the purpose of VOR training. Use the nav log to confirm frequencies, courses, leg distances and the order in which the stations should be used.

Using default ATC and flying the approach

An IFR plan lets you request clearance from default ATC, which can then assign altitudes, headings and an approach near the destination.

ATC may vector you away from the filed route. When instructed to fly a heading, use heading mode rather than fighting the vector with GPS tracking; rejoin the route or approach when cleared. Default ATC may also shorten the plan or issue awkward altitude changes, so it is best treated as a training system rather than an airline dispatcher.

The flight plan ending at an airport does not tune or capture an ILS automatically. Our guide to setting up and flying an ILS approach in FSX covers frequencies, courses, localiser capture and the switch from GPS guidance to the appropriate NAV radio.

Why is my FSX aircraft not following the flight plan?

The usual causes are an incorrect navigation source, the wrong autopilot mode or failure to capture the active leg.

• The source is set to NAV instead of GPS. Select GPS when following the loaded route in a default aircraft.
• Heading mode is still engaged. Heading hold follows the selected heading bug, not the flight-plan line. Arm the aircraft's navigation-tracking mode when positioned to intercept.
• The intercept is too steep or too far away. Turn towards the active leg and establish a modest intercept angle before selecting NAV mode.
• OBS is active. OBS mode on the default GPS can prevent automatic waypoint sequencing.
• The wrong waypoint or leg is active. This can happen after repositioning the aircraft or loading a plan in flight. Activate the appropriate leg or reload the route.
• The NAV radios are not configured. A VOR route does not tune frequencies or set courses for you.
• ATC has issued vectors. The assigned heading temporarily takes priority over the filed track.
• The aircraft uses its own FMC or FMS. Complex add-on aircraft may ignore the default GPS plan unless the route is imported or entered into their own system.

Can I save and reuse an FSX flight plan?

Yes. FSX saves reusable routes as .PLN files, normally in Documents\Flight Simulator X Files for the Windows user account.

If Windows redirects Documents into OneDrive or another location, the full path will differ. Our explanation of where FSX stores PLN files and how to load downloaded routes covers that follow-up problem.

A saved flight plan is not the same as a saved flight. The PLN file contains route information; a saved flight also retains details such as the aircraft, position and simulator state.

Downloaded or externally generated PLN routes are not guaranteed to work unchanged. FSX's navigation database belongs to the simulator's era, so a plan made with newer airport identifiers, airways or waypoints may contain entries the default GPS and planner do not recognise.

Do I need separate FSX flight planner software?

No additional software is required for simple VFR trips, default-aircraft IFR training, GPS routes or flights using FSX's built-in ATC.

A dedicated planner becomes useful when you need fuel and wind calculations, payload or performance planning, detailed airline procedures, newer navigation data, or route export for a particular add-on FMC. Check compatibility before relying on an exported plan: FSX, its default GPS, default ATC and an add-on aircraft can each use different navigation data.

The built-in Flight Simulator X Flight Planner is therefore best viewed as a basic route builder, not a full dispatch or airline flight-management tool. It remains effective for default aircraft and short training flights, but it has limited SID, STAR and RNAV procedure handling and does not replace proper performance planning.

What is the best first route to try?

The best first plan is a short flight between two nearby airports in a default single-engine aircraft, using Direct GPS and VFR conditions.

Repeat the same route as VOR to VOR, then file it as IFR to see how default ATC changes the flight. Keeping the airports and aircraft unchanged makes the differences between GPS guidance, radio navigation and ATC handling much easier to recognise.