📍 How to create a flight route: from SimBrief to FMC

📋 Article: "How to Plan Your Flight: From SimBrief to FMC" 🚀 Introduction Hey pilot! Want to fly like a pro? Then forget about "just take off and go." Real virtual pilots plan every flight, and now I'll show you how 😎 Why plan at all? 💰 Save fuel (yes, even virtual!) ⏱️ Know exact flight time ✈️ Fly realistically, like real airlines 🎯 On VATSIM you won't be allowed without a plan 🌐Meet SimBrief What is it? A free flight planning service. Absolutely awesome! 🔥 Sign up: Go to simbrief.com Create an account (2 minutes) Set up your profile Your first flight plan: 📍 Choose airports From: KJFK (New York JFK) To: EGLL (London Heathrow) ✈️ Choose aircraft Look for Boeing 777-200ER (if you have FlightFactor 777) SimBrief knows all the specs! 🛣️ Route Click "Generate Flight" SimBrief will suggest several options Look at time and fuel 💡 Tip: Choose "Company Route" if available — these are real airline routes! 📊 What SimBrief shows you: Main info: ⏱️ Flight time: ~7 hours 30 minutes ⛽ Fuel: 68.2 tons 📏 Distance: 3,451 nautical miles 🌡️ Winds aloft Cool features: 📄 PDF with full briefing 💾 Files for FMC upload (.fms, .fmc) 🗺️ Route map 📝 Weather at departure and arrival 🌦️Check weather and NOTAM Where to look: 🌐 aviationweather.gov 📱 SimBrief (weather already included) 💻 In X-Plane itself What to check: ☁️ Cloud coverage at departure and arrival 💨 Wind (choose the right runway!) 🌧️ Precipitation 👁️ Visibility NOTAM is important! A runway or zone might be closed — better to know in advance 😅 ⛽ Set up fuel Look at SimBrief: 🛢️ Trip Fuel: main fuel for the route 🚕 Taxi: for taxiing (usually 0.5-1t) 🎯 Alternate: to alternate airport 🆘 Reserve: emergency reserve (NEVER touch!) Enter in FMC: INIT REF → FUEL ZFW: 185.0 (zero fuel weight) FUEL: 68.2 (fuel in tons) 🎯V-speeds and takeoff Calculate speeds: V1 — decision speed VR — rotation speed V2 — safe climb speed 💡 SimBrief calculates them automatically! Check the PDF. Enter in FMC: TAKEOFF REF V1: 158 VR: 165 V2: 170 ✨ Practical example: KJFK → EGLL 1. Go to SimBrief From: KJFK, To: EGLL Aircraft: B777-200ER Generate ✅ 2. Analyze ⏱️ Time: 7:30 ⛽ Fuel: 68.2t 🛫 SID: HAPIE7 🛬 STAR: WELIN2A 3. Download 📄 OFP (briefing) 💾 FMS file 4. In X-Plane Load route Enter fuel Program FMC Ready for departure! 🚀 📚 Useful resources 🌐 SimBrief — main tool 📖 FlightAware — real routes 🗺️ SkyVector — airway charts 📊 ChartFox — free airport charts 🎓 Quick summary: ✅ Register on SimBrief ✅ Plan your flight ✅ Load into FMC ✅ Check weather ✅ Calculate fuel ✅ Fly like a pro! 🛫 🌍 Popular routes to try: North America: 🗽 KLAX → KJFK (Los Angeles to New York) — 5 hours 🍁 CYYZ → CYVR (Toronto to Vancouver) — 4.5 hours 🏖️ KMIA → MMMX (Miami to Mexico City) — 3 hours Transatlantic: 🌊 KJFK → EGLL (New York to London) — 7 hours 🗼 KEWR → LFPG (Newark to Paris) — 7.5 hours 🍀 KBOS → EIDW (Boston to Dublin) — 6.5 hours Europe: 🇬🇧 EGLL → LIRF (London to Rome) — 2.5 hours 🇩🇪 EDDF → LEMD (Frankfurt to Madrid) — 2.5 hours 🇫🇷 LFPG → LOWW (Paris to Vienna) — 1.5 hours Asia-Pacific: 🗼 RJTT → VHHH (Tokyo to Hong Kong) — 4.5 hours 🌏 YSSY → NZAA (Sydney to Auckland) — 3 hours 🏙️ WSSS → VHHH (Singapore to Hong Kong) — 4 hours Middle East: 🏙️ OMDB → OTHH (Dubai to Doha) — 1 hour 🕌 OOMS → OMDB (Muscat to Dubai) — 1.5 hours 🌴 OTBD → OERK (Doha to Riyadh) — 1.5 hours 🔧 Advanced tips: Cost Index: 🐌 Low CI (0-50) = slower, saves fuel ⚡ High CI (50-100) = faster, burns more fuel 💼 Airlines typically use 30-60 Alternate airports: 📍 Choose within 200nm of destination ☁️ Must have better weather ✈️ SimBrief suggests the best ones ETOPS flights: 🌊 Over ocean routes ⚠️ Special fuel requirements 🏥 En-route alternates needed NAT Tracks (North Atlantic): 🌐 Change daily at 1130Z westbound, 2300Z eastbound 🎯 Optimal routes based on winds 💨 Can save 30+ minutes! 🎮 Step-by-step: Your first planned flight 30 minutes before flight: 1️⃣ Open SimBrief (5 min) Enter airports Select aircraft Generate plan 2️⃣ Review the plan (5 min) Check fuel Review route Note alternate Download files 3️⃣ Load X-Plane (5 min) Start at gate Load weather Import FMS file 4️⃣ Program FMC (10 min) Verify route Enter fuel/weights Set V-speeds Review departure procedure 5️⃣ Final checks (5 min) ATIS frequency Runway assignment Initial altitude Transponder code (if VATSIM) Now you're ready! 🚀 💡 Pro tips: Save time: ⚡ Create aircraft profiles in SimBrief 📁 Organize FMS files by route 🔖 Bookmark favorite airports Realism: 📞 File on VATSIM before connecting ⏰ Use real-world departure times 📋 Follow real airline callsigns Learning: 📺 Watch real cockpit videos on YouTube 📖 Read airline procedures 🎮 Practice same route multiple times Common mistakes: ❌ Forgetting to check NOTAM ❌ Wrong fuel units (tons vs pounds vs kg) ❌ Not updating winds in FMC ❌ Skipping alternate airport 🎯 Next steps: Once you master basic planning: 📚 Learn about SID/STAR procedures 🌡️ Understand Cost Index optimization 🌊 Try oceanic procedures (NAT/PACOTS) 📡 Join VATSIM and file real plans ⚡ Explore dynamic weather planning