Newbie question: How do I set up a flight destination (and route?)

[Purno]

Heya all, I'm new to X-plane but did some flying in FSX. FSX has a built-in route-planner so you always have your route marked in the airplane. I can't find that feature in X-plane. How do I set things up so my instruments show me where to fly to?

[🐉 Ðŗąçø 🐉]

If you're after ATC, that's available in the upper right part of the sim. Click on the headset icon, and file a flight plan.
If it's the FMC/FMS you're after, that's available in the airliners (and the Garmin nav) as a programmable computer that you can use to file your route, SIDs and STARs and climb, cruise and descent. I'm going to be writing a guide of how to use this on the weekend, so stay tuned!

[XPlanePhil]

You can use a website called skyvector.com - it should be similar to the experience you have with the FSX route planner, because it allows graphic flight planning. I use this website to plan my flights in real life, too!

[Purno]

Planning the flight path isn't the problem. Getting it into my plane so I can follow the path is. FSX did this automatically via the GPS window. But I can't see my instruments giving me directions in X-plane.

[🐉 Ðŗąçø 🐉]

Originally posted by Purno:

Planning the flight path isn't the problem. Getting it into my plane so I can follow the path is. FSX did this automatically via the GPS window. But I can't see my instruments giving me directions in X-plane.

Depends which plane you use. As I mentioned above, the FMC and Garmin will fly your paths, but programming them is a little nightmare! Guide coming soon.
Planes should have a navigation system, but if they don't, then you'll have to adjust each turn manually - a bit of a nightmare if you're not flying VFR, of course!

[Purno]

Looking forward to the guide :)

[🐉 Ðŗąçø 🐉]

Originally posted by Purno:

Looking forward to the guide :)

Oh, correction: FMC Guide coming soon. I'm not too interested in using the Garmin right now.

[XPlanePhil]

The quick-and-dirty way in the C172: -D-> button, use right knob to enter the four letter airport code of your destination, then ENT button twice. Then CDI button to switch to GPS navigation.

[Unrealtairo]

I know this post is old but I'm curious about the garmin GUI panel too. It's the one thing that keeps me loading up fsx instead of xp right now cause I like to sim my entire flight path using it from points A to B.

Are you saying this is actually in xp11 right now? Cause if so I'm having a heck of a time finding it. (In FSX this gui is available in all planes, its a feature of the sim)

I even bound a few keys to the -D-> and nothing happens when I'm pressing them.

Edit: You do not need an actual garmin in fsx, so far all I can find in XP11 is it asking for you to use a real garmin hooked into the computer. Not doing that XD

[Fox]

The garman gps can be clicked if you have a 3d cockpit and that will "open" your gps screen so you can see it better. Hit the -D-> button saying you want to fly direct. You can then mess with the big and small right knobs (leave the left knobs alone) to enter a 4 character airport code. You then press ENT to enter the code and ENT once more to activate that "leg" of your flight.

If you hold the CLR button for about 3 seconds the gps screen will change to "map" mode (not really a map) that shows the desired heading and current heading. Use the CDI button on the garmin to make sure you're in GPS mode, then turn on your NAV autopilot.

Rejoice.

[Unrealtairo]

Some planes dont seem to have it to be clicked on I guess.
I downloaded Garmin Pilot on my iPad just now and its connecting to XPlane directly over my wifi at the moment, more or less what I was looking for, just wish this worked (built in to) on all planes.

[Purno]

I gotta admit I haven't played XP as much as I hoped, purely because setting up the route is too much of a hassle and too complicated. FSX may be old, but much more user friendly in this case. I hope the developers are willing to address this point, so the simulator becomes more accessible for less experienced and more casual flight pilots.

[Vicyboy]

Originally posted by Purno:

I gotta admit I haven't played XP as much as I hoped, purely because setting up the route is too much of a hassle and too complicated. FSX may be old, but much more user friendly in this case. I hope the developers are willing to address this point, so the simulator becomes more accessible for less experienced and more casual flight pilots.

Its a flight sim, its not complicated, tons of help on youtube , programming the FMC is actually quite easy, but you have to want to put the time in to learn, the developers can only replicate how a plane is flown in the sim, its not a game

[Nats]

Originally posted by vicyboy:

the developers can only replicate how a plane is flown in the sim, its not a game

Thats not going to win the sales amongst casual flyers such as myself who just want to choose start and end locations and fly.

[Purno]

Yeah, still haven't touched X-Plane since. Not going to spend any more money on additional content. Shame really. I did spend hours reading manuals and watching YouTube videos, but setting a flight path seems to be a lot harder than actually flying and landing a plane. Doesn't need to be that way. Other flight simulators made this a lot more accessible for the less serious simmers amongst us.

[🐉 Ðŗąçø 🐉]

Originally posted by Purno:

Yeah, still haven't touched X-Plane since. Not going to spend any more money on additional content. Shame really. I did spend hours reading manuals and watching YouTube videos, but setting a flight path seems to be a lot harder than actually flying and landing a plane. Doesn't need to be that way. Other flight simulators made this a lot more accessible for the less serious simmers amongst us.

God forbid if you were to try and plan a flight out with the Boeing 737-200 using the CIVA navigational system... THAT is difficult, particularly on longer routes.